Team Lead (Justice Services)
Lead a team that helps women build greater stability beyond the justice system. Develop great mentors, strengthen partnerships and help create lasting change.
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Position
Team Lead (Justice Services)
Location
North East England (community and custodial)
Salary
£29,077 – £31,500 + excellent benefits
Hours
35 hours per week (flexible working)
Status
Fixed Term to 31 March 2027 with planned extension subject to funding confirmation
Closing date
31 August 2026
The Wise Group, in partnership with the Ministry of Justice and third-sector organisations, delivers Women’s Services across Durham in the North East of England.
This role is about more than managing a service. It's about leading a team that empowers women to improve their wellbeing, strengthen relationships, reduce social isolation, stabilise housing and build the foundations for lasting positive change.
Working across prison and community settings, you will lead a team delivering trauma-informed, strengths-based one-to-one mentoring for women facing multiple and complex challenges. You will support women to build greater stability and independence in the community. Working closely with probation services, prison teams and local partners, you will help ensure women can access the right support, at the right time, to achieve positive and sustainable outcomes.
Using our Relational Mentoring approach, your team will build trusted relationships that go beyond transactional support - helping individuals make meaningful, sustained progress.
As Team Lead, you will play a key role in how this support is delivered - shaping team performance and culture, strengthening partnerships and ensuring we deliver high-quality, person-centred services that make a real difference.
What you’ll lead
People and performance
Recruit, onboard and support mentoring staff delivering frontline interventions. Provide regular supervision, support wellbeing and performance, manage caseload allocation and create a culture focused on accountability, learning and positive outcomes.
Service delivery
Ensure consistent, high-quality delivery across custodial and community settings. Support your team to respond to the interconnected challenges affecting women's wellbeing, stability and successful resettlement.
Partnerships and stakeholder engagement
Build strong working relationships with prisons, probation, Ministry of Justice partners and third-sector organisations. Strengthen referral pathways and support collaborative delivery.
Safeguarding, risk and compliance
Ensure safe working practices are embedded, including risk assessment and safeguarding. Manage and escalate concerns appropriately and ensure compliance with all requirements.
Data, quality and performance
Oversee CRM systems, case recording and performance reporting. Use data and insight to track progress, meet contractual requirements and drive service improvement.
Continuous improvement and change
Identify opportunities to improve delivery, gather feedback and support the ongoing development of justice services across the North East.
What you’ll bring
Experience leading or coordinating frontline teams within criminal justice, social justice, employability or related services
Strong people management and coaching skills, with the ability to build trust and accountability
An understanding of trauma-informed practice and the challenges experienced by women involved in the justice system
Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced, partnership environment
Strong organisational and digital skills, including experience with CRM systems and performance reporting
Confidence building relationships with statutory and third-sector partners
A practical, solutions-focused approach and the ability to implement change
Essential requirements
Full driving licence and access to a car for daily use
Willingness to travel across the North East, including custodial and community locations
Successful completion of enhanced Level 1 prison vetting
Home broadband to support flexible working
Experience of working in a custodial setting is advantageous.
View the
Role Profile
for full details about this opportunity.
Team
Business Operations
Role
Team Lead
Locations
Durham Hub
Remote status
Hybrid
Yearly salary
£29,077
You'll like it here
We want to make a lasting and positive difference in people’s lives, starting with our colleagues. We believe you can’t pour from an empty cup; that’s why we do everything we can to set our colleagues up for success to allow us to go on and help the most vulnerable in our society.
Find out more about:
What we do
Our values
Our benefits
If your experience looks a little different from what we've identified and you think you can bring value to the role, we'd still love to learn more about you.
About The Wise Group
The Wise Group is a leading UK social enterprise working to lift people out of poverty by inspiring positive change through relational mentoring.
Founded in
1983
Co-workers
over 300 and growing