Service Improvement Manager, Care & Support

About Outward

Outward is celebrating 50 years of providing high-quality support and care services, supported housing, respite breaks, and community support services to people with learning disabilities, autism, or other support needs due to age, circumstance, or disability to vulnerable people in London, predominantly across North and East London. We are proud to empower the people we support to live fulfilling lives, make positive choices, and embrace opportunities that matter to them.

Our vision is that every person should have the opportunity to be valued, active participants in their communities; living the life they choose and breaking down barriers they face by support which engages, enables, and empowers people towards further independence.

As we strive to provide innovative, person-centred care and excel in the delivery of high-quality, sustainable support services, we’re seeking a talented Service Improvement Manager, Care & Support on a permanent contract to join the Care and Support department, conducting audits, leading on organisational improvement projects, and directly managing services in crises when required, championing best practice and service excellence.

About the Role

Are you experienced and knowledgeable about working with adults with a learning disability/autism and complex needs or Positive Behaviour Support needs? Are you an enthusiastic, motivated, and committed manager able to multitask, line manage, and work under pressure?

This is an exciting opportunity to utilise your skills to support the Care and Support Operational Excellence and Practice Development Lead in ensuring Service Improvement across Outward by embedding high standards in the running of the services. This hybrid role requires you to directly manage and improve frontline services in need for short periods, floating operationally across a range of services delivering workshops and centrally leading on audits as directed.

You will be working closely with other Central team Outward employees, Outward- Care and Support Senior Management team, as well as family carers, professionals, and various Local Authorities-wide services to ensure Outward’s People We Support have an enjoyable and meaningful life whilst living in our services.

Job Description

• Conduct a busy schedule of Quality audits and improvement reviews and support visits across care and support services
• Assist in tendering for and setting up new business
• Support services to maintain Good or achieve Outstanding ratings with CQC
• Support and assist services that are underperforming (actively participate in performance analysis, collaborate with Operational Excellence Lead to develop Service Improvement Action Plans, monitor and measure implementation success)
• Analyse inspection reports, produce thematic reports, share lessons learned, and implement and embed changes throughout services
• Review and update organisational policies and procedures
• Deliver in-house training and workshops to frontline staff as required
• Uphold the rights of people we support to be involved at all levels of decision-making
• Provide line management and conduct timely supervision, probations, inductions, or appraisals for staff as directed by the area manager
• Effectively manage employment relations cases, including investigations and chairing hearings and appeals as required
• Take on project work for the care and support department as required
• Take part in internal investigations, fact-finding, and disciplinary hearings
• Treat customers with dignity and respect at all times, prioritising their needs in decision-making
• Take personal responsibility for safety at all times

This job description is not exhaustive and other duties may be assigned as directed by your line manager within the role’s scope.

Requirements

Essential:

· Strong understanding of the Care & Support sector, supported by professional qualifications or equivalent experience

· Demonstrable experience managing high-quality services for vulnerable people

· Proven ability to lead successful change management programmes in a care environment

· Track record of engaging and working collaboratively with external stakeholders, including commissioners and regulators

· Knowledge and understanding of Positive Behaviour Support (PBS)

· Strong knowledge of care regulations, funding mechanisms, and legal frameworks

· Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including report writing

· IT literate, with proficiency in Microsoft Office applications

· Ability to monitor and improve quality and performance across services

· Strategic thinker with the ability to respond effectively to risks and challenges

· Proactive and collaborative approach, with strong problem-solving skills

· Commitment to Outward’s values of engaging, enabling, and empowering people

Other Requirements

· Willingness to work out of hours, including evenings and weekends

· Ability to travel across multiple sites within a broad geographical area

Desirable:

• Extensive experience managing budgets and financial performance
• Experience in co-production, involving people supported and their families in designing and delivering services
• Knowledge and experience in delivering environmental sustainability
• Knowledge of trends and innovations in the care sector, including digital transformation initiatives
• A sharp commercial focus with the ability to balance financial sustainability and quality care
• Enthusiastic about assistive technology and driven to implement relevant aids and platforms
• Passionate about personalised home environments, functional spaces, and high standards of accommodation for the people we support
• Familiarity with assistive technologies and their application in care delivery
• Knowledge of change management principles and strategies for embedding digital culture.

Benefits

We value our staff and offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• 25 days annual leave (excluding Bank Holidays)
• Comprehensive Learning & Development Programme
• Cycle-to-Work Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme (Health Assured)
• Pension Scheme and Death in Service Benefit

How to Apply

If you’re ready to make a difference and have the skills and experience for this role, please send your CV and a covering letter (preferably in one document). In your covering letter, outline your motivation for applying, how your skills align with the role, and highlight relevant achievements. In the subject line, please state clearly the role you are applying for and your name.

The closing date for all applications is 31/03/2025, however it is only an indicative date.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a sufficient number of suitable applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible. It would be great to hear from you.

We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

As an employer, who aspire to become Disability Confident Committed, we aim to ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that meet the minimum criteria for this position will be offered an interview. Please indicate clearly at the beginning of your supporting statement if you have a disability (as defined by the Equality Act 2010), and you wish to be considered for an Offer Of an Interview (OOI) Please note that the OOI is available to disabled candidates only. Regrettably, any false declaration of disability in order to secure an interview will impact on your overall application.