"A unique opportunity to shape the future for children and young people"

We are looking for an exceptional, hardworking and highly motivated Operations Director to cover our schools and residential services across the south west for sites in Frome, Somerset.

You will:

• Provide vision, professional leadership, management and direction for the services, driving continuous improvement and innovation through the site leaders, promoting high quality standards of service to the young people, in line with our regulatory bodies
• Ensure that key deliverables on quality service, employees and performance are met and exceeded. Implement robust processes to ensure consistency and safety are assured
• Provide strong and effective commercial and financial leadership and insight, ensuring budgets are exceeded, in order to sustain continued investment in the service, and to drive growth. This will include responsibility for acquisitions and bids within the area covered by the role.
• Develop effective relationships, at all levels across all relevant stakeholders; to include local authorities, professionals, regulators, children and parents/carers. To use these relationships to develop and grow the service and to meet and exceed ADC targets
• Must have a thorough knowledge of relevant legislation/statutory requirements associated with SEN education and children's homes, with relevant Health and Safety legislation, and with current care practice and theories

Currently an innovative, inspirational, confident leader with previous experience in a leadership and multisite management role is essential. You will be able to demonstrate experience of improving provision, you are an enthusiastic and resilient leader who has the drive, ambition and high standards to build on our achievements and further develop all of our delivery to a position where it is recognised as 'best in class'.

You will have the highly developed interpersonal skills required to act assertively across a range of situations and with a variety of audiences both internally to Managing Director level as a norm and Board level on occasions and externally with senior individuals from local authorities, regulatory bodies and other stakeholders. You will also have the ability to facilitate and co-ordinate virtual teams as well as developing positive proactive relationships with Registered Managers and the drive to ensure high quality and performance in the services.

In return for your integrity, experience and dynamism we offer you the opportunity to work with a passionate leadership team that is wholly committed to maximising opportunities for our amazing young people and equipping them to lead fulfilling and independent lives.

You will be expected to combine home working with regular site and central office visits. Some overnight stays will be required. Will be required to join an on call rota of senior managers.

Along with an attractive compensation package, which includes a car allowance, a generous annual leave entitlement and a bonus for meeting targets, we can promise you an excellent induction, fabulous networking opportunities, ongoing professional development, support from Regional, Quality and other teams, and the kind of prospects you would expect from the market-leading Priory Group.

References

For all roles we require a minimum of two references. References provided must cover the last 3 years, for all of our services we will need to request all references from where you have worked with either Children or Vulnerable Adults. Please be advised that references will be requested prior to interview for all roles within our schools.

About us

From education to hospitals, care homes and secure facilities, the Priory Group of Companies offers individually tailored, multidisciplinary treatment programmes for those with complex educational needs or requiring acute, long-term and respite mental healthcare.

Disclosure

Priory Education Services is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. All applicants must be willing to undergo safeguarding screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and disclosures with the relevant body at an enhanced level. We are an equal opportunities employer. Priory Education and Children's services will cover the cost of a DBS.