Practice Development Lead – Nacro

This role requires regular national travel across CAS2 services and therefore the ability to travel extensively is essential.

This role offers a starting salary within Nacro's pay structure of £37,581 pro rata entry point with expected progression to £38,708 pro rata established within the first year within the first year, subject to meeting agreed criteria and performance standards. Further progression opportunities are available through Nacro's transparent pay framework, supporting professional development and career growth.

We are Nacro

We believe that everyone deserves a good education, a safe and secure place to live, the right to be heard, and the chance to start again, with support from someone on their side.

That's why our housing, education, justice, and health and wellbeing services work alongside people to give them the support and skills they need to succeed. And it's why we fight for their voices to be heard and campaign together to create lasting change.

We see your future, whatever the past.

This role sits within Nacro's Community Accommodation Service Tier 2 (CAS-2) programme, a national service commissioned by the Ministry of Justice to provide short-term accommodation and support for people who do not have a suitable address whilst on bail or licence in the community.

We are looking for an experienced and motivated Practice Development Lead to join our national Practice Development Team. This is an exciting opportunity to help shape and improve practice across a complex national service that supports people to achieve positive, crime-free futures.

As a Practice Development Lead, you will drive practice excellence, workforce capability and continuous improvement across CAS-2. Working closely with operational teams, managers and external stakeholders, you will help embed high-quality, person-centred services that deliver strong outcomes for residents whilst meeting contractual, organisational and regulatory requirements.

You will lead and facilitate a range of practice development activities including workforce development, training, service improvement, quality assurance, audits, practice change implementation and organisational learning. Using insight gathered from audits, complaints, incidents, resident feedback and performance data, you will identify opportunities to strengthen service delivery and improve outcomes across the national programme.

Key Responsibilities

Practice Development and Workforce Capability

• Support the development and embedding of high-quality, consistent and person-centred practice across CAS-2 services.
• Build workforce capability through training delivery, facilitation, coaching, learning activities and best practice guidance.
• Identify learning needs and work collaboratively with operational leaders to implement effective development solutions.
• Promote a culture of continuous learning, reflective practice, professional curiosity and robust case management.

Service Improvement and Practice Change

• Support the implementation, embedding and evaluation of service improvements and operational change initiatives.
• Develop practical tools, resources, frameworks and guidance to support consistent service delivery.
• Promote innovation and evidence-informed approaches that improve outcomes for residents.
• Work with managers and stakeholders to strengthen service quality, resident experience and operational effectiveness.

Quality Assurance and Organisational Learning

• Deliver audits, quality assurance reviews and learning activities to assess practice and drive improvement.
• Analyse information from audits, incidents, complaints, case reviews, resident feedback and performance data.
• Identify themes, risks and opportunities for development and produce clear recommendations and action plans.
• Support services to implement and sustain improvements arising from quality assurance activity and organisational learning.

Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement

• Build positive relationships across operational teams, support functions and external stakeholders.
• Provide constructive challenge, professional guidance and support to improve practice standards.
• Champion resident involvement and ensure resident experiences inform service improvement activities.
• Work flexibly across a range of practice development priorities to support national service objectives.

About You

Essential Experience & Knowledge

• Experience of supporting service improvement, practice development, quality assurance or continuous improvement within housing, criminal justice or related sectors.
• Experience of delivering training and facilitating learning that improves professional practice and outcomes.
• Experience of implementing and embedding changes in practice, systems, processes or service delivery.
• Experience of undertaking audits, reviews or quality assurance activities and translating findings into practical improvement actions.
• Experience of analysing information, identifying trends and producing reports, recommendations and action plans.
• Experience of working collaboratively across multiple teams and building effective stakeholder relationships.
• Knowledge of safeguarding principles and their application within services supporting vulnerable adults.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, work independently and deliver against agreed objectives and timescales.

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Nacro is a fair and inclusive employer

At Nacro, we believe in the power of a diverse and inclusive team. We are a Ban the Box employer and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including those with criminal records. Convictions are not discussed at application stage and will only be considered later if relevant to the role, assessed fairly, proportionately and confidentially. For advice, contact our confidential Criminal Record Support Service on 0300 123 1999 or helpline@nacro.org.uk