Area Manager - Supported Living - Dorset & Hampshire

Lifeways Group; East Horsley; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking organization as an Area Manager, where you will lead a dedicated team to provide exceptional care for individuals with complex needs. This role offers the opportunity to make a significant impact in the lives of those supported by Lifeways Group, a leader in the health and social care sector. With a focus on operational excellence, you will ensure compliance with health and safety standards while fostering a culture of growth and development among your team. Enjoy a competitive salary and a range of perks while contributing to a mission-driven organization committed to making a difference in the community.

Benefits

Matched pension

Life insurance

Sick pay

Mileage allowance

Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

Discounts

Cycle-to-work scheme

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing multi-site supported living or residential services.
• Strong leadership skills with a track record of high standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead a dedicated team to deliver high-quality care across multiple services.
• Identify operational challenges and implement effective action plans.

Skills

Leadership skills

Operational management

Quality assurance

Health and safety compliance

Problem-solving

Education

Level 4 qualification in Care or Management

Job description

Area Manager - Supported Living - Dorset & Hampshire

Permanent | Full-Time (37.5 hrs per week, Mon-Fri)

Company: Lifeways Group

Salary: £40k-£55k

Location: This role will manage services across Dorset & Hampshire - Sherborne, Poole, Bournemouth & Portsmouth

Reports to: Regional Director

Function: Operations

Are you ready to lead a dynamic team and make a real impact on the lives of people with complex care needs? Lifeways Group, one of the UK’s leading providers of specialist support services for individuals with learning disabilities, autism, brain injuries, and mental health needs, is on an exciting journey to become the Care Provider of Choice by 2026. We are seeking a passionate Area Manager with a proven operational background to lead and inspire our services across Dorset & Hampshire.

What’s in it for you?

• Leadership with impact: Lead a dedicated team and play a crucial role in delivering high-quality care across multiple services.
• Specialist support at your fingertips: With access to experts in Health & Safety, Quality, HR, Tendering, Billing, PBS, and more, you can focus on what you do best—leading your team and driving operational excellence.
• Growth and development: We’re committed to helping you achieve your leadership goals with coaching, mentoring, and qualifications designed to accelerate your career.
• Competitive package: Enjoy a competitive salary, matched pension, life insurance, sick pay, mileage allowance, and access to exclusive rewards like discounts, a cycle-to-work scheme, and our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).

What You’ll Bring To Lifeways

• Proven experience managing multi-site supported living or residential services in the health and social care sector.
• Strong leadership skills, with a track record of growing teams and driving high standards across services.
• A proactive approach to ensuring quality, health & safety, and regulatory compliance—meeting and exceeding CQC standards.
• The ability to identify and address operational challenges, implementing effective action plans to achieve service improvements.
• A Level 4 qualification or higher in Care or Management (or equivalent experience).
• Experience in managing services for individuals with complex needs such as brain injury, learning disabilities, autism, and mental health is beneficial but not essential.

At Lifeways, our values of Caring, Honesty, One Team, Innovation, Courage, and Equality guide everything we do. If you share these values and are passionate about making a difference, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply today and help us shape a brighter tomorrow for the people we support.