Home Manager - Essex

Care Concern Group; Basildon; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Oaklands is part of Care Concern Group, seeking an experienced Home Manager to lead the home through its next phase of development. You will take full responsibility for operational, commercial and regulatory performance, delivering exceptional person-centred care and sustainable growth.

You will drive occupancy growth, strengthen safeguarding, improve recruitment and staff engagement, and work with local authorities and professionals to enhance outcomes.

Qualifications

• Minimum two years' experience managing a residential, dementia or elderly care service of similar size and complexity.
• Proven experience turning around or improving care home performance.
• Decisive leadership style and ability to lead from the front.
• Proven occupancy-building experience.
• Strong commercial awareness and financial management skills.
• Excellent safeguarding, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance knowledge.
• Experience with CQC frameworks and improvement plans.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
• Knowledge of the Essex market and local healthcare networks is advantageous.
• Ambitious Home Manager with a track record of improving services and leading teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the operational, commercial, and regulatory performance of the home.
• Drive improvements in occupancy, compliance, recruitment, retention, and overall performance.
• Execute Improvement Support Plan (ISP) and strengthen safeguarding practices.
• Develop workforce stability and engagement; manage relations with local authorities and regulators.
• Ensure excellent regulatory compliance and quality outcomes while delivering person-centered care.

Skills

Leadership

Occupancy growth

Safeguarding

Financial management

Stakeholder engagement

Regulatory compliance

Communication

Relationship-building

Turnaround experience

Job description

We are seeking an experienced and commercially minded Home Manager to lead Oaklands through its next phase of development. This is an exciting opportunity for a strong leader with proven turnaround experience who can build on the home's strengths while driving improvements in occupancy, compliance, recruitment, retention, and overall performance. The home has significant opportunities for growth, particularly within the private market. We are looking for a manager who can take a positive, direct, and hands-on approach to leadership whilst creating a culture of accountability, compassion, and excellence.

The Role

As Home Manager, you will take full responsibility for the operational, commercial, and regulatory performance of the home. You will lead and inspire your team to deliver exceptional person-centred care, whilst ensuring that the service achieves sustainable growth and continuous improvement. You will play a key role in executing improvement plans, strengthening safeguarding practices, improving workforce stability, and increasing occupancy levels. Working closely with local stakeholders, healthcare professionals, regulators, and the wider community.

Current Performance Snapshot

• 67% occupancy
• Good CQC rating
• 9.5 rating on Carehome.co.uk

Key Priorities

• Deliver and sustain improvements following the recent PAMMS inspection
• Drive occupancy growth, particularly within the private market
• Strengthen safeguarding practices and quality assurance processes
• Improve recruitment, retention, and colleague engagement
• Lead the delivery of the home's Improvement Support Plan (ISP)
• Develop strong relationships with local authorities, commissioners, healthcare professionals, and community stakeholders
• Ensure excellent regulatory compliance and quality outcomes

• A minimum of two years' experience managing a residential, dementia, or elderly care service of a similar size and complexity
• Demonstrable experience successfully turning around or improving the performance of a care home
• A confident and decisive leadership style with the ability to lead from the front
• Proven experience in building and increasing occupancy levels
• Strong commercial awareness and financial management skills
• Excellent knowledge of safeguarding, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance
• Experience working with CQC frameworks and improvement plans
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills
• Knowledge of the Essex market and local healthcare networks would be advantageous
• A caring, compassionate, and resident-focused approach, If you are an ambitious Home Manager with a track record of improving services, building occupancy, and leading high-performing teams, we would love to hear from you.

Oaklands is part of Care Concern Group, a family-owned and growing care provider operating homes across the United Kingdom. Our values of Trust, Respect, Passion, Kindness and Inclusivity shape everything we do, from the care we provide to the way we support and develop our colleagues.

This is a genuine opportunity to make a lasting impact. We are looking for a transformational leader who can see the potential within Oaklands and has the drive, resilience, and expertise to unlock it. In return, you will receive a competitive salary, performance-related bonus, and the support needed to deliver meaningful and sustainable change.