Operations Director

Leaders in Care; Chelmsford; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity opportunity

Hybrid working

Senior leadership role

Autonomy in division growth

Ground-up division build

Job summary

Leaders in Care is seeking an experienced Operations Director to establish and grow a new Mental Health and Learning Disability division. You will lead development across supported living and community care, steer CQC compliance, and shape the operational and commercial strategy.

Working with commissioners and NHS partners, you will mobilise services, drive growth and have the potential for equity in the business as the division scales.

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience within supported living, mental health, learning disabilities or community complex care.
• Experience holding CQC registration or substantial work within CQC-regulated services.
• Experience building, launching or scaling a care service or division.
• Proven track record of growing care packages, hours, revenue, or geographic coverage.
• Strong knowledge of CQC regulations, safeguarding and quality governance.
• Experience working with commissioners, local authorities, ICBs, NHS teams or hospitals.
• Strong commercial and business development capability.
• Experience with bids, tenders, frameworks and contract mobilisation.
• Experience developing referral pathways and converting opportunities into commissioned care.
• Strong leadership and team-building capability.
• Entrepreneurial approach with ownership of a new division.

Responsibilities

• Take CQC registration and maintain strong regulatory compliance.
• Build and develop a new Mental Health and Learning Disability division.
• Develop supported living and community complex care services.
• Create and execute an operational and commercial growth strategy.
• Lead the mobilisation of new care packages and services.
• Build relationships with commissioners, ICBs, local authorities and hospital teams.
• Identify and convert new business and referral opportunities.
• Lead and support bids, tenders and framework opportunities.
• Develop referral pathways with NHS teams, healthcare professionals and external stakeholders.
• Recruit, lead and develop operational teams as the division expands.
• Maintain high standards across safeguarding, governance and quality.
• Monitor operational, quality and commercial performance.
• Support the development of new service models and geographical expansion.
• Work closely with the leadership team on wider business strategy.

Skills

CQC knowledge

Senior leadership

Business development

Tendering

Stakeholder engagement

Job description

Build a new MH & LD division | £70,000-£75,000 | Equity opportunity | Hybrid working

Are you an experienced Operations Director with a background in mental health, learning disabilities, supported living or community complex care, looking for the opportunity to build and grow a new division with genuine long-term ownership potential?

We are recruiting for an ambitious Operations Director to join an established community care provider currently delivering around 20 care packages across London and Norfolk, primarily supporting adults with physical disabilities.

The organisation is now launching a new Mental Health and Learning Disability division, with plans to develop supported living and community based complex care services. This is a senior leadership position combining operational management, CQC registration, service development, business growth and the opportunity to secure equity within the business.

The successful person will ideally have experience building, launching or scaling a care service and a strong track record of developing relationships with commissioners, local authorities, ICBs, hospitals and referral partners.

Package & Benefits

• £70,000 to £75,000 per annum
• Opportunity for equity within the business
• Hybrid working
• Senior leadership position with significant autonomy
• Opportunity to build a new MH and LD division from the ground up
• Direct influence over operational and commercial strategy
• Established care infrastructure and approximately 20 existing packages
• Opportunity to develop supported living and community complex care services
• Long-term progression alongside the growth of the business and new division

The Role

As Operations Director, you will take responsibility for establishing, developing and growing the new Mental Health and Learning Disability division.

You will take CQC registration for the relevant services and lead the development of safe, compliant and commercially sustainable provision across supported living and community complex care.

Working closely with the existing leadership team, you will develop the operating model, identify new opportunities, create referral pathways, support bids and tenders, mobilise new services and build strong relationships with commissioners and healthcare professionals.

This is not simply an operational leadership position. You will have significant responsibility for driving growth and shaping the future direction of the new division, with the opportunity to participate in the longer-term value created through equity in the business.

Key Responsibilities

• Take CQC registration and maintain strong regulatory compliance
• Build and develop a new Mental Health and Learning Disability division
• Develop supported living and community complex care services
• Create and execute an operational and commercial growth strategy
• Lead the mobilisation of new care packages and services
• Build relationships with commissioners, ICBs, local authorities and hospital teams
• Identify and convert new business and referral opportunities
• Lead and support bids, tenders and framework opportunities
• Develop referral pathways with NHS teams, healthcare professionals and external stakeholders
• Recruit, lead and develop operational teams as the division expands
• Maintain high standards across safeguarding, governance and quality
• Monitor operational, quality and commercial performance
• Support the development of new service models and geographical expansion
• Work closely with the leadership team on wider business strategy

About You

To be considered for this Operations Director opportunity, you will ideally have:

• Senior leadership experience within supported living, mental health, learning disabilities or community complex care
• Previous experience holding CQC registration or substantial experience working within CQC-regulated services
• Experience building, launching or significantly scaling a care service or business division
• A proven track record of growing care packages, hours, revenue or geographical coverage
• Strong knowledge of CQC regulations, safeguarding and quality governance
• Experience working directly with commissioners, local authorities, ICBs, NHS teams or hospitals
• Strong commercial and business development capability
• Experience with bids, tenders, frameworks and contract mobilisation
• Experience developing new referral pathways and converting opportunities into commissioned care
• Strong leadership and team-building capability
• An entrepreneurial approach with the confidence to take ownership of a new division

This opportunity would suit an experienced Head of Operations, Regional Director, Head of Supported Living, Managing Director or senior Operations Director who has helped build or scale a care business and is looking for greater autonomy, commercial influence and long-term ownership potential.

REF: LICEA