Responsible Individual / Area Manager

Carepath Partners; Preston; On-site; GBP 63,000 - 77,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

24 days annual leave + bank holidays

Employee recognition schemes (Quarter/

Job summary

CarePath Partners is seeking an experienced Responsible Individual / Area Manager to lead and support a portfolio of children’s residential homes across Lancashire and the Northwest. You will work with senior leaders to drive development and ensure high-quality care.

Lead Registered Managers, ensure regulatory compliance, monitor safeguarding and quality, and contribute to service improvements and growth. Occasional out-of-hours support is expected.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Responsible Individual and/or Area Manager within children’s residential care.
• Experience overseeing multiple children’s residential services.
• Strong knowledge of Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015, safeguarding and Ofsted requirements.
• Experience supporting and developing Registered Managers.
• Excellent leadership, communication and decision-making skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee up to 5 children’s residential homes and support Registered Managers.
• Ensure services meet regulatory standards and Ofsted expectations.
• Monitor safeguarding, quality, incidents, complaints and service performance.
• Conduct regular quality assurance visits, audits and reviews.
• Identify areas for improvement and implement action plans.
• Support, develop and challenge Registered Managers to maintain high standards of practice.
• Ensure the needs and feelings of children and young people are central to care.
• Support service development and the growth of the business.
• Collaborate with the senior leadership team and external professionals.
• Provide out-of-hours support when required.

Skills

Leadership

Area management

Regulatory knowledge

Safeguarding

Staff development

Education

Level 5 Leadership & Management for Children and Young People’s Services

Job description

Responsible Individual / Area Manager – Residential Childcare

Location

Preston and surrounding areas

Salary

Up to £70,000 per annum + bonuses

Hours

Full-time, Monday–Friday

Out of Hours

Expectation to provide support outside normal working hours when required

Services

Oversight of up to 5 children's residential homes

About the Client

CarePath Partners is recruiting on behalf of a well-established and growing multi-service children's residential care provider operating across Lancashire and the Northwest. Since launching from a single children's home, our client has expanded into a trusted regional provider, with a mission to improve outcomes for children and young people through high-quality care, education and specialist support - creating safe, nurturing environments where young people can thrive.

The Role

We’re seeking an experienced and confident Responsible Individual / Area Manager to provide leadership, oversight and support across a portfolio of children’s residential homes on behalf of our client.

The role will also involve working alongside the senior leadership team to support the organisation’s continued development and growth, including its existing and future services.

Key responsibilities include:

• Oversee up to 5 children’s residential homes and support Registered Managers
• Ensure services meet the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015, Quality Standards and Ofsted expectations
• Monitor safeguarding, quality, incidents, complaints and service performance
• Conduct regular quality assurance visits, audits and reviews
• Identify areas for improvement and ensure action plans are implemented effectively
• Support, develop and challenge Registered Managers to maintain high standards of practice
• Ensure children and young people’s needs, wishes and feelings remain central to care
• Support service development and the continued growth of the business
• Work closely with the senior leadership team and external professionals
• Provide out-of-hours support when required

What we’re looking for

• Proven experience as a Responsible Individual and/or Area Manager within children’s residential care
• Experience overseeing multiple children’s residential services
• Level 5 qualification in Leadership and Management for Children and Young People’s Services
• Strong knowledge of children’s residential regulations, safeguarding and Ofsted requirements
• Experience supporting and developing Registered Managers
• Strong quality assurance, auditing and service improvement experience
• Excellent leadership, communication and decision-making skills
• Confidence to provide appropriate support and challenge to senior managers
• A full UK driving licence and willingness to travel between services
• Flexibility to provide out-of-hours support when required

What’s on offer

• Competitive salary up to £70,000 per annum + bonuses
• 24 days annual leave + bank holidays
• Recognition schemes, including Employee of the Quarter and Employee of the Year
• Support from central HR, L&D, Referrals, Recruitment & Operations teams
• Refer-a-friend bonus
• Loyalty bonuses for length of service
• Regular team-building activities and a positive, values-driven culture

If you’re an experienced Responsible Individual / Area Manager looking to play a key leadership role in a growing children’s care organisation, we’d love to hear from you.