Service Manager

REPORTING TO: Head of Services

RESPONSIBLE FOR: Team Leaders and other service-based roles as required

PURPOSE OF POSITION

The Service Manager will have overall responsibility for the operational leadership, quality,

performance and contract delivery of both the LB Newham Core and the Intensive Support

Accommodation contracts. The role will ensure a joined-up support pathway for residents

with low, medium, high and complex support needs, promoting safety, stabilisation,

independence, move-on and long-term tenancy sustainment.

The post-holder will lead staff teams to deliver high-quality, trauma-informed, strengths based and person-centred support for vulnerable single homeless adults, including residents

with multiple disadvantage, high levels of risk and complex support needs. The role will set,

monitor and embed clear resettlement and support standards, ensuring residents receive

consistent assessment, support planning, risk management, move-on preparation and

tenancy sustainment support. The role will be accountable for safeguarding, housing

management, performance reporting, quality assurance, partnership working, commissioner

confidence and continuous service improvement.

What makes this role different

• Lead the full move-on journey, from pre-tenancy preparation to sustaining community accommodation, ensuring residents receive timely, effective support.

• Combine trauma informed support, tenancy sustainment, homelessness prevention, partnership working and values-led leadership to help residents build independence.

• Work with Resident Services, Intensive Housing Management team. landlords, commissioners and agencies to prevent repeat homelessness and improve outcomes.

• Lead with purpose, strengthen practice and model a learning culture rooted in Growth, Inclusion, Collaboration and Compassion.

The role will require participation in the on-call rota and occasional evening and weekend work in line with service needs.

RESPONSIBILITIES & ACCOUNTABILITIES

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery supported accommodation contracts in line with commissioner expectations, contract requirements, organisational policies and agreed performance standards.

• Provide clear management oversight of service quality, safety, safeguarding, risk, incidents, complex cases and escalation.

• Ensure residents receive effective assessments, risk management, support planning, move-on planning and outcome-focused reviews.

• Set and maintain clear resettlement standards across the service, ensuring residents are supported to develop independent living skills, secure appropriate move-on options and sustain accommodation after leaving the service.

• Ensure support standards are consistently applied, including timely assessments, person-centred support plans, regular key work, outcome-focused reviews, accurate case recording and clear escalation of risk or non-engagement.

• Promote trauma-informed, strengths-based and psychologically informed practice across the service.

• Work closely with the Intensive Housing Management team to oversee housing-related support, including referrals, placements, rent accounts, Housing Benefit claims, arrears prevention, voids, licence or tenancy obligations, move-on and tenancy sustainment.

• Ensure the intensive supported accommodation service provides safe, responsive and proportionate support for residents with complex needs and high levels of risk.

• Monitor performance against contract indicators, including outcomes, safeguarding, engagement, rent accounts, move-on, tenancy sustainment, voids and resident feedback.

• Prepare accurate reports, evidence and performance commentary for commissioner monitoring, audits, inspections and service reviews.

• Lead, develop and support staff to work as one team while maintaining service-specific boundaries, contractual standards, professional accountability and Your Place values.

• Maintain effective staffing arrangements, including cover for key working, weekend, out-of-hours and intensive provision requirements.

• Build strong partnerships with commissioners, Adult Social Care, health services, substance misuse services, criminal justice partners, housing providers and community agencies.

• Use service data, resident feedback and quality assurance activity to drive improvement, demonstrate impact and evidence value for money.

• Work closely with the Quality Assurance Manager and Impact Manager to use performance data, quality assurance findings, resident feedback and outcome measures to identify trends, strengthen practice and drive continuous service improvement.

• Work flexibly to respond to urgent operational issues, safeguarding concerns, incidents, commissioner requests and service pressures.

• Embed person-centred practice and meaningful co-production with residents, ensuring services are shaped by lived experience and aligned with Your Place values of Growth, Inclusion, Collaboration and Compassion

PERSON SPECIFICATION

The successful candidate will bring the experience, knowledge, leadership skills and values needed to manage high-quality supported accommodation services and contribute effectively to the wider Your Place team.

Essential Criteria

• Experience managing or supervising staff in supported housing, homelessness, social care, community support or a similar setting.

• Ability to lead change, improve practice and support staff through service development.

• Experience supporting vulnerable homeless adults, rough sleepers or people facing multiple disadvantage.

• Strong understanding of risk, safeguarding, trauma, mental health, substance misuse, tenancy sustainment and move-on barriers.

• Experience leading services that manage challenging behaviour, anti-social behaviour, safeguarding concerns, tenancy breaches, arrears or complex risk.

• Experience of contract management, performance monitoring, quality assurance, reporting and service improvement.

• Good understanding of housing management, including arrears, voids, tenancy or licence breaches, maintenance, health and safety, and property-related risk.

• Ability to analyse performance information, identify risks and trends, produce clear reports and use data to drive improvement.

• Experience building constructive relationships with commissioners, statutory services, voluntary sector partners and internal stakeholders.

• Knowledge of person-centred, strengths-based, trauma-informed and psychologically informed support.

• Knowledge of safeguarding adults, mental capacity, confidentiality, professional boundaries, data protection, equality and diversity, and complaints handling.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including clear reports, briefings and monitoring returns.

• Commitment to resident involvement, co-production, equality, diversity, inclusion and anti-discriminatory practice.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience managing commissioned homelessness or supported accommodation contract.

• Experience working within or alongside London local authority homelessness pathways.

• Experience of managing voids, referrals, move-ins, move-outs and partnership-based accommodation arrangements.

• Experience of using Home Star, In-Form, Pyramid or equivalent systems to monitor support, tenancy sustainment, risk, outcomes and case recording.

• Experience preparing for audits, inspections, commissioner reviews or contract monitoring meetings.

• Experience leading services through mobilisation, remodelling, restructure or improvement planning.

Aptitude and Behaviours

confidently use performance data, resident feedback and quality assurance learning to improve outcomes and value for money.

Provides values-led leadership and communicates clearly with staff, residents, commissioners and partners.

Use written, numerical and performance information to make sound, accountable and compliant decisions.

Involving and Including Embeds resident involvement and promotes dignity, choice, equality, inclusion and cultural competence.

Build and develop a high-performing team through clear direction, supervision, support and accountability.

Appointment is subject to an enhanced DBS check, satisfactory references and the right to work in the UK