Job overview

Are you a passionate and experienced support worker ready to step into a leadership role? Forward Leeds is looking for a dynamic Senior Harm Reduction Social Support Worker to lead and inspire our Harm Reduction Social Support Team.

About the Role

In this key role, you’ll take the lead in shaping and overseeing the delivery of high-quality harm reduction services. You'll guide a dedicated team, ensuring compassionate support reaches those who need it most—within our service and out in the community. You’ll  ensure best practice is maintained and continuously developed.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and support the Harm Reduction Social Support Team, providing day-to-day guidance and supervision.

• Ensure services are delivered with empathy, dignity, and in line with harm reduction best practice.

• Deliver direct support to individuals who use substances, meeting them where they are, and helping them achieve improved health and social outcomes.

• Build and maintain strong partnerships with local agencies, health services, and community organisations.

What We’re Looking For

• Experience in harm reduction, substance use support, or related fields.

• A strong understanding of the challenges facing people who use drugs and the principles of harm reduction.

• Proven leadership or supervisory experience.

• Excellent communication, advocacy, and partnership-building skills.

• A compassionate, non-judgmental approach with a commitment to equity and inclusion.

Main duties of the job

As a Senior Harm Reduction Social Support Worker, you will lead a team providing assertive outreach and enhanced social support to drug and alcohol users across Leeds. This includes delivering harm reduction interventions, addressing housing and benefits needs, and working flexibly across three Forward Leeds hubs and the wider community.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing supervision, appraisals, and day-to-day support to the Harm Reduction Social Support Team.

• Coordinating staff rotas and ensuring adequate staffing levels.

• Supporting team meetings and fostering reflective practice.

• Monitoring team performance against targets, producing monthly reports, and identifying service gaps.

• Delivering needle and syringe provision and specialist harm reduction advice, including safer injecting practices and overdose prevention (e.g., Naloxone training).

• Supporting clients using all types of substances, including those not accessing structured treatment.

• Managing a caseload, developing person-centred support plans, and working closely with partner agencies to meet health and social needs.

• Providing harm reduction training to professionals and contributing to multi-agency outreach work, including evenings and mornings.

Working for our organisation

St. Anne's wants to reward its permanent employees for their hard work. Employee benefits include;

• Rising 20 to 25 days plus statutory bank holidays
• 24 Hour Employee Assistance Programme
• Continuous opportunities for ongoing training and career development
• Cycle To Work scheme
• Refer A Friend recruitment initiative
• Flexible working opportunities (where applicable) upon successful completion of probation period
• Group Personal Pension Scheme
• Discounted income protection scheme
• Free car parking at most services
• Free life assurance cover