Operational Lead - Children's Home

Operational / Strategic Lead – Children’s Residential Homes

Location: Croydon
Salary: Up to £70,000 + 10% performance bonus

Are you an ambitious, commercially aware leader with a proven track record in children’s residential care?

We are seeking an exceptional Operational / Strategic Lead to oversee and drive the continued success of two established children’s residential homes in Croydon. Both services are led day-to-day by experienced Registered Managers and hold Outstanding Ofsted ratings—providing an excellent platform for a leader who can protect quality, develop people, and support sustainable growth.

This is not a turnaround role. It is an opportunity to build on outstanding foundations: strengthening operational performance, embedding best practice, supporting leadership teams, and playing a key role in the development of new homes.

The role

As Operational / Strategic Lead, you will provide visible, values-led leadership across the two homes while contributing to the organisation’s wider growth strategy.

You will:

• Provide operational oversight and strategic direction to two high-performing children’s homes.
• Support, challenge and develop Registered Managers to sustain Outstanding practice and outcomes.
• Ensure compliance with Ofsted regulations, safeguarding requirements and internal quality standards.
• Lead quality assurance, audits, improvement planning and performance monitoring.
• Drive continuous improvement across care, education, therapeutic support and young people’s outcomes.
• Support the mobilisation, registration and development of new residential homes.
• Help shape service delivery, workforce development and operational systems as the organisation grows.
• Build strong relationships with local authorities, placing teams, professionals and other external stakeholders.
• Promote a positive, accountable and child-centred culture across services.

About you

You will be an experienced senior leader within children’s residential care, with the credibility and drive to lead established Outstanding services while helping an organisation grow.

You will ideally bring:

• Significant leadership experience within children’s residential care.
• A strong understanding of Ofsted requirements, safeguarding, quality assurance and regulatory compliance.
• Experience supporting Registered Managers and leading multi-site or operational performance.
• A proven ability to deliver service improvement and maintain high-quality care standards.
• Commercial awareness and confidence contributing to growth, new-home development and strategic planning.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills.
• A genuine commitment to achieving exceptional outcomes for children and young people.

What’s on offer

• Salary of up to £70,000, dependent on experience.
• 10% performance-related bonus.
• The opportunity to oversee two Outstanding-rated homes with strong leadership already in place.
• A strategic role with scope to influence growth and support the opening of new services.
• The chance to join an organisation committed to delivering exceptional care and outcomes for children and young people.

If you are ready to take on a senior leadership role where you can protect outstanding practice, lead meaningful improvement and help shape the next stage of growth, we would love to hear from you.