Service Manager Residential Services

Based in the heart of Dorset, this leadership role offers a unique opportunity to shape and strengthen residential services, along with edge‑of‑care outreach that supports Dorset Council’s Children’s Services. Working alongside the Harbour Team, you will mentor and guide managers—helping them grow into confident, reflective leaders who deliver exceptional outcomes for children and young people.

What’s in it for you:

You will be part of our ever-improving Children’s Service, making a real difference to children in Dorset. Recently rated OUTSTANDING overall by Ofsted, our approach to working with children, families and communities is rooted in our commitment to making Dorset a place where all children thrive.

You will join a supportive and inclusive Council that will invest in you, nurture your development and provide the support you need to flourish in your role. A comprehensive training programme is available to support your professional growth and development.

You will be making a meaningful impact by helping ensure that our children stay in Dorset and receive the best possible start in life through outstanding care, support and services. This includes access to high‑quality education and training opportunities that enable them to realise their potential and be the best they can be.

What you can expect to be doing:

As the Service Manager for the Harbour Team, you will provide both operational and strategic leadership to drive meaningful change across Dorset’s Children’s Services. Your focus will be on building sustainable relationships and embedding new systems across residential settings, with the clear aim of improving work with families and safely reducing the number of children entering care.

You will champion evidence‑based and systems‑led approaches, embedding Trauma‑Informed and Restorative Practices across the service. Working closely with Residential Managers, you will continue to embed and strengthen our Clearcare model in all homes. You will ensure it is applied consistently, supported by robust quality assurance, and used to deliver high‑quality, child‑centred residential care.

Collaboration will be key, as you engage with partner agencies to strengthen social work practice and support confident, informed decision-making that leads to better outcomes for children and young people.

About you:

We are looking for an experienced, dynamic and motivated senior leader who is ready to develop this service, you will lead from the front to generate a change in culture, systems, relationships, practice and ways of working together, whilst making a real difference to the lives of children, young people and families.

You must have prior experience in a senior leadership position within the previous two years. You must have sound knowledge of the Children’s Home Regulations, Quality Standards along with a workable knowledge of the Ofsted Inspection Framework and ClearCare systems. It is desirable that you have your L5 in leadership and management (or working towards the qualification) or a Social Work qualification.

You will be a kind and caring person with a passion for improving lives, be aspirational in attitude and resilient and flexible in approach.

As an inspirational leader you will be passionate about improving the lives of Dorset children and create opportunities for them to thrive.

For an informal conversation to discuss this vacancy further, we welcome you to contact Louise Drury: [email protected]

You must be able to work some evenings, weekends and bank holidays. There will be a requirement to provide on-call management as part of an agreed rota system.

This post has a significant travel requirement and you are contractually required to have a vehicle (or transport deemed to be suitable by the council) available for use as required.

The role is subject to an enhanced DBS check. If you have lived outside the UK for 12 months or more within the last 10 years, you will be required to provide a criminal record check from the relevant country or countries before a conditional offer of employment can be made.

At Dorset Council, it's not just about the work we do, it's about how we do it. Hear directly from our employees about what makes Dorset Council special in this short video:

At Dorset Council, we are working together to create a fairer, more prosperous, and more sustainable Dorset for everyone, now and in the future.

We:

• provide essential services that support over 300,000 residents
• work in partnership to make a real difference
• value every role and the impact it has on our communities
• support our employees to grow, develop, and thrive

You will:

• be part of a team that works together for a better Dorset
• have access to a range of benefits and support
• receive training and development opportunities to help your career progress

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation where different skills, perspectives, and backgrounds strengthen both our council and the communities we serve.

We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role, we will offer you an interview. We also want our recruitment process to be accessible, if you need any reasonable adjustments, just let us know on your application.

This role is UK-based, and we will need to confirm your Right to Work as part of the appointment process. We use generic job descriptions and person specifications, so the job title in any attachments may differ from the advert. If needed, we will provide additional details in a context statement.

If you’re passionate about making a difference, we’d love you to join us.

Find out more about how to apply.