Family Service Manager

We are seeking a Family Service Manager to lead our flagship family service based in HMP Altcourse. 

This is an ideal opportunity if you are seeking a hands-on role within a prison setting, who is confident in working in complex environments and wants to create meaningful change within punitive systems. 

You will lead a multidisciplinary team who deliver high-quality, therapeutically informed, arts-based work with men in prison and their families. 

You will bring together creative group interventions, bespoke family counselling services, and day-to-day practical family support within a complex prison environment. 

As the Family Service Manager, you will lead a team of Programme Co-Ordinator's, Facilitators, Family Counsellors, a Deputy Service Manager, and other appropriate staff. 

The team deliver programmes such as Fathers Inside and Man Up which have received national recognition and have been delivered nationally across custodial and community settings. 

The role requires leadership experience, managing a diverse team, with line management responsibilities to support, enable, and empower your team to deliver high quality support to the participants of our programmes and their families. 

You will work closely with prison and Sodexo colleagues, as well as other internal SIG teams to ensure innovative, safe, and compassionate service delivery.

Location: Based within HMP Altcourse, Fazakerley, Liverpool. Step Free access is available at this service. You may be expected to travel to other services as required, including to Central London Central Office and for in-person meetings held off site. 

Shift Pattern: 37.5 hours per week Monday to Friday 09:00 - 17:00. You may be required to work outside these hours as per service and organisational requirements, including evenings, weekends, and bank holidays and forming part of the out of hours on call rota for managers. 

Key Responsibilities Include

• Line Management throughout the employee lifecycle embedding a culture of learning, development, reflection, and evaluation.
• Creative leadership of creating and delivering engaging high-quality services and interventions which support rehabilitation, reintegration, and culture shifts in systems of power and compliance.
• Manage day-to-day operational delivery of programmes, the service, and visitors centre.
• Ensure core responsibilities and contractual requirements are fulfilled.
• Striving to ensure excellence and quality in our service delivery.

Why work with Safe Ground Prisons

At SIG Safe Ground, we do things differently. Safe Ground is an Arts-based therapeutically informed charity with over 30 years' experience working across the criminal justice system. 

We support people in custody and their families to build stronger and more fulfilled relationships, reflect on behaviours, and navigate change without shame. 

Working with Safe Ground means working differently. It’s about meeting people without judgement, holding space for accountability, and using creativity to disrupt cycles of harm. We believe real change happens when people are seen, challenged and supported, even (and especially) inside prison walls. Want to find out more? Follow this link! You can also email the Head of Safe Ground directly on emma.hulme@socialinterestgroup.org.uk to find out more!

Please be informed that as this role is based within a Prison environment, therefore further vetting from SIG's enhanced DBS will be required such as MOJ clearance. 

About You

This is a role for you if you truly believe change happens through relationships, not control; you will lead with warmth and clarity and hold care and accountability together. 

You will be part of a values-led organisation that takes people, reflection, and creativity seriously. 

You will be comfortable working within a prison setting, with regular interactions with people from all backgrounds and circumstances which have led to them being imprisoned. 

We're seeking a proactive leader, someone who has the ability to motivate and empower a team to drive excellence, both as individuals, and as a team, whilst providing practical solutions to challenges which arise. 

You will be knowledgeable of the criminal justice setting, and ideally have experience within a similar environment. We're looking for someone who can build rapport, trust, and create an environment which allows individuals to grow their skills and experience and develop as individuals. 

• Previous experience in facilitation of group programmes and/or training to various groups, ideally in a similar setting (preferably within a creative setting)
• Experience of working with and engaging with diverse groups of people from varying backgrounds
• Demonstratable experience in leading a service/team in a similar capacity.
• Ability to provide high quality support and line management to staff.
• Ability to motivate and empower a team to achieve KPI's
• Ability to promote the service externally to enhance reputation in the area and with partner organisations
• Ability to work flexibly to meet the demands and needs of the service. For example, Provide an emergency on call service as and when required in case of emergency
• IT proficiency - we use various systems so look for someone who can learn and navigate new systems including case management, Microsoft, ATS, HR systems, and other types of organisational software.
• Alignment with our values of Ambition, Empowerment, Inclusivity, and Transparency

Please refer to the JDPS attached for more details on the vacancy and our requirements/key criteria.

What we Offer

• 25 days (Full time equivalent) annual leave, increasing with the length of service
• Employer Pension Contribution
• Eligibility to register with Blue Light Discount Card
• Access to discounted tickets for music events, shows, sports and more
• Reflective Practice regular sessions with a therapist provided by an external provider to support Mental Health and Wellbeing at work
• Training and Development, including access to courses, upskilling, and progression plans
• Employee Assistance Programme, including counselling
• Life Assurance Scheme
• Cycle-to-work scheme
• Annual Staff Awards
• EDI Ambassador programme

About Social Interest Group (SIG)

SIG is a not-for-profit organisation providing thousands of people with good-quality support and care in residential, drop-in centres, community floating support settings, probation settings, and hospitals. We do so across London, Brighton, Bedfordshire, Luton, Kent and Liverpool. Our goal is to transform lives through empowering change. 

We believe good care and support improves lives with the vision to create healthier, safer, and more inclusive communities. Join us on our mission to empower independence through trauma-informed solutions and dynamic partnerships that keep people out of prison, out of hospital, and off the streets.
Want to know how we work? Watch our short Theory of Change video to see how we support people towards a brighter future: Theory of Change Further details can be found on our website here: Theory of Change - Social Interest Group - Social Interest Group.