Lived Experience Manager

We have an exciting opportunity for a Lived Experience Manager to play a vital role in providing support in Pathfinder West Sussex

Position: Lived Experience Manager

Location: West Sussex

Salary: £36,729 per annum

Hours: 37 hours per week

Contract: Permanent

Closing Date: 25th May 2026

Interview Date: W/C 1st June 2026

About:

As a Lived Experience Manager, you will be working for a people-led organisation whose mission and values is to inspire change across Sussex.

About Pathfinder West Sussex

Pathfinder West Sussex is a partnership of mental health, homelessness and employment support organisations working together to improve people’s wellbeing across the county.

About the Role

This is a new and exciting role in which you will be developing and leading the Lived Experience workstream within the Pathfinder West Sussex Mental Health Support Service. We are passionate about coproduction at all levels withing our service and this role will be key in ensuring we are supporting our staff and subcontractors and continuously improving our approach

Key Responsibilities:

· Provide expertise and leadership on coproduction within Pathfinder services.

· Provide lived experience representation on strategic groups and forums.

· Lead on the collection and analysis of client feedback and outcomes & link with SPFT lived experience groups

· To assist the Senior Manager in achieving the strategic direction for the service and the implementation of service development and continuous improvement.

Person Specification:

To be successful in the role of Lived Experience Manager, you will need to have great communication skills and be committed to the values of BHT Sussex. Some of the key skills and experience you will need to bring with you include:

· Lived experience of mental ill health, alcohol/substance misuse, offending behaviour or homelessness and track record of using personal experience to support continuous service improvement.

· Experience of representing for client views or experience as a group facilitator or Peer Mentor.

· Experience of establishing, developing and maintaining effective working relationships with voluntary and statutory partners.

· Knowledge of local agencies that provide services to people experiencing mental ill health.

· Knowledge of coproduction involvement and engagement best practice.

In return:

In recognition of our commitment to staff, BHT Sussex has been awarded Gold Accreditation from Investors in People. We are also signed up to the Disability Confident employer scheme and have made the Mental Health at Work commitment.

You will also receive a fantastic benefits package including:

· 5.5% stakeholder pension scheme and life assurance scheme

· Medical cash plan with BHSF

· Access to BHT Sussex’s Learning & Development platform

· Free and confidential employee assistance helpline for both personal and work-related concerns

· Cycle-to-work scheme

· Free new starter 28-day Network Saver Brighton bus pass

· Generous holiday allowance starting at 27 days per annum pro rata, rising 1 day for each year of service to a maximum of 32 days pro rata

· The opportunity to participate in well-being and fundraising activities throughout the year

BHT Sussex is an equal opportunities employer using a fair and open recruitment process that fully complies with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010. We are committed to encouraging equality, equity, inclusion, and diversity within the workplace. As an employer we are committed to promoting and supporting our people’s social, physical and psychological health at work. Please let us know if you require any special arrangements or reasonable adjustments if called for interview. BHT Sussex welcomes applications from individuals with lived experience.

BHT Sussex reserves the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applicants for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

An Enhanced with Adults DBS Check (Disclosure and Barring Service) is required on all successful applicants as a condition of employment for this post.