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Lead the experiences. Build connections. Make every day meaningful at Aria Court.

We're looking for a creative, organised and inspiring Resident Experience Lead to join the team at Aria Court.

At Athena Care Homes, resident experience is about much more than organising activities. It's about understanding the people who live with us – their interests, relationships, routines, life experiences and ambitions – and creating opportunities for them to live a meaningful, connected and fulfilling life.

As our Resident Experience Lead, you'll lead that approach across Aria Court. You'll bring our Connected Living model to life, working with every department to make meaningful engagement part of everyday life while leading an engaging programme of activities, events, outings, volunteering and community connections shaped around what matters to our residents.

The essentials

• Working pattern: Monday to Sunday

Some flexibility will be required to support occasional resident events and experiences during evenings and weekends.

About Aria Court

At Aria Court, you'll have the opportunity to shape a resident experience with community connection and individual choice at its heart.

The home has already developed local relationships through initiatives including the Happy Potters and Veterans Club, bringing residents together through shared interests, experiences and connections. Aria Court supports up to 92 residents and holds 2-Gold Stars for NADCAS dementia accreditation.

As Resident Experience Lead, you'll build on these foundations while taking our approach further – getting to know what matters to every resident, creating opportunities for individual and shared experiences, developing new community partnerships and inspiring colleagues across the home to recognise the part they can play.

About the role

As Resident Experience Lead, you'll lead and develop the resident experience at Aria Court, ensuring every resident has opportunities for meaningful engagement, connection, choice and purpose.

You'll lead the Lifestyles/Resident Experience team where applicable, but your influence will extend across the whole home. A key part of the role is helping Heads of Department and colleagues understand that meaningful engagement is everyone's responsibility – something that happens throughout everyday life, not just during planned activities.

• Leading and embedding Athena's Connected Living model throughout Aria Court, inspiring colleagues across every department to contribute to the resident experience
• Planning and coordinating a varied programme of meaningful activities and engagement shaped around residents' individual interests, abilities, life histories and preferences
• Creating opportunities for every resident to engage in ways that are meaningful to them, including individual, small-group, group, spontaneous and everyday experiences
• Planning memorable events, celebrations, outings and external experiences, involving residents in deciding what they would like to do and where they would like to go
• Building strong relationships with residents and families, ensuring individual interests, routines, occupations and life experiences help shape everyday life within the home
• Developing connections with local schools, community groups, charities, businesses, faith groups and other organisations, helping residents remain active members of their community
• Developing and overseeing the home's volunteer programme, creating meaningful opportunities for volunteers to contribute their skills, interests and time
• Leading and supporting the Resident Experience/Lifestyles team, monitoring engagement and feedback, and continually looking for opportunities to develop and improve the resident experience

About you

We're looking for someone who combines creativity, organisation and people leadership with a genuine curiosity about what matters to others.

You might already work within Lifestyles, Activities or Resident Experience in a care environment, but we'd also welcome relevant experience from community engagement, hospitality or another person-centred environment. What matters is your ability to build relationships, organise engaging experiences and inspire other people to get involved. The JD specifically allows for this broader range of backgrounds rather than requiring previous care-home experience.

You’ll be someone who:

• Has experience planning and coordinating activities, events, outings or engagement programmes within a care, health, community, hospitality or other person-centred environment
• Is highly organized and able to manage multiple priorities, turning creative ideas into well-planned and meaningful experiences
• Builds positive relationships with residents, families, colleagues, volunteers, community groups and external partners
• Understands person-centred care and how meaningful activity, occupation and engagement can support wellbeing, independence, purpose and belonging
• Is a positive and motivating leader who can influence others, encourage collaboration and help colleagues recognise their role in the resident experience
• Is warm, approachable, inclusive and proactive, with the creativity and enthusiasm to develop experiences around each resident's individual interests, choices and abilities

A relevant qualification or training in health and social care, dementia care, activities and wellbeing, community engagement, hospitality or a related field would be highly desirable. Experience of leading others and working with people living with dementia would also be beneficial.

Resident Experience at Athena – Meaningful living, connected communities

At Athena Care Homes, meaningful engagement is everyone’s responsibility. Through our Connected Living model, you’ll inspire colleagues to look beyond the activities calendar and create everyday opportunities that help residents maintain their interests, relationships, independence and sense of purpose.

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