Job Title: Operations Director
Location: Bournemouth
Salary: £70,000 – £75,000 per annum (depending on experience)
Working Hours / Shift Pattern: 40 hours per week
Employment Type: Permanent, Full Time
Service: Registered Children’s Homes / Supported Accommodation
Service Users: Young people with complex needs requiring therapeutic residential care and supported accommodation
Qualifications Required: Minimum Level 5 qualification in Residential Childcare
Experience Required: Senior leadership experience managing complex social care / looked after children’s services, trauma-informed practice, and regulatory oversight
Who we are looking for:
Our client is seeking an experienced and driven Operations Director to support the Managing Director in delivering exceptional children’s residential and supported accommodation services.
This role would suit a highly capable senior leader with a proven track record of operational leadership, service improvement, regulatory compliance, and achieving strong outcomes for children and young people.
The successful candidate will have:
- Minimum Level 5 qualification in Residential Childcare
- Extensive experience managing complex social care / looked after children’s services
- Strong knowledge of Children’s Homes Regulations, safeguarding legislation, and wider regulatory frameworks
- Understanding of Supported Accommodation legislation (highly desirable)
- Experience leading trauma-informed services alongside clinical professionals, therapists, and psychologists
- Strong leadership, coaching, and team development experience
- Experience managing budgets, rotas, occupancy, recruitment, and operational performance
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Strong decision-making capability and solution-focused leadership
- Full UK driving licence
Who you will be working for:
Our client is a large, established children’s care provider delivering therapeutic Registered Children’s Homes and Supported Accommodation services for young people with complex needs.
Their approach is centred around therapeutic, nurturing, family-style care, ensuring young people experience safety, stability, and the opportunity to thrive.
Company type/size: Large group provider
Number of homes: 10 services (4 Children’s Homes / 6 Supported Accommodation services)
Future plans: Ongoing expansion with a strong focus on achieving Outstanding Ofsted outcomes
Other services: Fostering, adoption, education, leaving care services, bespoke children’s services contracts
Why this home & company:
This is a senior strategic leadership opportunity within a well-established provider with ambitious growth plans and a clear commitment to service excellence.
You will have the opportunity to shape service quality, drive operational performance, influence culture, and directly improve outcomes for children and young people across multiple services.
Progression:
A significant senior leadership opportunity working directly alongside executive leadership within a growing organisation.
Training / qualifications:
- Ongoing professional development
- Leadership development opportunities
- Clinical collaboration with therapeutic professionals
Benefits: ✅
- Discretionary annual bonus of up to 10%
- Car allowance
- 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
- Company pension
- Life assurance
- Employee discount scheme
Ethos: ❤️
Our client is committed to therapeutic, nurturing, family-style care that prioritises safety, stability, and exceptional outcomes for children and young people.
Culture:
A high-performing, ambitious, child-focused culture with strong emphasis on safeguarding, therapeutic practice, regulatory excellence, continuous improvement, and collaborative leadership.
The Role:
As Operations Director, you will play a visible and hands-on leadership role across multiple services, ensuring operational excellence and consistently high-quality care.
Key responsibilities include:
- Overseeing the effective operation of all services
- Leading, coaching, and developing two Area Managers
- Acting as Responsible Individual for four children’s homes
- Acting as Nominated Individual for six Supported Accommodation services
- Driving regulatory compliance and striving for Good / Outstanding inspection outcomes
- Maintaining occupancy levels above 90%
- Leading workforce planning, recruitment, induction, and reducing agency reliance
- Supporting trauma-informed practice alongside clinical teams
- Managing budgets, rotas, and operational performance
- Leading safeguarding oversight and multi-agency collaboration
- Building strong commissioner and stakeholder relationships
- Chairing meetings, reviews, and driving continuous improvement initiatives
Sponsorship is not available.
How to apply:
If you are passionate about making a difference in the lives of children and young people and would like to join our client’s dedicated team, apply today.
To apply, click the apply button or contact us for more information.
For more information or to book a confidential chat, please contact: [email protected]
