Location – Lewes, with travel around Sussex
Hours – 22.5 per week
Salary – £34,800 plus £1,000 Essential Car User Allowance per year, pro rata
What you’ll be doing:
Southdown is the largest not-for-profit provider of care, support, and housing in Sussex. We’ve been helping people access stable accommodation, mental health and care services since 1972, now counting over 900 people as part of our team.
Reporting to the Learning and Development Business Partner, you will act as a subject matter expert in Learning Disability, as well as in psychologically and trauma-informed approaches.
You will bring credible, senior-level practice experience and the confidence to coach, challenge and support staff and managers in real service environments.
You will deliver a range of training programmes with a strong focus on Positive Behaviour Support (PBS), Person-Centred Active Support and Communication, including basic Makaton.
You will also work alongside teams in services to observe practice, provide constructive feedback and model high-quality, person-centred approaches
In addition, you will act as a source of expert advice, guidance and coaching, supporting frontline staff, individual practitioners and managers.
Please note before applying:
This is a specialist practice development role for people with strong, hands-on experience in learning disability services. Experience primarily in learning and development, mental health or classroom-based training without direct learning disability practice experience may not reflect the hands-on practice background this role requires..
Perks and benefits:
- Health cost cash-back scheme: access to our health insurance scheme which covers dental, optical, physical therapies and other medical treatments with the option to add greater levels of cover.
- Interest-free loans: assistance with larger costs that arise such as tenancy deposits, season travel tickets or buying a car
- Access to the Easit Network: discounts and incentives on train, bus and car journeys such as 15% off eligible daily and season rail tickets.
- Blue Light card: access to discount services for the social care sector with savings across thousands of online shops, restaurants, and high-street vendors.
- Free advice and counselling service: confidential emotional support and practical guidance from our independent telephone service.
- 25 days paid holiday plus bank holidays.
What you’ll need for the role:
To succeed in this role, you’ll need excellent communication skills with individuals with learning disabilities and/or autism, along with strong capabilities in active support and PBS.
You will also need:
- Significant, hands‑on experience working within adult learning disability services, at senior practitioner or management level
- Strong working knowledge of:
- Positive Behaviour Support
- Active Support
- Psychologically and trauma‑informed practice
- Confidence communicating directly with adults with a learning disability and/or autism
- Ability to coach, model and influence practice in live service settings
- Understanding of adult learning theory, particularly learner‑led approaches
- Ability to design and deliver learning using a range of methods to meet different needs
- A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle (essential)
What would be nice:
- Education and Training Award Level 3 or other learning and development qualification an advantage
Training:
Our award-winning in-house training team will help you to gain valuable qualifications, continually develop your skills and build a great career with the largest provider of housing, care and support in Sussex.
How to apply:
Please click on the ‘Apply Now’ button and fill out our simple one-page application form. We recommend that you refer to the full Job Description and Candidate Guidance (attached) prior to completing your application form.
The application closing date is 17 June.
Please note, if we receive a large number of applications then this position may close before the advertised application closing date. We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.
Contact information:
Our online careers page has a list of helpful FAQs that you can view
here. If you have any further questions, please get in touch with recruitment via email at
[email protected]
We are a Disability Confident Employer and are fully committed to supporting Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) and welcome applications from all candidates that meet our job specifications. If you feel there is a barrier that potentially prevents you from applying, do get in contact with us, as we are always happy to discuss (or arrange a discussion with the recruiting manager) to explore if any reasonable adjustments can be made to support your application.
