Operations Director - Children's Services

Soka Partners; Greater Manchester; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Soka Partners is seeking an Operations Director to oversee children's homes across North West England. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in children's residential services, focusing on compliance and strategic leadership. You will ensure high-quality care and strong Ofsted outcomes while collaborating with managers to drive sustainable growth. This role offers genuine progression opportunities into C-suite leadership. Key skills include operational leadership and exceptional communication abilities.

Qualifications

• Experience in children's residential services is mandatory.
• Proven track record of managing multiple children's homes.
• Strong operational leadership in a care environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across children's homes.
• Ensure high-quality care and compliance standards.
• Drive performance and support sustainable growth.

Skills

Ofsted compliance understanding

Interpersonal skills

Strategic mindset

Commercial awareness

Relationship-building skills

Job description

Operations Director – Children’s Services

North West England

*Applicants MUST have experience within Children's Residential Services to be considered for the role*

We’re exclusively representing an ambitious and growing children’s residential care provider who is looking to appoint an experienced Operations Director to oversee a portfolio of children’s homes across the North West.

This is a key leadership role in a well-established organisation entering an exciting phase of growth, with genuine long‑term progression opportunities into future C‑suite leadership.

About the Role

As Operations Director, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across a portfolio of children’s homes, ensuring high‑quality care, strong compliance standards, and continued service development.

You will work closely with senior leadership, Registered Managers, the RI, therapists, and central support functions to drive performance, maintain strong Ofsted outcomes, and support sustainable growth across the group.

The Person

• This opportunity requires a strong operational leader with significant experience within children’s residential services and a proven track record of managing multiple homes successfully.
• Most importantly, the organisation is looking for someone with exceptional interpersonal skills who can build genuine buy‑in from managers and lead collaboratively across the business.
• The right person will be approachable, credible, commercially aware, and capable of balancing strategy with hands‑on operational leadership.

Requirements

• Strong understanding of Ofsted frameworks and compliance
• Track record of maintaining “Good” or above outcomes
• Experience overseeing multi‑site operations
• Strategic mindset with strong commercial awareness
• Ability to lead, influence, and develop management teams
• Excellent relationship‑building and communication skills

To find out more, please contact Kate in the Soka Partners team - [e-mail]