Head of Care

Harley House Supported Living; Mid Sussex; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Harley House Supported Living seeks a Head of Care, Quality and Governance to lead care quality and compliance in a supported living environment for individuals with complex needs. The role involves strategic oversight, ensuring person-centered support, regulatory compliance, and developing existing services. It offers a salary of £70,000-£75,000 per annum, with a focus on continuous improvement and staff development.

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience in health or social care environment required.
• Proven experience with CQC inspections and regulatory frameworks.
• Knowledge of Care Act, MCA, DoLS regulations essential.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic oversight of care and support delivery.
• Lead on regulatory compliance and quality assurance frameworks.
• Coordinate bi-annual external mock inspections and analysis of compliance.

Skills

Leadership

Compliance

Quality Assurance

Communication

Problem Solving

Education

Degree-level qualification in health or social care

Health and Social Care Qualification (Level 5 or above)

Relevant qualification in Children’s services

Job description

Job Title: Head of Care, Quality and Governance (Adults and Children)

Location: Essex and Ipswich (Hybrid)

Reports to: Managing Director

Salary: £70,00-75,000 per annum (depending on experience) with bonus scheme

Contract Type: Full-time, Permanent

Hours: 37.5 hours per week (flexibility required)

https://www.harleyhousecare.co.uk/

Job Purpose

This job description lists the main areas in which you will be expected to provide support. We may need to add more specific tasks to this based on the needs and wishes of the people we support, our workforce and the needs of the organisation.

The Head of Care, Quality and Governance will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight across care quality, compliance, and governance functions within a specialist supported living organisation for individuals with complex needs. The post holder will ensure the delivery of safe, effective, person-centred support, maintain regulatory compliance, and embed a culture of continuous improvement across all services.

This role will also be integral in the development of our future Children’s Services.

To provide direct line management to the Operations Manager and Project/Relationship Lead.

Main Duties And Responsibilities

Care and Support Quality

• Provide strategic oversight of care and support delivery to ensure best practice and adherence to individualised, person-centred approaches.
• Monitor and improve outcomes for people with physical, learning, and behavioural needs through evidence-based practices.
• Ensure care and support reflects best practice and ensures positive outcomes for the people we support.
• Lead on behavioural risk oversight, working closely with the wider community Multi-Disciplinary team and specialists.
  
  

Quality Assurance and Governance

• Lead on ViClarity, our internal Quality and Compliance system ensuring services maintain robust quality assurance frameworks and audit processes.
• Chair and coordinate bi-monthly Quality and Governance meetings, analysing trends, themes and risks.
• Drive continuous improvement through analysis of incidents, complaints, audits, and regulatory feedback.
• Ensure the coordination of bi-annual external mock inspections.
• Ensure services are maintaining and delivering on their Continuous Improvement plans (CIP)
  
  

Policies, Procedures and Compliance

• Oversee the development, review, and implementation of policies and procedures in line with current legislation, CQC regulations, and sector best practice via our internal policy system, QCS updating as necessary or creating bespoke polices according to need.
• Ensure organisational practices are fully compliant with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities Regulations 2014).
  
  

Learning and Development

• Lead the strategic direction of the organisation's learning and development programme.
• Ensure staff at all levels receive appropriate, timely, and role-specific training—including mandatory, specialist, and values-based learning according to the needs of people we support
• Monitor training compliance, quality, and impact across the organisation.
• Promote a culture of reflective practice, staff development, and continuous professional growth.
  
  

Regulatory Leadership

• Act as the Nominated Individual for the organisation with CQC.
• Lead on all matters relating to CQC compliance and inspections.
• Support services to prepare for inspections, coordination external mock inspections, and follow up with action planning and monitoring.
• Ensure that services are raising relevant regulatory notifications.
  
  

Safeguarding and Incident Oversight

• Serve as the organisation’s Safeguarding Lead, ensuring robust reporting and investigation processes.
• Oversee the response to serious incidents and untoward events; ensure timely notifications, root cause analysis, and learning implementation.
  
  

Complaints and Feedback

• Lead the complaints process, including investigation, resolution, and organisational learning.
• Analyse trends and themes to inform service improvements and strategic planning.
• Lead on the annual surveys and ensure that feedback is coordinated, disseminated and actions delivered.
  
  

Organisational Culture and Leadership

• Promote a culture of dignity, respect, inclusion, and accountability throughout the organisation.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and support to all managers in the organisation.
• Provide a monthly risk report to the Managing Director
• Represent the organisation at relevant external forums and maintain strong stakeholder relationships.
• In partnership with Project and relationship lead, lead on the development of new services
  
  

Other:

• Promote a company culture conducive to high-standard care and support delivery.
• Ensure all information is kept up to date in accordance with GDPR legislation.
• Develop key relationships with the Care Quality Commission, Local Authority, Health professionals and other key stakeholders.
• Create an open and transparent culture enabling staff to confidently raise concerns and ensure there is clear evidence of lessons learnt when there have been incidents and near miss events.
• Carry out any additional tasks or duties according to your role and responsibilities and within your scope of competence.
• Act as an ambassador for Harley house supported living ensuring you always maintain professionalism and integrity.
• Ensure you refrain from befriending staff or services users on social network sites
• Always act in the best interest of any person who may lack capacity.
• Ensure that the safeguarding of the people we support is always a priority.
• Be aware of, and follow the procedure for, reporting any safeguarding concerns or incidents
• Attend training and ensure all mandatory training is up to date.
• Co-operate and attend a yearly appraisal with the Managing Director.
• Ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the people we support and the workforce.
• Embrace team working by ensuring effective and open communication for the benefit of the people we support
  
  

This job description may be subject to review and change in consultation with the post holder. This is not an exhaustive list of duties, and you may be required to undertake any tasks relevant to your role and level of skills and competency.

Person Specification

Criteria

Essential

Desirable

Education/Qualifications

• Degree-level qualification or equivalent experience in health, social care, or related field
• Relevant qualification in Children’s services
• RNLD, RMN or Social worker
• Health and Social Care Qualification (Level 5 or above)
• Safeguarding lead level 3
• PBS Level 3
• Postgraduate qualification in Quality or Governance or Education
  
  

Experience

• Senior leadership experience in health or social care environment
• Leadership experience in Children’s services
• Proven experience with CQC inspections and regulatory frameworks
• Oversight of complex behavioural and physical care
• Leading safeguarding processes and investigations
• Experience working with individuals with complex needs (LD, autism, MH, behaviours that challenge)
• Experience managing referrals and assessment processes
• Experience working with ICBs/Local Authorities
• Senior leadership experience in specialist supported living services
• Previous registered manager or leader of a regulated activity
• Experience managing referrals and assessment processes
• Experience mobilising new supported living services or specialist placements
• Experience as a Nominated Individual
• Experience as Safeguarding lead
  
  

Knowledge

• Strong knowledge of Care Act, MCA, DoLS, Health & Social Care Regulations
• Strong knowledge of CQC key lines of enquiry enquiry, fundamental standards of care and regulations.
• Expertise in quality improvement and audit
• Ability to interpret data and report on trends
• Exceptional written and verbal communication
• Strong leadership, mentoring, and influencing skills
• Familiarity with complex behavioural needs and trauma-informed approaches
• Knowledge of Positive Behaviour Support (PBS), person-centred planning
• Clinical knowledge associated with physical disabilities
• Knowledge of commissioning pathways and funding mechanisms (e.g. CHC, Section 117)
  
  

Skills and Attributes

• Excellent interpersonal, negotiation and communication skills
• Time management and organisational skills
• Strong report writing and presentation abilities
• Commercial awareness
• Confident working independently and in multidisciplinary teams
• Person-centred, compassionate, and resilient
• Committed to continuous improvement and accountability
• Strong ethical standards and professionalism
  
  

Other

• Ability to travel as require
• Ability to respond quickly to referrals and emergency placements
• Commitment to inclusion, dignity, and safeguarding
• Resilient, flexible and solution-focused attitude
• Full UK driving licence with access to vehicle