Service Manager - Z House

Homeless Link; West of England; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Homeless Link is seeking a Service Manager to lead Z House, Caring in Bristol’s emergency accommodation for young people (18–25) facing housing crises. You’ll ensure a safe, welcoming, and well-managed service with a psychologically informed approach, supporting young people toward stable, longer-term housing.

You will manage day-to-day operations, referrals, safeguarding with our Safeguarding team, and risk management, while developing partnerships across Bristol to enhance service delivery and

Qualifications

• Experience leading multi-stakeholder teams in housing or youth services.
• Strong safeguarding knowledge and case management experience.
• Ability to manage budgets and resources effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operation of Z House to ensure safety, welcome, and responsiveness to young people in housing crisis.
• Oversee referrals, assessments and placements with risk and support needs identified.
• Oversee safeguarding practices and escalate where needed.
• Develop and implement robust operational systems, policies and procedures.

Skills

People management

Safeguarding

Budget management

Stakeholder engagement

Data-informed service improvement

Job description

Job Summary

The Z House Service Manager will provide operational leadership for Z House, Caring in Bristol’s emergency accommodation service for young people aged 18–25 experiencing housing crisis.

You will be responsible for ensuring that Z House is a safe, welcoming, well-managed and psychologically informed service, where young people are treated with dignity and supported to move towards greater stability and appropriate longer-term accommodation.

You will lead the day-to-day operation of Z House, overseeing referrals and placements, safeguarding with support from our Safeguarding team and risk management, staff and volunteer practice, accommodation standards, partnership working and service development.

The role will combine operational management with a strong focus on relationships and practice. You will work closely with the young people using Z House, the wider Caring in Bristol team and partners across Bristol to ensure that the service responds effectively to individual needs while contributing to our wider ambition to prevent and reduce homelessness.

The role will also have capacity to lead or contribute to the development and delivery of additional accommodation or youth-focused projects that sit within the scope of Z House and Caring in Bristol’s Support Services. This may include developing new provision, responding to emerging needs and opportunities, and working with partners to extend or adapt our accommodation offer.

Reporting to the Head of Support Services, you will be part of the wider Support Services team and will contribute to the development of Caring in Bristol’s approach to accommodation, youth homelessness and early intervention.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day operation of Z House, ensuring the service is safe, effective, welcoming and responsive to the needs of young people experiencing housing crisis.

• Manage the referral, assessment and placement process, making appropriate decisions about suitability and ensuring risks and support needs are identified and managed effectively.

• Oversee safeguarding practice within Z House, ensuring concerns are identified, responded to and escalated appropriately and in line with organisational procedures.

• Lead the development and implementation of effective operational systems, policies and procedures that support high-quality and consistent service delivery.

• Manage and support staff and volunteers involved in Z House, creating a positive, inclusive and reflective culture and ensuring people have the information, training and support they need to work safely and effectively.

• Ensure that Z House provides a clean, well-equipped, well-maintained and psychologically informed environment that promotes dignity, safety and wellbeing.

• Build strong relationships with referral partners and organisations across Bristol, ensuring young people can access appropriate specialist support and move towards suitable longer-term accommodation.

• Develop effective pathways with the wider Caring in Bristol support offer, ensuring Z House guests can access appropriate support around housing, independent living and other areas of need.

• Use data, feedback, lived experience and learning to monitor service quality, understand outcomes and continually improve Z House.

• Represent Z House and Caring in Bristol positively with partners, stakeholders and the wider community, contributing to the development and sustainability of the service.

• Budget responsibility Manage the Z House budget effectively, ensuring expenditure is appropriately monitored, controlled and managed within agreed financial parameters.

• Lead or contribute to the development and delivery of new projects and service developments within the scope of Z House and Support Services, responding flexibly to emerging opportunities, funding and identified needs