Regional Operations Manager

Minstead Trust; Christchurch; Hybrid; GBP 44,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career progression

33 days annual leave (incl. bank hols)

Enhanced leave & sick pay

Death in service

Health and wellbeing programme

Job summary

Minstead Trust is seeking a Regional Operations Manager to lead and grow services across Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole and Dorset. You will oversee safe, compliant, person-centred delivery with strong operational leadership and budget stewardship, while shaping local growth and new social enterprises.

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, you’ll collaborate with Centres of Excellence and external partners, build teams, and champion co-production and data-informed improvement in a dynamic

Qualifications

• Leadership experience in social care, community services, social enterprise or similar environment.
• Strong operational management skills, including people leadership and budgets.
• Experience working with commissioners, contracts or tenders.
• Ability to work effectively in a matrix structure, drawing on specialist expertise.
• Excellent relationship-building and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Strong commitment to person-centred practice and co-production.
• Relevant qualification in health and social care, leadership or business.
• Experience of regulated services and inspection frameworks.
• Knowledge of BCP/Dorset systems and local authority structures.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day service delivery with governance, compliance and safeguarding.
• Manage local budgets, resources and assets.
• Line-manage and support local managers and teams, embedding reflective practice and wellbeing.
• Shape local growth priorities aligned to the Trust’s wider strategy.
• Identify local needs and opportunities; co-design new services with Centres of Excellence.
• Contribute to tenders, contracts and commissioning discussions with specialist support.
• Work with central and specialist teams to deliver local outcomes.
• Share local insight back into Trust-wide strategy and centres of excellence.
• Model collaborative leadership and build strong internal relationships.
• Act as a local ambassador and build relationships with commissioners and partners.
• Champion co-production with people we support and families.

Skills

Leadership

Budget management

People leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Regulated services knowledge

Matrix working

Contract/tender experience

BCP/Dorset familiarity

Education

Leadership or health and social care qualification

Job description

Help shape inclusive communities with Minstead Trust

Location: Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole (BCP) and Dorset
Salary: £44,000 – £48,000 per annum (dependent on experience)
Contract: Full-time, Permanent

* Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the advert may close early if a suitable candidate is found. Early applications are encouraged.

At Minstead Trust, we support neuro disabled people (this includes people who have a learning disability, disabling autism or acquired brain injury) to get the support that enables them to live life their way. Our mission is social change, working alongside individuals, families, communities and partners to create places where everyone can live well.

Our bold 10‑year strategy will see us evolve from a respected regional provider into a national force for systemic change, and as we grow our services across BCP and Dorset, we’re looking for a Regional Operations Manager to join us in a newly created leadership role. This is a great opportunity for someone who thrives in collaborative environments who can balance strong operational leadership with values‑led, community‑focused work, and who can build on our small but well‑respected foundations in the region to offer new services and enterprises

About the role

As Regional Operations Manager, you’ll be responsible for the delivery, quality and growth of Minstead Trust’s services across BCP and Dorset. You’ll ensure services are safe, compliant, person‑centred and impactful, while also helping shape how we grow locally.

Initially, the role will focus on strengthening and expanding services in BCP, including oversight of a c.£500k budget, maintaining our current supported living contracts, and contributing to the development of new social enterprises and emerging areas of work already in the pipeline.

Alongside leading local teams, you’ll collaborate closely with our Centres of Excellence, allowing you to focus on local leadership and outcomes, while drawing on specialist expertise to strengthen services and develop new offers for the many people who do not receive funded support.

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer and working collaboratively across the Trust, this role requires confidence, clarity and emotional intelligence; knowing when to take ownership, and when to bring others with you. As our footprint grows, there is clear potential for the role to evolve into wider regional leadership.

What you’ll be doing:

Operational leadership

• Lead high‑quality day‑to‑day service delivery, ensuring strong governance, compliance and safeguarding


• Manage local budgets, resources and assets effectively


• Line‑manage and support local managers and teams, embedding reflective practice, psychological safety and wellbeing

Strategic and commercial development

• Shape and deliver local growth priorities aligned to the Trust’s wider strategy


• Identify local needs and opportunities, working with Centres of Excellence including Marketing, Social Enterprises, Empowering Employment, Quality, Research and Development to co‑design new services and propositions.


• Contribute to tenders, contracts and commissioning discussions with specialist support where needed

Matrix and collaborative working

• Work in partnership with central and specialist teams to deliver local outcomes


• Share local insight and learning back into Trust‑wide strategy, innovation and centres of excellence


• Model collaborative leadership, influencing without hierarchy and building strong internal relationships

Community and partnership building

• Act as a local ambassador for Minstead Trust


• Build and maintain relationships with commissioners, local authorities, GPs, NHS partners, universities, employers and the voluntary sector


• Support local reputation management in line with Trust branding and communications

Quality and co‑production

• Champion co‑production with people we support, families, carers and staff


• Ensure meaningful data collection and quality reporting


• Use feedback and insight to continuously improve local services

About you

You’ll be a confident, values‑led leader who is comfortable working in complex, collaborative environments and understands how to lead through influence as well as authority.

• Leadership experience in social care, community services, social enterprise or a similar environment


• Strong operational management skills, including people leadership and budgets


• Experience working with commissioners, contracts or tenders


• Ability to work effectively in a matrix structure, drawing on specialist expertise


• Excellent relationship‑building and stakeholder engagement skills


• A strong commitment to person‑centred practice and co‑production


• Relevant qualification in health and social care, leadership or business


• Experience of regulated services and inspection frameworks


• Knowledge of BCP/Dorset systems and local authority structures

Our values

We’re looking for someone who lives our values every day:

• We appreciate each person – everyone is unique and valued


• We’re always learning – reflective, curious and open


• We’re always improving – focused on real impact


• We push for change – challenging exclusion and barriers


• We find joy in everyday life – work with purpose and humanity

What we offer

• Genuine opportunity for career progression


• 33 days annual leave (inclusive of bank holidays, pro rata)


• Enhanced maternity, paternity and sick pay


• Death in Service cover


• Health and wellbeing and employee assistance programme

We are not licensed to sponsor employees for visas; therefore, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role. You need to have, or be able to obtain, right to work in the UK in order to take up this position.

All staff working for, or on behalf of Minstead Trust, understand their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding adults at risk and know who to escalating concerns to within Minstead Trust.

Due to the nature of this employment section your application is subject to a successful Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS).

No terminology in the advert you have seen is intended to discriminate on the grounds of age, gender, race, colour, religion, disability of sexual orientation, and we will gladly accept applications from all sections of the community.