Key responsibilities
1) Operational leadership & performance
* Lead day-to-day operations across supported living services, ensuring safe staffing, consistent practice, and reliable service delivery.
* Set clear operational standards and performance expectations for managers and teams.
* Drive occupancy, capacity planning, and efficient deployment of support hours in line with assessed needs and commissioned packages.
* Manage service risk: environment, lone working, community risk, staffing risk, clinical/behavioural risk (where relevant).
2) Quality, governance & CQC readiness
* Maintain CQC readiness across all services: evidence-based systems, robust audits, and consistent documentation.
* Own the quality framework: audit schedules, action plans, learning loops, and sustained improvements.
* Monitor and improve performance against CQC Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOEs): Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive, Well-led.
* Ensure governance is real, not theatre: good minutes, clear owners, deadlines met, measurable improvements.
3) Safeguarding, risk & incident management
* Act as senior safeguarding lead (or deputy) ensuring timely reporting, high-quality investigations, and effective multi-agency working.
* Oversee serious incidents, complaints, whistleblowing, and escalation pathways.
* Ensure duty of candour is applied appropriately and consistently.
* Lead learning from incidents (trend analysis, thematic reviews, corrective actions that actually stick).
4) Regulatory compliance & statutory frameworks
* Ensure compliance with relevant legislation and guidance, including (as applicable):
* Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities)
* Care Act 2014 (safeguarding)
* Mental Capacity Act 2005 (capacity assessments, best interests)
* DoLS/LPS awareness where relevant to pathway/interface
* Health & Safety, COSHH, fire safety, RIDDOR, GDPR
* Ensure CQC notifications are made correctly and on time (where required by your regulated activities).
* Maintain policy, procedure, and training compliance across services.
5) People leadership: recruitment, retention, capability
* Build high-performing service leadership through coaching, supervision standards, and clear accountability.
* Oversee recruitment plans, onboarding quality, rota integrity, and retention strategies.
* Manage capability, disciplinary processes, attendance, and culture issues fairly and decisively.
* Ensure mandatory training compliance and role-specific competence (PBS, autism, epilepsy, meds, etc. as relevant).
6) Financial and contract performance
* Own operational budgets: staffing ratios, agency use, rota efficiency, travel costs, and service-level P&L performance.
* Work with finance/commissioners to ensure packages are accurate, reviewed, and delivered as commissioned.
* Deliver measurable improvements in agency reduction, vacancy management, and efficiency without compromising care.
7) Service development & strategic delivery
* Support mobilisation of new services, transitions, and service redesign.
* Build strong commissioner relationships and contribute to tenders, service proposals, and growth plans.
* Lead improvement projects (e.g., medication governance upgrade, auditing overhaul, PBS quality drive, digital care planning rollout).
8) Stakeholder management
* Maintain professional relationships with families, advocates, social workers, commissioners, housing partners, and multidisciplinary teams.
* Lead complex meetings: placement breakdown prevention, safeguarding strategy, best interests, complaint resolution.
* Ensure people supported are meaningfully involved in decisions about their lives and service improvements.