Title: Head of Supported Housing - Somerset
Reports to: Director of Charity Operations
Direct reports: Senior Accommodation and Quality Assurance Manager
Senior Accommodation and Support Manager
Salary £53,611
Location One of our Somerset sites – Street, Frome, Wells, Glastonbury, Yeovil
Hours 37.5 per week. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required and will be
compensated through time off in lieu.
Contract Permanent
Holidays 6 weeks per year plus bank holidays
Pension YMCA BG will currently make an employers contribution of 3% with employees
contribution of 5%, rising to an employer contribution of 6% when an employee
contributes 9%
Benefits We offer a range of staff benefits, including:
Reward gateway
Cycle to work scheme
20% discount at our own nurseries
50% discount at our H&W centre in Bath
Background
The Head of Supported Housing - Somerset is a critical role which will provide leadership of our supported
accommodation service in Somerset called Thrive 16+. Thrive 16+ is a service which offers housing related
support and accommodation for young people in care and care leavers. It also supports young people who
are homeless.
This service is for young people aged between 16 and 25 and is delivered across Glastonbury, Street, Frome,
and Yeovil.
This role will also be the Ofsted registered manager, and will be a member of the Senior Leadership Team
(SLT).
Job Purpose
As Head of Supported Housing – Somerset, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for the
Thrive 16+ service, delivering 95 units of supported accommodation for young people aged 16–25 across
East and South Somerset.
Thrive 16+ exists to transform the lives of young people who are leaving care or experiencing homelessness.
Through safe accommodation, trauma-informed support, and aspirational pathways into independence, the
service enables young people to build confidence, develop life skills and pursue their ambitions.
This service is central to YMCA Brunel Group’s mission. As a senior leader, you will shape its future direction,
ensuring the service delivers exceptional outcomes for young people while maintaining strong partnerships
with Somerset Council and other key stakeholders.
You will lead a workforce of around 40 colleagues, cultivating a culture that reflects YMCA Brunel Group’s
values:
Kind – creating a safe, compassionate environment where young people feel valued and supported
Curious – continually learning, improving, and seeking better ways to support young people
Genuine – building authentic relationships with young people, colleagues, and partners
Wave-makers – innovating and advocating for positive change in the lives of young people
Custodians – responsibly stewarding the homes, resources and trust placed in us
Our service is registered with Ofsted for supporting young people aged 16–17. The post holder will therefore
act as the Ofsted Registered Manager, holding legal accountability for the safety and quality of the service
and acting as the Senior Designated Safeguarding Lead.
With potentially seven years remaining on the current contract, this role offers a significant opportunity to
shape the next evolution of the service, ensuring young people not only achieve independence but exceed
their aspirations.
Main responsibilities
Strategic & Service Leadership
Provide strategic leadership for the Thrive 16+ service, ensuring the delivery of high-quality supported
accommodation that achieves strong outcomes for young people.
Responsibilities include:
Setting the strategic direction, alongside the Director of Operations, for the service and ensuring it
aligns with YMCA Brunel Group’s wider mission and strategy.
Ensuring the service complies with all contractual requirements, regulatory frameworks and
statutory legislation.
Leading a high-performing service that supports 95 units of accommodation and delivers
measurable outcomes for care leavers and young people experiencing homelessness.
Embedding YMCA Brunel Group’s values and culture across the service, ensuring young people
remain at the centre of everything we do.
Driving continuous improvement through innovation, reflective practice and service development.
Establishing robust reporting and governance processes for the Executive Leadership Team and
Board of Trustees.
Occasionally participating in the organisational duty manager rota alongside other leaders.
Regulatory compliance & safeguarding
Ensure the service operates to the highest safeguarding and regulatory standards.
Responsibilities include:
Acting as the Ofsted Registered Manager for the service.
Ensuring the service maintains compliance with Ofsted supported accommodation regulations and
the Housing Regulator.
Leading the reporting of Significant Events to Ofsted within statutory timeframes.
Acting as Senior Designated Safeguarding Lead, providing oversight and guidance on complex
safeguarding cases.
Ensuring the service remains inspection-ready through a robust quality assurance and audit
framework.
Preparing for and leading responses to Ofsted inspections.
Conducting regular service reviews and implementing improvements following inspections, audits or
regulatory feedback.
Stakeholder Engagement & Partnerships
Act as the senior representative for the service with commissioners, partners and external stakeholders.
Responsibilities include:
Building strong relationships with Somerset Council commissioners, Children’s Services, and local
partners.
Acting as the public figurehead for Thrive 16+, representing YMCA Brunel Group externally.
Providing high-quality reports and insight to trustees, statutory bodies and strategic boards.
Working collaboratively with partners to influence local policy and improve services for young
people.
Ensuring young people’s voices shape the service, embedding co-production into service design and
improvement.
Financial stewardship & asset management
Ensure the service operates in a financially sustainable and responsible way.
Responsibilities include:
Leading the preparation and oversight of the Thrive 16+ housing budget.
Monitoring financial performance and implementing mitigation plans where pressures arise.
Overseeing strategies to maximise occupancy and referral pathways.
Leading oversight of rent collection, Housing Benefit claims and social care placements.
Ensuring the 95-property portfolio meets Decent Homes Standards and HHSRS requirements.
Working closely with the facilities team and landlords to maintain safe, high-quality accommodation.
This work reflects our role as custodians of homes and resources entrusted to us.
People leadership & culture
Provide inspiring and values-led leadership to a workforce of approximately 40 colleagues.
Responsibilities include:
Leading and developing a management team through effective supervision, coaching and
performance management.
Creating a culture where colleagues feel supported, empowered and connected to YMCA’s mission.
Embedding trauma-informed and psychologically informed approaches across the workforce.
Working with HR to develop strong recruitment, retention and workforce development strategies.
Ensuring safe staffing levels and effective delivery of a 24/7 service, 365 days per year.
Ensuring all staff receive appropriate training in safeguarding, health and safety and supporting
complex needs.
Through this leadership you will cultivate a culture that is kind, curious and genuine, enabling teams to do
their best work for young people.
Risk, health & safety and complaints
Ensure effective governance, risk management and accountability across the service.
Responsibilities include:
Maintaining robust health and safety systems across all accommodation and operational activities.
Promoting a culture of proactive risk awareness and accountability.
Leading investigations into serious incidents or complex complaints.
Ensuring complaints are managed fairly, transparently and in line with organisational policy.
Working Environment
This role operates across multiple locations in Street, Frome, Glastonbury and Yeovil, with occasional travel
to Bath.
A valid driving licence, access to a vehicle and business insurance are required.
Person Specification
Essential criteria
If you’re interested in this role, we’re looking for an individual that has the following essential
skills, qualifications and experiences:
1. A proven track record of leadership within an Ofsted or CQC regulated environment, with the
demonstrable ability to hold Ofsted Registered Manager status.
2. Extensive experience leading, motivating, and developing large teams (20+ people) across multisites, with evidence of building a high-performance, safe and values-driven culture.
3. A minimum of two years’ experience in a senior management role within housing, social
care services or support services for vulnerable people
4. Experience acting as a Senior Designated Safeguarding Lead or equivalent, with a deep
understanding of managing complex high-risk cases and the statutory reporting requirements
5. Significant experience in delivering and developing services for vulnerable people, and embedding a
trauma-informed environment
6. Proven experience in managing significant departmental budgets, including maximising income and
achieving high-performance targets within large commissioned contracts.
7. The ability to act as a ‘figurehead’ for the service, working with external stakeholders and driving
continuous improvement by ensuring young people’s voices shape our service
8. Must hold a full UK driving licence with access to a vehicle for regular travel across the Somerset
area
Desirable criteria
Although not essential any of the skills or experience below would be desirable:
Holds a Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management, or a willingness to undertake this
course. The successful applicant will be enrolled onto a level 7 leadership and management course
with the costs covered by the YMCA.
Knowledge of the Social Housing Regulator’s standards
An understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities within the charity sector.
How to apply
To apply please provide a copy of your CV, alongside a covering letter of no more than 2 pages outlining how
you meet the essential criteria