Service Manager

Central Recruitment Services Ltd; City Of London; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A recruitment agency is seeking a Service Manager for their Blackheath service, focused on supported accommodation for young people. The role involves leading a team, coordinating support plans, and ensuring high-quality service delivery. A minimum of 12 months' experience in social care is required, along with relevant qualifications related to working with vulnerable groups.

Qualifications

• Understanding of effective practice in responding to the needs of looked after children.
• Experience managing staff delivering quality services to at-risk young people.
• Proven track record in staff and service management.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of young persons and night workers.
• Coordinate support plans for each client/resident.
• Oversee referrals and assess their compliance with service specifications.

Skills

Staff management

Networking skills

Understanding of care practices

Numeracy and literacy

Job description

Overview

Central Recruitment is currently recruiting for a Service Manager, to work in the Blackheath area. The service provides supported accommodation for young people aged 16 plus.

Responsibilities

• Work alongside three Managers and one Regional Manager and be responsible for five buildings, a mix of high, medium and low support with self-contained flats across all five buildings.
• Direct a team of four Young Persons Workers and Night Workers in day-to-day operations to ensure a consistent, high-quality and responsive service. Staff will report to this role for leadership, supervision and guidance.
• Ensure that each client/resident has an individual package of support with regular formal and informal key working, and an up-to-date co-produced and comprehensive support and safety plan.
• Oversee reports regarding missing young people and coordinate a joint response with statutory services, directing approaches for non-engaging clients.
• Oversee referrals to ensure they meet criteria and service specification; ensure all referrals are interviewed, assessed, and accepted/rejected in line with policy and procedure.
• Ensure that preparation for move-on begins once a young person moves into the service, and lead the development and rollout of a comprehensive life skills training package available to all.
• In partnership with the Regional Services Manager, identify and implement flexible approaches of working with young people to promote and advance their progress.
• Develop the staff team in a psychologically informed way within the core model of service delivery.
• As directed by the Regional Services Manager, contribute to organisational and statutory monitoring and reporting within set deadlines.
• Ensure the property is maintained to a high standard and that effective systems are in place to ensure all areas of housing management are efficient and offer value for money, with voids kept to a minimum and rental income maximised.
• Ensure all property risk assessments are reviewed and updated at regular intervals.
• Ensure staff are committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults in line with policy and procedure.

Qualifications

• Understanding of effective practice in responding to the needs of looked after children and care leavers aged 16 and 17, and knowledge of local authority statutory duties.
• Experience of managing staff delivering quality services to young people who may be at risk or looked after with complex needs, including offending and gang affiliation.
• Proven track record of staff and service management and ability to manage staff performance and motivate staff to perform effectively.
• Experience in managing accommodation-based services with varying tenures (such as licenses and ASTs) and knowledge of housing management and health and safety requirements.
• High level of numeracy, literacy and comprehension to contribute to budget setting, monitor expenditure, write reports and analyse information.
• Ability to coordinate the work of multiple individuals or agencies to complete tasks on time and to specification.
• Strong networking skills and ability to build positive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders to enhance services for service users.

Further requirements

• Current valid right to work in the UK.
• Minimum 12 months' paid experience in a frontline social care role within the last 3 years (unless stated otherwise in recruitment criteria).
• A fully enhanced DBS either registered on the DBS update service or issued within the last 12 months, or willingness to apply for one through Central (at a cost of £60).
• Employment or education history covering the last 5 years verifiable through the referencing process.

How to apply

If you feel that you fully meet the above outlined criteria for this role and would like to apply, please forward your CV for consideration.

Please note: the outlined experience is the "minimum" first-stage criteria, and we will therefore be unable to consider your application unless you can demonstrate a relevant work history in line with this position.