Registered Manager – New Four-Bed Children’s Home
Location: Bournemouth, Dorset
Salary: £55,000-£70,000 per year
Job type: Permanent, Full-time
Build more than a service. Help create a home that keeps children close to their communities.
We are looking for an experienced Registered Manager to lead the development and opening of a new four-bed children’s home in the Bournemouth area.
The service is being created within a beautifully renovated, substantial 10-bedroom property and will provide highly personalised care for children and young people with learning disabilities, emotional and behavioural difficulties, and associated moderate to complex needs.
Our ambition is to build a genuinely bespoke home that works closely with neighbouring local authorities, helping children remain near their families, schools and communities wherever possible.
This is not an opportunity to inherit an established service. You will be involved from the ground up—helping shape the environment, recruit the team, develop the culture and lead the home through Ofsted registration and opening.
The role
As Registered Manager, you will:
- Lead the home through its final development, registration and successful opening.
- Contribute to the property’s final design and operational readiness, ensuring the environment meets the individual needs of the children.
- Develop the home’s Statement of Purpose, policies, care model and operational systems.
- Recruit, train and lead a skilled, values-driven residential care team.
- Create a safe, nurturing and child-centred culture with consistently high standards.
- Build strong relationships with local authorities, social workers, families and other professionals.
- Assess referrals carefully and ensure each placement is appropriate and well planned.
- Maintain full compliance with the Children’s Homes Regulations, Quality Standards and Ofsted requirements.
- Lead safeguarding, risk management, quality assurance and continuous service improvement.
- Manage staffing, budgets and operational performance.
- Ensure children’s voices influence how the home develops and operates.
- Work with the provider to establish a home capable of achieving and maintaining positive Ofsted outcomes.
About you
We are looking for an experienced children’s residential leader who can turn a clear vision into a high-quality, sustainable service.
You will need:
- Previous experience successfully opening and registering a children’s home.
- A strong record of achieving Good or Outstanding Ofsted outcomes.
- Experience supporting children with learning disabilities, emotional and behavioural difficulties, and associated complex needs.
- Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare, or a recognised equivalent.
- The experience required to register with Ofsted as the home’s Registered Manager.
- Strong knowledge of the Children’s Homes Regulations, Quality Standards and safeguarding requirements.
- Experience recruiting, developing and retaining high-performing teams.
- The confidence to contribute to a property development project and build the service’s systems, culture and operating model from the ground up.
- Strong commercial awareness, including experience managing budgets, staffing and occupancy.
- The ability to build credible relationships with local authorities and professional partners.
- A calm, resilient and child-focused leadership style.
What we offer
- Salary of £55,000-£70,000
- Performance or Ofsted-related bonus
- 25 Days holiday plus 8 bank holidays
- The autonomy to shape a new service from its earliest stage.
- Direct support from an engaged and ambitious provider.
- The opportunity to recruit your own team and establish the home’s culture.
- Ongoing professional development and career progression as the organisation grows.
This is a rare opportunity to become a vital part of the story from the beginning—creating a home, building a team and developing a service that delivers lasting outcomes for children and young people across the region.
To apply, please submit your CV together with a short statement outlining your experience of opening children’s homes and your previous Ofsted outcomes.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The successful applicant will be subject to safer recruitment checks, including references, verification of employment history and an enhanced DBS check with the children’s barred-list check.
We welcome applications from suitably qualified candidates from all backgrounds.
Pay: £55,000.00-£70,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
