Service Manager Residential

HFT; East Hertfordshire; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

33 days leave

Training & development

Wagestream pay

Wellbeing support

Discounts

Family-friendly policies

Return-to-work bonus

Job summary

Hft is seeking an experienced Service Manager to lead a residential service for adults with learning disabilities, ensuring person-centred support and independence. You will manage budgets and resources while maintaining safe, compliant operations.

The role requires strong leadership, excellent communication, and the ability to build relationships with families, colleagues and partners, with on-call duties as needed. A Level 5 Diploma is required or pursued within 18 months.

Qualifications

• Experience leading CQC-regulated residential services for adults with learning disabilities.
• Willingness to pursue Level 5 Diploma within 18 months.
• Strong ability to lead teams, ensure quality and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop your team to provide safe, person-centred support that promotes independence, skill development, and well-being
• Ensure services meet regulatory and internal standards, maintaining quality, compliance, and safety
• Hold or maintain CQC registration for allocated residential services, ensuring services meet all regulatory expectations
• Manage budgets, resources, and colleagues effectively to maintain strong and sustainable services
• Build open, trusting relationships with learning disabled adults, families, colleagues, and external partners
• Support recruitment, induction, training, supervision, and appraisal to develop your team and enable achievement
• Be a visible, proactive leader, including on-call responsibilities as required

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Team development

Regulatory knowledge

Education

Level 5 Diploma in Leadership & Management for Adult Care

Job description

Lead with Purpose. Empower Independence.

At Hft, a leading Social Care provider, we stand alongside learning disabled adults, empowering them to live life their way. As a Service Manager, you’ll lead a residential service, ensuring people feel valued, independent, and in control of their daily lives.

You’ll guide your team to deliver person-centred support, foster skills, promote choice, and create opportunities for achievement, while maintaining a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment where both learning disabled adults and colleagues can thrive.

What You’ll Be Doing

As a Service Manager, you’ll be at the heart of your service, inspiring your team to deliver support that empowers learning disabled adults to live life their way: You’ll:

• Lead and develop your team to provide safe, person-centred support that promotes independence, skill development, and well-being
• Ensure services meet regulatory and internal standards, maintaining quality, compliance, and safety
• Hold or maintain CQC registration for allocated residential services, ensuring services meet all regulatory expectations
• Manage budgets, resources, and colleagues effectively to maintain strong and sustainable services
• Build open, trusting relationships with learning disabled adults, families, colleagues, and external partners
• Support recruitment, induction, training, supervision, and appraisal to develop your team and enable achievement
• Be a visible, proactive leader, including on-call responsibilities as required

Who You Are

You’re an experienced manager who knows what it takes to run a great service and leads with kindness, clarity, and confidence. You bring:

• Experience managing CQC-regulated residential service for learning disabled adults
• The ability to hold CQC registration for allocated Supported Living services
• A Level 5 Diploma in Leadership & Management for Adult Care (or the commitment to achieve this within 18 months)
• Proven leadership skills that inspire teams, develop talent, and drive positive outcomes
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across teams and partners
• A proactive, solution-focused approach to challenges and change
• A valid driving licence and the flexibility to travel across services as needed

Life at Hft

Joining Hft means becoming part of a team that believes every learning disabled adult should have the opportunity to live life their way. We’re a social care provider with a clear focus on the people we support, and we’re committed to delivering high-quality, sustainable services.

You’ll be part of a supportive, inclusive organisation where your leadership creates lasting, meaningful impact. Our values guide everything we do: we’re diverse and inclusive, kind and compassionate, positive and solution-focused, and visionary about what the best life possible looks like.

As a Service Manager, you’ll lead a team where empowerment, kindness, and compassion guide every interaction. You’ll enable learning disabled adults to feel confident and independent, while ensuring your team feels valued, supported, and able to thrive.

What We Offer

• A role with real impact, where your leadership empowers others
• A warm, supportive, and inclusive team culture.
• A role with real impact, where your work empowers others.
• 33 days’ annual leave (including bank holidays)
• Access to award-winning training and career development
• Flexible pay options via Wagestream
• Wellbeing support including Digital GP, counselling, and mental health services
• Discounts on mobiles, life assurance, and referral rewards
• Family-friendly policies and return-to-work bonuses

Accessibility:

We believe everyone should have the support they need to succeed. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the application process or in the role itself, Hft - proudly a Disability Confident Employer - is committed to ensuring disabled people can apply, succeed, and thrive with us.

Background checks:

We’re committed to keeping the people we support safe, so this role requires a satisfactory DBS and background checks. Don’t worry; we’ll guide you through the process.