Principal Occupational Therapist

Liquid Personnel is seeking an experienced Occupational Therapist for its client based in Bristol.

Step into a leadership role where your expertise shapes the future of Adult Social Care.

Our client is looking for an exceptional Principal Occupational Therapist to join their forward‑thinking leadership team. If you’re an experienced OT ready to influence practice at a strategic level, drive service transformation and champion high‑quality, person‑centred care across Bristol, this is your opportunity.

About the role:

As Principal OT, you’ll play a pivotal role in delivering our transformation plan and embedding our target operating model. You’ll provide professional leadership across Adult Social Care and Children’s Services, ensuring excellence in OT practice and supporting the development of a skilled, confident and culturally responsive workforce.

This is a high‑impact position where your decisions shape service delivery, professional standards and long‑term outcomes for Bristol’s residents.
What will your responsibilities be?

• Lead strategic oversight of Occupational Therapy, Carers Services, and Workforce Development.
• Support the senior leadership team in meeting operational and strategic priorities.
• Champion high standards of OT practice across adult and children’s services.
• Provide expert professional leadership to OTs, social care practitioners and partner agencies.
• Drive service improvement and contribute to a cohesive, high‑performing workforce.
• Oversee the Workforce Development Team, ensuring robust training and professional growth.
• Promote strengths‑based, person‑centred approaches that empower individuals and maximise independence.

Benefits:

• A supportive, inclusive leadership environment.
• Genuine opportunities for professional development and career progression.
• Flexible working arrangements and a strong commitment to staff wellbeing.
• The chance to make a meaningful, city‑wide impact on the lives of adults, children and families.
• Access to extensive staff benefits, training and development resources.

Qualifications & Experience:

A confident, forward‑thinking leader with:

• A recognised OT qualification (DipCOT, BSc or equivalent).
• Current HCPC registration.
• Significant experience in social care OT, including supervisory or management responsibilities.
• Strong project management capability.
• The ability to manage budgets, resources and competing priorities effectively.
• A passion for driving high‑quality, strengths‑based practice.

Why Liquid Personnel?

• Free DBS and compliance service
• Twice weekly payroll and ‘Faster Pay’ service, getting you paid more quickly
• Access to exclusive roles that aren’t available from other agencies
• Free access to Liquid’s exclusive social work training and CPD portal
• Your own dedicated consultant with extensive social work knowledge
• Access to a wide selection of social work positions across the UK
• “Refer a Friend” bonus – get £500 for each social worker you refer who we successfully place*
• “Find your own job” bonus – get £250 for bringing your own position to us *

Liquid Personnel is an equal opportunities employer. Liquid Personnel Ltd is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy. * Terms and conditions apply to our bonus schemes.

Reasonable Adjustments:

If you consider yourself to have a disability or require any reasonable adjustment during the recruitment process or within the workplace, please highlight this at the earliest opportunity by contacting our team. With this information, we will provide appropriate support to you throughout the process and into your work placement.

We are unable to support or accept applications from candidates who are residents within the Red or Amber list of the Code of practice for the international recruitment of health and social care personnel in England, based on the World Health Organisation (WHO) Workforce Support and Safeguard List.

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