As Turnaround Manager, you will:
- Act as the senior safeguarding lead, ensuring children and young people are safe, protected, and supported at all times
- Take immediate responsibility for addressing regulatory shortfalls, inspection outcomes, and improvement plans
- Provide strong, visible operational leadership, stabilising staffing, rotas, supervision, and day-to-day decision-making
- Lead, motivate, and challenge staff through change, setting clear expectations and professional standards
- Embed robust quality assurance, governance, and recording systems
- Work confidently with Ofsted, placing authorities, social workers, and partner agencies
- Ensure improvements are sustainable, with clear succession planning and a structured handover
This role reports to the Responsible Individual / Interim Children’s Lead / Head of Children’s Services.
What We’re Looking For
Essential
- Significant experience leading or managing children’s residential homes
- Proven experience of turnaround, improvement, or post-inspection recovery in regulated services
- Strong working knowledge of Children’s Homes Regulations, Quality Standards, and Ofsted frameworks
- Demonstrable safeguarding expertise and confident decision-making under pressure
- Ability to lead teams through change, challenge poor practice, and drive accountability
- Excellent communication, report-writing, and stakeholder engagement skills
- Resilient, decisive, and able to work at pace in complex environments
- Experience using PACE and therapeutic parenting models
Desirable
- Registered Manager status or eligibility to register
- Experience supporting homes rated Requires Improvement or Inadequate
- Experience working with complex needs, trauma, SEMH, or high-risk behaviours
- Level 5 Leadership and Management (or equivalent)
Key Attributes
- Strong moral compass and unwavering child-focused values
- Calm, authoritative, and credible leadership style
- Highly organised with strong attention to detail
- Solution-focused, outcomes-driven, and emotionally intelligent
Why Join Us?
- Opportunity to make a real, immediate impact on children’s lives
- Trusted leadership role with delegated operational authority
- Supportive senior leadership and clear governance
- Chance to leave a lasting legacy of sustainable improvement
Safeguarding Commitment
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All appointments are subject to safer recruitment checks, including enhanced DBS clearance.