Senior Support Officer; special interest in neurology

About us

Join our team at the MPS Society, one of the leading rare genetic disease charities in the UK aiming to transform the lives of individuals and their families affected by MPS, Fabry and other related lysosomal diseases. This is a rare opportunity to join our Support & Communities teams who provide direct support, practical guidance and other patient focused activities to over 1500 members and their families, UK-wide.

Our Support Team raise awareness both within the MPS community and external agencies, offering information, advice, support, and advocacy in a range of areas including clinical management, health and social care, housing, education, transition, independent living, palliative care, and bereavement.

Ideal candidate

As a Senior Support Officer, you will primarily be responsible for raising awareness and providing a high-quality support and advocacy service to our members and their families. You will be a relationship builder who cares about the community we serve and ensures that the individual (or family) remains at the centre of support. You will have experience in multi-agency working and an in-depth understanding of the needs of those with disabilities, their families and carers.

Demonstrable experience and knowledge of health and social care, education and relevant assessment processes are essential.

You will have excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to uphold best practice, challenge poor policy and inappropriate decisions. Excellent IT skills and the ability to plan, prioritise and deliver to tight timescales are essential. You will be self-motivated and highly organised, juggling many strands of work.

As part of a small, dedicated team, you will have a positive attitude and a willingness to work collaboratively with your colleagues and external parties to raise awareness, advocate for our membership, as well as supporting the delivery and development of services for the MPS Society community.

Whilst a relevant qualification within health & social care, education or a related field is desirable, other knowledge and work experiences may be equally as valuable in this role. Prior knowledge of MPS and related conditions is not required however a special interest in neurology and working with individuals with neurological disabilities is advantageous. In-depth support and training to develop expertise in MPS and related conditions, and the needs of those affected by these progressive, life-limiting conditions will be provided.

What we can offer you

Join us and you will be working for a caring charity offering:

• A competitive salary
• Generous annual leave of 25 days plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part time hours)
• Extra leave between Christmas and the New Year
• Pension
• Life assurance (subject to the conditions of the scheme)
• Employee assistance programme offering support 24/7

Further information

The successful candidate must be eligible to work in the UK.

This is a full-time role (35 hrs per week) however part time hours, with a minimum of 28 hrs per week may be agreed for the right candidate. Salary will be pro-rata for part-time.

The main duties, responsibilities and essential requirements of this role can be viewed on the attached job description.

This is an essential car user post. The applicant must hold a current UK driver’s licence, with no more than 6 points, have access to a car and be able and willing to drive UK wide as required.

This role is offered on a hybrid basis with a minimum of 2 days in our Amersham office each week. As part of the role, UK wide travel is necessary. This may on occasion include early morning and/or evening working and sometimes overnight stays. You may also occasionally be required to attend evening or weekend conferences and events. We have policies in place to ensure that any unsociable hours worked are fairly compensated.

We encourage candidates to visit the MPS Society website to learn more about us and the community we serve. Alternatively, if you would like an informal chat about the role or the work of the…