Head of Service Management

Lancashire Care Group; Preston; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonuses up to £20,000

Flexible working arrangements

Autonomy in growth

Senior leadership role

Job summary

Lancashire Care Group in the North West is seeking an experienced senior professional to lead the development and opening of new children’s homes. You will work alongside the Managing Director and senior leadership to take ownership from planning through to opening, ensuring regulatory compliance and effective recruitment.

The role focuses on opening new services, building teams, coordinating Ofsted processes, and shaping future growth with substantial autonomy.

Qualifications

• Experience opening and registering children's homes.
• Experience recruiting, developing and training residential care teams.
• Strong understanding of Ofsted regulations, safeguarding and residential childcare.
• Established relationships with local authorities across Lancashire and the North West.
• Senior experience as Regional Manager, Responsible Individual, Operations Director, Head of Service or similar.
• Ability to independently manage multiple developments and deliver results.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and opening of new children's residential homes, from initial planning to becoming fully operational.
• Manage and coordinate Ofsted registration processes and pre-opening requirements.
• Recruit Registered Managers and build, train and prepare residential care teams ahead of opening.
• Develop relationships with local authority commissioning teams, identifying priority placement needs and opportunities for new services.
• Ensure properties, staffing, training and operational arrangements are ready to safely welcome young people.
• Oversee development timelines, budgets and project delivery.
• Provide strategic advice and senior operational support to the wider leadership team when required.

Job description

Lancashire Care Group | Children's Residential Care

Bonus: Performance-related bonuses of up to £20,000 annually

Contract: Full-time or flexible 3-4 days per week for the right candidate

About the role

Lancashire Care Group is a growing independent provider of children's residential care, with ambitious plans to expand across Lancashire and the wider North West.

We are looking for an experienced senior professional to lead the development and opening of new children's homes.

This is an opportunity for someone with a strong background in children's residential care who has proven experience of opening new services, recruiting and training staff teams, and successfully progressing homes through Ofsted registration.

Working directly alongside our Managing Director and senior leadership team, you will take ownership of new service developments from initial planning through to successful opening.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the development and opening of new children's residential homes, from initial planning to becoming fully operational.
• Manage and coordinate Ofsted registration processes and pre-opening requirements.
• Recruit Registered Managers and build, train and prepare residential care teams ahead of opening.
• Develop relationships with local authority commissioning teams, identifying priority placement needs and opportunities for new services.
• Ensure properties, staffing, training and operational arrangements are ready to safely welcome young people.
• Oversee development timelines, budgets and project delivery.
• Provide strategic advice and senior operational support to the wider leadership team when required.

About you

We are particularly interested in candidates who have:

• Demonstrable experience of successfully opening and registering children's homes.
• Experience recruiting, developing and training complete residential care teams.
• A strong understanding of Ofsted regulations, safeguarding and residential childcare.
• Established relationships with local authorities, ideally across Lancashire and the North West.
• Previous senior experience as a Regional Manager, Responsible Individual, Operations Director, Head of Service or similar.
• The ability to independently manage multiple developments and deliver results.

What we offer

• Competitive salary of £70,000-£85,000 FTE.
• Performance-related bonuses of up to £20,000 annually.
• Flexible working arrangements for the right individual.
• Significant autonomy and direct involvement in company growth.
• A senior position focused on developing new services rather than managing day-to-day operations.
• The opportunity to help shape the future of a growing independent care provider.

Interested?

We would welcome confidential conversations with experienced professionals who have a successful track record in children's residential care development, including those looking to move away from intensive day-to-day operational management into a more strategic role.

Lancashire Care Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All appointments are subject to appropriate safer recruitment checks.