Hostel Manager in London

Central Recruitment is currently working with a London based charity whose mission is to support people experiencing homelessness to find secure accommodation and work towards a positive future. Our client is currently recruiting for a Hostel Manager, to work in the Twickenham area. The hostel is a 14-bed service that provides 24‑hour support to people affected by homelessness or rough sleeping to move off the streets and into safe, secure housing.

Job Package

• 37.5 hours per week Monday – Friday
• Hours: 09:00 – 17:00 (with some flexibility to occasionally work evenings, weekends and on‑call duties)
• £42,000 per annum
• This is a permanent role

This is a fantastic opportunity to make an impact in the lives of adults with a history of homelessness.

Key Responsibilities

• Line manage Hostel Team Leader, Hostel Support Workers and Hostel Night Shift Worker, including supervision, appraisal, and performance management.
• Oversee the day‑to‑day running of the hostel, ensuring a safe, well‑managed, and responsive service at all times.
• Lead regular team meetings, reflective practice sessions, and ensure effective communication across shifts.
• Provide coaching and guidance to staff on trauma‑informed practice, safeguarding, and complex client support, supporting staff to use de‑escalation and non‑punitive approaches.
• Ensure full staffing cover across rota shifts, including planning, recruitment support, and absence management.
• Oversee key work delivery, ensuring support plans are effective, strengths‑based, and outcome‑focused.
• Act as the safeguarding lead within the service, ensuring all concerns are managed appropriately and escalated where required.
• Oversee financial processes including petty cash, rent collection systems, and budget monitoring.
• Represent the service professionally in multi‑agency meetings and forums, developing and maintaining strong working relationships with external partners, including housing providers, healthcare services, and local authorities.
• Support residents to access appropriate services and move‑on opportunities.

What We’re Looking For

• Significant experience working with people affected by homelessness or rough sleeping, including those with complex needs such as mental ill-health, substance use, or trauma.
• Experience of supervising or managing staff within a supported housing, hostel, or similar environment and of managing staffing rotas and addressing resourcing gaps, including coordinating overtime, bank/casual staff, or agency cover to maintain safe service delivery.
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding, risk assessment, and incident management, with the ability to lead on identifying, responding to, and escalating concerns appropriately.
• Demonstrable understanding of trauma‑informed and psychologically informed approaches, and the ability to embed these within team practice.
• Strong understanding of the challenges, barriers, and behaviours associated with homelessness, and the ability to implement compassionate and effective service responses.
• Ability to manage complex and sometimes high‑risk situations, providing clear direction and support to staff.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective relationships with residents, staff, and external partners.
• Knowledge of local housing pathways, homelessness legislation, and community resources.
• Experience of service performance monitoring, quality assurance, or contract compliance.
• Good organisational and administrative skills, including confidence using IT systems for case management, monitoring, and reporting.
• Ability to work both strategically and operationally, including providing hands‑on support where required.

Further Requirements

• Current valid right to work in the UK.
• Minimum 12 months of paid experience in a front line social care role within the last 3 years (unless recruitment criteria states otherwise).
• A fully enhanced DBS either registered on the DBS update service or issued within the last 12 months, or willingness to apply for one through Central (at a cost of £60).
• Employment or education history to cover the last 5 years which can be verified through the referencing process.

How to Apply

If you feel that you fully meet the above outlined criteria for this role and would like to apply for this post, please forward your CV for consideration. Please note the outlined experience is the 'minimum' first stage criteria, and we will therefore be unable to consider your application unless you are able to demonstrate a relevant work history in line with this position.