At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and transform care services, ensuring high-quality support for individuals.
- Company: Join Camphill Village Trust, a charity dedicated to empowering adults with learning disabilities.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, impactful work, and the chance to make a real difference.
- Other info: Be part of a meaningful mission that values inclusion and community.
- Why this job: Shape the future of care services while connecting with vibrant communities.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in social care, with a focus on quality and compliance.
The predicted salary is between 56700 - 69300 £ per year.
As Director of Operations, you will have strategic responsibility for our care and support services and play a critical role within our Executive Team. Supported living sits at the heart of Camphill Village Trust and this appointment will bring deep operational and social care expertise, ensuring we continue to deliver safe, high-quality, person-centred services while developing a sustainable model for the future.
This is a significant leadership role with responsibility for a c.£20m budget and an experienced operational leadership team. You will provide strategic oversight of quality, safeguarding, regulatory compliance and operational performance, while working with colleagues to strengthen our approach to supported living and housing and ensure our services deliver meaningful outcomes for the people we support.
There is important transformation ahead. We need to continue strengthening quality and consistency, develop our operational and leadership capability, improve our understanding of service financial performance and ensure our structures and systems are fit for the future. We are also considering the future relationship between our housing and supported living provision and how our care and support model should evolve.
Our communities have experienced considerable change and they already have significant knowledge, commitment and capability. You will therefore take time to listen and understand before determining what needs to change, working alongside experienced colleagues and empowering leaders rather than imposing solutions.
You will also help us look ahead. We have ambitions to grow our impact and reach more people and you will develop strong relationships with commissioners and partners, understand emerging needs and opportunities and ensure future growth is both financially sustainable and consistent with the quality and values we expect.
This will be a highly visible role. We want our Executive leaders to understand our communities by spending meaningful time in them, meeting colleagues and the people we support, seeing our services first-hand and staying connected to the impact of the decisions we make.
We are looking for an established senior social care leader with significant experience leading complex care and support services. You may have worked within learning disability and autism services, supported living or another relevant area of adult social care. Exact sector experience matters less than a strong understanding of regulated care and support, quality, safeguarding and the realities of delivering sustainable services in a challenging commissioning environment.
You will understand what excellent support looks like and bring the credibility to provide assurance and constructive challenge at Executive and Board level. Experience of CQC-regulated services and a strong understanding of the responsibilities associated with the Nominated Individual role will be particularly important.
Alongside your technical expertise, you will bring strong commercial and financial judgement. You will understand service models, commissioning arrangements and financial performance and make difficult decisions when necessary, without ever losing sight of the impact those decisions have on people's lives.
Your leadership style will matter just as much as your experience. We are looking for someone calm, considered and resilient; a leader who listens, builds relationships and creates confidence during change. You will recognise that meaningful transformation takes time and have the patience to understand what is already working before deciding what needs to change.
You will be comfortable working through others, developing capable leaders and drawing on the expertise around you rather than needing to have all the answers yourself.
Camphill Village Trust is a national charity that has been supporting adults with learning disabilities, autism and mental health support needs for more than 70 years. Across our communities in England, we enable people to lead meaningful, independent and connected lives through high-quality, person-centred support, underpinned by a strong commitment to inclusion, community and opportunity.
Our communities are distinctive places. Alongside high-quality care and support, people have opportunities to develop skills, build relationships and participate in meaningful activities through our farms, gardens, workshops, cafés, shops and wider community partnerships. Our connection with nature, land and community remains an important part of who we are and our ambition for the future.
Camphill Village Trust has been through a significant period of organisational change and is now entering an important next chapter. We are building greater stability across the organisation while continuing to develop the quality, consistency and sustainability of our services.
Above all, you will share our commitment to putting people at the heart of decision-making and be excited by the opportunity to spend time within our communities, understand what makes Camphill Village Trust distinctive and help us build outstanding, sustainable services for the future.
Director of Operations employer: Camphill Village Trust
Camphill Village Trust is an exceptional employer, offering a unique opportunity to lead transformative care and support services within a vibrant community-focused environment. With a strong commitment to inclusion and personal development, employees benefit from a supportive culture that prioritises meaningful relationships and professional growth, all while making a significant impact on the lives of individuals with learning disabilities and autism. Located in diverse communities across England, this role not only allows for strategic leadership but also fosters deep connections with those we serve, ensuring a rewarding and fulfilling career path.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Director of Operations
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at Camphill Village Trust.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from Camphill Village Trust!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like Camphill Village Trust, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at Camphill Village Trust or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Director of Operations
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to Camphill Village Trust:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Camphill Village Trust! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Camphill Village Trust
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
