Role: Short Breaks Service Lead
Location: Hybrid Working / Home Working – Office TBC Carmarthen / Haverfordwest / Llanelli
Salary: £31,895 per annum
Hours: 37 hours per week
Length of Contract: Fixed Team contract until 31 March 2029
JOB ADVERT
Come and join us – Carers Trust Crossroads West Wales is seeking a Short Breaks Coordinator to lead the delivery of our Short Breaks Programme across Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.
The successful candidate will manage the day-to-day operation of the service, oversee staff, budgets and performance, coordinate activities and events, and support unpaid carers through a person-centred caseload. The role also involves ensuring contracts with Carers Trust Wales, Carmarthenshire County Council and Pembrokeshire County Council are delivered successfully, meeting agreed targets, outcomes and reporting requirements.
This is an opportunity to make a real difference by helping unpaid carers access flexible short breaks that improve wellbeing, build resilience and sustain caring relationships.
We value diversity in our workforce, and we encourage applications from all sectors of the community. Applicants must be willing to undergo screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Important
Applicants must have the right to work in the United Kingdom, as visa sponsorship is not provided.
Deadline for applications is Monday, 14th September 2026. Interviews week commencing 23rd September. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early; we therefore encourage early applications.
For more information, contact us: [email protected] or [email protected]
Important: We are unable to accept CVs for this role. For an application pack, please visit our Careers Page at https://ctcww.org.uk/working-for-us/ and email your completed Application form to [email protected]
Key Responsibilities
Programme and Contract Management
- Lead the operational delivery of the Short Breaks Programme across Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.
- Ensure all contractual activities, outputs, outcomes and targets are delivered within agreed timescales and budgets.
- Maintain oversight of contracts with Carers Trust Wales, Carmarthenshire County Council and Pembrokeshire County Council.
- Develop and maintain programme delivery plans and activity timetables.
- Monitor performance, identify delivery risks or underperformance and implement appropriate actions in conjunction with the Carers Support Services Manager.
- Ensure accurate monitoring systems are maintained covering activities, grants, beneficiaries, outcomes and expenditure.
- Take lead responsibility for writing and submitting quarterly, annual and end of project reports to funders.
- Attend quarterly monitoring meetings with funders and commissioners, reporting on delivery, outcomes, expenditure, risks and contractual commitments.
- Produce case studies, carer feedback and other evidence demonstrating project impact.
Budget Management
- Take day to day responsibility for monitoring Short Breaks budgets across all contracts and funding streams.
- Ensure expenditure remains within agreed allocations and complies with funder and organisational requirements.
- Monitor expenditure relating to Individual Short Break Grants, Micro Grants, trips, activities and events.
- Work closely with the Finance Team and Carers Support Services Manager to ensure accurate financial monitoring and reporting.
- Identify potential underspends, overspends or financial pressures at an early stage and take appropriate action.
- Ensure appropriate financial records and supporting evidence are maintained for audit and funder requirements.
Staff and Team Management
- Line manage Short Breaks staff, providing regular supervision, annual appraisal, support and direction.
- Allocate and monitor caseloads, workloads and delivery responsibilities.
- Ensure staff understand contractual targets and their individual responsibilities for achieving them.
- Monitor staff performance, identify training needs and promote consistent, high quality practice across both counties.
- Plan and facilitate regular team meetings, maintaining clear actions and accountability.
- Coordinate team cover to maintain service continuity.
Short Breaks Delivery and Casework
- Maintain an active caseload and work directly with unpaid carers to identify their needs and suitable short break opportunities.
- Support carers to access Individual Short Break Grants, Micro Grants and other funded opportunities.
- Ensure applications progress efficiently through agreed assessment and grant allocation procedures.
- Provide information, advice and signposting to wider services where appropriate.
- Identify hidden carers and improve access for underrepresented groups, including male carers, LGBTQ+ carers, carers from minoritised ethnic communities, rural carers and Welsh speaking carers.
- Ensure carer consultation, feedback and lived experience continually influence service delivery and development.
Activities, Trips and Carers Rights Day
- Take lead responsibility for planning and delivering activities and trips funded through the Short Breaks Programme across both counties.
- Organise coach trips, wellbeing activities, targeted carer groups and other agreed short break opportunities.
- Lead the planning and delivery of the annual Carers Rights Day events in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, coordinating venues, facilitators, activities, catering, promotion and partner involvement.
- Ensure activities are delivered safely, within budget and provide value for money.
- Complete or oversee appropriate risk assessments, safeguarding arrangements and health and safety requirements.
- Monitor attendance, outcomes and carer feedback to evaluate impact and improve future delivery.
Partnership Working
- Develop and maintain effective relationships with Carers Trust Wales, Carmarthenshire County Council, Pembrokeshire County Council and other statutory, voluntary and community partners.
- Develop referral pathways and partnership opportunities that improve identification and access for unpaid carers.
- Represent CTCWW and the Short Breaks Programme at relevant meetings, networks, forums and events.
- Work with community organisations to improve engagement with underrepresented and seldom heard carers.
Safeguarding, Quality and Compliance
- Ensure all Short Breaks delivery complies with CTCWW policies, contractual requirements and relevant quality standards.
- Promote and safeguard the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk and appropriately escalate concerns.
- Ensure appropriate risk assessments are undertaken for trips, activities, venues and events.
- Ensure external providers meet appropriate safeguarding, insurance and health and safety requirements.
- Maintain accurate and confidential case records on CTCWW's Customer Relationship Management system.
- Promote equality, diversity, inclusion, professional boundaries and person centred practice.
- Use monitoring, outcomes and carer feedback to continually improve service quality.
General Responsibilities
- Participate in relevant training and professional development.
- Maintain up to date knowledge of issues affecting unpaid carers and Short Breaks provision.
- Work within the values, policies and procedures of Carers Trust Crossroads West Wales.
- Comply with Health and Safety, data protection, confidentiality and organisational requirements.
- Undertake occasional evening and weekend work where required for activities and events.
- Undertake other duties commensurate with the level of the post.
Person specification
Experience - Essential
- Experience within health, social care, carers services or the Third Sector.
- Experience of supporting unpaid carers or individuals with health and social care needs.
- Experience of coordinating or managing a project/service and supervising or line managing staff.
- Experience of direct casework, managing workloads and achieving positive outcomes.
- Experience of monitoring contractual targets, budgets and producing reports.
- Experience of partnership working and organising activities/events.
Experience - Desirable
- Experience of Short Breaks or respite services.
- Managing externally funded or commissioned projects.
- Working with local authorities or national funders.
- Grant administration.
- Experience across Carmarthenshire/Pembrokeshire and engaging underrepresented communities.
Skills and abilities - Essential
- Strong leadership, organisational and people management skills.
- Ability to manage multiple contracts, budgets, priorities and deadlines.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including report writing. Strong decision making and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to manage frontline casework alongside management responsibilities. Excellent IT, administration and record keeping skills.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Skills and abilities - Desirable
Knowledge - Essential
- Understanding of unpaid carers and the impact of caring.
- Knowledge of person centred and strengths-based approaches.
- Understanding of safeguarding, professional boundaries, confidentiality and data protection.
- Understanding of project monitoring, outcomes and financial accountability.
Knowledge - Desirable
- Knowledge of statutory and Third Sector services across Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.
- Knowledge of Short Breaks provision, local authority commissioning and grant funded services in Wales.
Qualifications - Essential
- Good standard of general education and/or relevant experience within management, health, social care, advice, community development or the Third Sector.
Qualifications - Desirable
- Relevant recognised management, leadership, health, social care or community development qualification.
Other - Essential
- Full driving licence and access to a vehicle for work purposes.
- Ability and willingness to travel throughout Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire when required.
- Flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends to support activities, trips and events.
- Commitment to maintaining and developing high-quality services and good practice within Carers Trust Crossroads West Wales.
- Willingness to undertake screening appropriate to the post, including references and Disclosure and Barring Service checks.
Pay: £31,895.00 per year
Benefits:
- Additional leave
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Store discount
Application question(s):
- Do you require visa sponsorship now or in the future, including a change of sponsor?
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Carmarthenshire
