Area Director

Area Director – East Midlands with Travel - Approx. 5–6 Care Homes

About Bridge Oak

Bridge Oak is committed to delivering exceptional, person-centred care across our portfolio of care homes. Guided by our values of Compassionate, Approachable, Respectful and Enabling, we are seeking an experienced and driven Area Director to oversee a portfolio of care homes across the Group.

This is an exciting opportunity for an operational leader with strong multi-site management experience within the care sector who is passionate about supporting teams, driving quality, and

delivering strong operational performance.

About the Role

As Area Director, you will take regional management responsibility for a portfolio of approximately 5–6 care homes, supporting Home Managers to deliver safe, high-quality, person-centred care while achieving strong commercial and compliance outcomes.

Acting as the key link between the homes and senior leadership team, you will provide hands‑on operational support, performance oversight, and leadership across your region. You will play a pivotal role in driving continuous improvement, embedding standards, and supporting services to achieve excellence.

Responsibilities

Management

• Provide leadership and regional management support across a portfolio of care homes within your region.
• Support and challenge Home Managers to achieve high standards of care, compliance, and performance.
• Ensure consistent delivery of person‑centred care aligned to Bridge Oak values.
• Monitor operational KPIs including occupancy, agency usage, staffing levels, and resident outcomes.
• Drive accountability and performance improvement across services.
• Maintain regular visibility within homes and provide hands‑on operational support where needed.

Quality & Compliance

• Ensure homes achieve and maintain compliance with CQC and all relevant regulatory requirements.
• Monitor audits, incidents, complaints, safeguarding, and quality indicators, ensuring timely action is taken.
• Support Home Managers in preparing for inspections and embedding continuous improvement plans.
• Promote best practice and consistent governance processes across services.
• Support improvement and turnaround plans within services requiring additional support.

Leadership & People Management

• Lead, coach, and develop Home Managers and Deputy Managers across the region.
• Support recruitment, retention, succession planning, and colleague engagement initiatives.
• Foster a positive, accountable, and values-led culture within all services.
• Ensure effective performance management processes are implemented consistently.
• Identify leadership development opportunities across the region.
• Support the achievement of occupancy, revenue, and budget targets across your portfolio.
• Monitor financial performance and support managers to effectively manage costs and resources.
• Drive improvements in agency reduction, staffing efficiencies, and overall operational performance.

Stakeholder Management & Reporting

• Build positive relationships with residents, families, regulators, commissioners, and external stakeholders.
• Provide accurate operational reporting and updates to the Operations Director.
• Contribute to regional and Group operational objectives and strategic initiatives.

Qualifications

We are looking for a motivated and supportive leader with experience managing multiple care services. You will ideally have:

• Proven experience in a Regional Manager, Area Manager, or multi‑site operational role within the care home sector for older people, covering both nursing and residential care homes.
• Strong knowledge of CQC standards, governance, and compliance requirements.
• Experience supporting Home Managers to improve quality and operational performance.
• Commercial awareness with experience managing budgets and occupancy performance.
• Excellent leadership, coaching, and relationship management skills.
• A visible, hands‑on, and solutions‑focused leadership style.
• A genuine passion for delivering high‑quality care and supporting teams to succeed.

Our Values

• Compassionate – Sensitive to and understanding of the needs of others.
• Approachable – Open, honest, transparent, and easy to talk to.
• Respectful – Promoting dignity, wellbeing, and self‑respect.
• Enabling – Supporting people to grow and achieve their full potential.

Why Join Us?

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a growing organisation where you can make a real impact across multiple services while helping shape and support high‑performing care home teams.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Bridge Oak is committed to diversity and inclusivity in the workplace.