Our Project:
B.E.S.T Project delivers children’s residential homes and supported accommodation across West Sussex, providing safe, nurturing environments alongside young-person-focused, trauma-informed support.
Our Core Values:
- BELIEVING in young people and their capacity for change and growth
- EMPOWERING young people on their journey towards improved lives and outcomes
- Supporting young people to SUCCEED in achieving their goals, becoming valued members of their local communities, and making positive contributions to wider society
- Achieving this TOGETHER with young people, through strong, trusting relationships
We aim to provide every young person in our care with a positive, stable, and supportive environment where they can grow and thrive. We offer the same opportunities and life skills that every young person deserves, helping to prepare them for a confident and successful future.
Job Description
B.E.S.T Project is looking for a committed, experienced and values-led Registered Service Manager to lead the delivery of high-quality, trauma-informed support within our supported accommodation service for looked after young people. This is a key leadership role with responsibility for quality assurance, compliance, safeguarding oversight, staff development, service improvement and the safe day-to-day running of our homes.
The successful candidate will be passionate about improving outcomes for young people and will have the confidence, knowledge and professional curiosity needed to lead a safe, consistent and nurturing service. You will work closely with the Directors, Head of Services, Compliance Officer and wider staff team to ensure the service operates in line with B.E.S.T Project’s values, policies, Ofsted regulatory requirements and safeguarding responsibilities.
About the Role
As Registered Service Manager, you will hold overall responsibility for ensuring that our supported accommodation homes are safe, well managed and consistently delivering high standards of care and support in line with Ofsted regulatory expectations. You will lead on quality assurance, including audits of young people’s files, staff files, health and safety arrangements, weekly reports, incident reports, missing episodes, risk assessments and regulatory data capture.
You will also play an important role in service development, regulation implementation, inspection preparation, admissions and placement decisions, staff wellbeing, supervision, training oversight and recruitment. The role will be based in one of our homes and will involve working directly with young people, alongside potential case management responsibilities and supporting mentors who hold case responsibility. The role includes on-call responsibilities and requires a confident manager who can balance strategic oversight with practical, supportive leadership across the homes.
Hours: 40 hours per week, with on-call responsibilities for 7 consecutive days once every 4 weeks. The role requires some flexibility to support the needs of the service, which may include overtime, unsociable hours and occasional sleep-in shifts.
Key Responsibilities
· Lead and maintain strong quality assurance systems across the service, including audits, monitoring, recording standards and compliance checks.
· Oversee and sign off key reports, including weekly reports and incident/missing reports.
· Complete and review key risk assessments, including location, premises, fire and activity risk assessments.
· Prepare for and attend Ofsted inspections, commissioning visits and external quality assurance reviews.
· Ensure Ofsted regulatory requirements and internal policies are understood, implemented and embedded into practice.
· Lead and support staff through supervision, Personal Development Plans, training oversight and day-to-day management guidance.
· Contribute to safer recruitment, staff development, annual leave approval, staff wellbeing and individual staff risk assessments.
· Work with the Head of Services and Directors on admissions, placements, endings and wider service development.
· Be based within one of our homes, working directly with young people and providing practical, relational and consistent support as part of day-to-day service delivery.
· Undertake case management responsibilities where required and support mentors who hold case responsibility, ensuring young people’s plans, records and support arrangements remain clear, coordinated and effective.
· Support the safe and effective running of the homes, including maintenance oversight and ensuring young people receive consistent, high-quality support.
· Attend relevant meetings, including compliance calls, Senior Leadership Team meetings, staff team meetings and young people’s house meetings.
· Promote a trauma-informed, relational and safeguarding-focused culture across the service.
· Take part in the on-call rota and respond appropriately to incidents, safeguarding concerns and/or operational issues.
About You
We are looking for someone who is confident, reflective and young person-centred, with experience of working with vulnerable young people and an understanding of the impact of trauma, exploitation, safeguarding risks and care experience. You will need to be organised, calm under pressure and able to lead staff with warmth, clarity and accountability.
You should be able to build strong professional relationships with young people, staff, families, social workers, commissioners and external agencies. You will also need strong written communication skills, the ability to make informed decisions, and a commitment to continuous improvement, reflective practice and safe service delivery.
Essential Requirements
· At least 2 years’ experience of working with children, young people and/or vulnerable young people in a care, social care, education, youth justice, supported accommodation or residential setting.
· Experience of safeguarding practice, risk management and multi-agency working.
· Experience of leading, supervising or supporting staff teams.
· Strong understanding of trauma-informed, young person-centred and relationship-based practice.
· Ability to maintain accurate records, review reports and ensure high standards of written documentation.
· Confidence in working within Ofsted regulatory, inspection and quality assurance frameworks.
· Commitment to safer recruitment, equality, diversity, inclusion and professional boundaries.
· Willingness to complete required training and qualifications relevant to the role.
· Enhanced DBS check and satisfactory safer recruitment checks.
· Aged 22 or over, due to the nature of the role and the young people supported within the service.
What We Offer
· A supportive, values-led organisation with a strong trauma-informed ethos.
· The opportunity to make a meaningful difference to young people’s lives and outcomes.
· A committed leadership team who value collaboration, transparency and continuous improvement.
· The chance to contribute to service development and help shape high-quality provision for young people.
· Regular supervision, reflective practice, ongoing training and professional development.
· A genuine commitment to staff wellbeing, including monthly wellbeing sessions, supportive leadership, and opportunities to reflect, reset and feel valued in your role.
· A competitive salary that reflects the responsibility, leadership and experience required for this important service management role.
· Regular staff social events and opportunities to come together as a wider team, helping to build positive relationships, celebrate achievements and strengthen our supportive culture.
Safeguarding Statement
B.E.S.T Project is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All applicants will be expected to share this commitment and will be subject to safer recruitment checks, including satisfactory references and an enhanced DBS check.
Join us in making a significant difference in the lives of children and young people. Apply today to become part of the team and help us provide care and support that every young person deserves. To request more details on the role and salary, please contact Emma Goodwin or Bridie Garnham via email [email protected] / [email protected].
We look forward to meeting you and discussing how you can contribute to our team at B.E.S.T Project.
*Please note all roles require enhanced DBS check.*
Pay: From £38,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company events
- Company pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
