JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title: Operations Manager & Responsible Individual
Salary: £70,000 to £75,000 (depending on experience)
Based at: 3 locations around Essex, and Hybrid Working
Person reports to: Managing Directors
Person Supervises: Home's Managers
PURPOSE OF THE JOB
To join an established organisations offering comprehensive residential services to children and young people, aiming to support young people's physical, social, educational, and emotional developmental needs.
The right candidate will be an enthusiastic and value-driven individual. They would provide strategic oversight and visible leadership across multiple Children's Residential Homes to achieve good or outstanding Ofsted ratings, whilst reaching financial targets. As the Responsible Individual you will have the overall responsibility for the compliance of all provisions. Moreover, you will be expected to use your experiencing to support, mentor, and develop Registered Managers, driving consistent quality improvement.
To carry out the duties and responsibilities listed below, in conjunction with the requirements detailed by the National Minimum Care Standards and company Policies and Procedures.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF Our client's residential homes
Our client's overall vision is to develop into a beacon organisation, known for successful intervention & support of children and young people.
Currently our client provides residential care to children aged 7 – 17 through three provisions and are set to open an additional provision within the next 2 years. Our new Operations Manager & Responsible Individual will be instrumental in the registration process and management of this new provision, whilst maintaining good practice in our current provisions.
Our client's commended practice encompasses a stable and consistent framework of appropriate routines and behavioural boundaries, whilst taking a child focus approach, which includes a growing use of therapeutic methods. Our working Ethos includes open dialog, transparency and a non-blame culture. As a leader the right candidate will embody and model this for the rest of the organisation.
KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
· Act as the Ofsted-named Responsible Individual for all provisions
· Safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people, supporting the homes' managers with a variety of intervention strategies to work with children and young people in our care.
· Ensure delivery of care focuses on the life chance opportunities of the young people, in regard to their; educational, leisure, emotional, physical, and cultural needs.
· Responsible for the management, supervision and performance of the Registered Managers. Ensuring managers & Staff are aware and are kept accountable to their roles and responsibilities in relation to Children's Regulations. To ensure that the home's managers have the skills, knowledge, qualifications and ability to manage residential care workers effectively, producing a career development plan to reflect areas for development.
· Regularly undertake internal audits of the homes against the regulatory framework, supporting the managers to produce an action plan, monitoring progress and providing feedback to directors.
· Ensure that all administrative requirements for your role are maintained in such a way that they are compliant with; good childcare practice, homes procedures, Company policies and Children's Regulations.
· Investigate and oversee all complaints within the required time scales, escalating issues as and when required.
· Support the homes' managers in preparation of ultimately achieving an outstanding Ofsted rating, including the sign-off of resulting action plans.
· Supporting the home's managers with their monthly Independent Person (Regulation 44) audits, including preparation and development of action plans.
· Support the home's managers to liaise with social services and advocate for the young people to access support agencies and relevant professionals (including children's rights services), building strong relationships with local authorities, external professionals, and stakeholders. Represent our client to the upmost professional conduct, paramount when networking with professionals and regulators within the industry.
· Monitor staffing structures, rotas and compliance; actively promoting and encouraging professional development across the organisation. Ensure there is sufficient staffing in each home and be involved in the staff recruitment process and undertake staff performance appraisals. You will work to reduce agency use.
· Work within the organisations policies and procedures and help to develop and cement these P&P within the practice of all provisions.
· Ensuring managers are reviewing and responding to referrals in a timely fashion
· Produce, co-ordinate and edit reports as required or necessary. This includes producing and delivering a report outlining the performance of each provision. Conducting monthly meetings with senior managers and directors to discuss the performance of each provision.
· To ensure appropriate security and confidentiality of information regarding records and tasks undertaken as required by the Data Protection Act.
· Promote and actively encourage the delivery of a safe, structured, and nurturing environment.
· You must co-operate with the Company in complying with the Health and Safety requirements and are therefore expected to follow Company policies, to acquaint yourself with the Health and Safety Procedures at your place of work and carry out relevant risk assessments of unsafe practices and conditions that present a safety risk.
· You may be reasonably expected to undertake other duties commensurate with the level of responsibility that may be allocated from time to time.
· Prepare and registered new provisions to meet the requisite standard of practice.
· Travel between several provisions.
· Support the management of the homes in the event the manager is absent.
TRAINING
This position requires a commitment to undertake training as required for the proper and full conduct of duties.
Training will be in the following forms:
· On the job
· Attendance on various in-house and external courses and training days.
· Hold the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management in children and young people or any other qualification as deemed equivalent.
PROBATIONARY PERIOD
Probation normally lasts for a period of 6 months from the first day of service, this can be extended supported by a development plan. Successful completion of your probationary period will be dependent on your performance and completion of the required probationary training.
EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
· A proven leader with significant experience at a senior management level within children's services. This would include leadership skills to motivate, support, communicate, challenge, and develop others to be their very best.
· Candidates should be able to demonstrate their understanding of the needs of adolescents, particularly those in care with EBD needs. Have relevant EBD children's homes management experience (minimum 3 years), alongside operational management experience with a track record of successful Ofsted inspections ('Good' or 'Outstanding').
· Thorough knowledge and understanding of Ofsted regulations, safeguarding, and all relevant legislation.
· Commercial acumen and the ability to balance quality with financial sustainability.
· UK driving licence is required.
· Preferred candidates will hold a leadership and management in children and young people qualifications and relevant experience.
· Preferred candidates will have experience using online tools such as Clearcare to generate and store documentation.
PAY AND CONDITIONS
Starting Salary: £70,000 to £75,000 (depending on experience) Plus Quarterly Bonuses
On-call allowance: Within Salary
Bank Holiday On-Call: Additional Annual Leave Day
Pension: Company Pension Scheme
Location: Harlow, Tiptree Walthamstow and Hybrid Working
Leave: 25-day pa plus bank holidays
Probation: Appointments are subject to satisfactory completion of a Probationary period
DBS Check Disclosure BARRING SERIVCE will be required
Smoking: Your attention is drawn to the fact that our client has a 'No Smoking' policy in any of its homes or establishments.
LEGAL AND STATTORY RESPONSIBILITIES
All staff must be prepared to comply with our clients Health and Safety policies and attend relevant statutory training as required.
Our client is committed to diversity and inclusion of staff and service users. All staff are required to demonstrate their commitment to these policies in their day-to-day work and to always treat others with dignity and respect.
CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITIES
All staff are expected to demonstrate a commitment to the vision, aims and core principles of our client and be prepared to contribute towards these aims within their staff team.
This job description is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of the company.
Offers of employment are subject to satisfactory references, Enhanced Disclosure Barring Service check and continuous satisfactory performance.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £64,999.00-£75,000.00 per year
Benefits:
* Company pension
* On-site parking
* Work from home
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Harlow CM17 9AE