Service Manager (temp to perm)

Service Manager (temp to perm) Mon to Fri 9am-5pm London NW10 £35k We are seeking a highly experienced, resilient, and hands-on Service Manager to hit the ground running and take immediate leadership of an established care service provider. This role is suited to a proven problem-solver who can step into a complex operational environment from day one, quickly assess priorities, and implement effective improvements with confidence. The successful candidate will be expected to lead from the front, stabilise day-to-day operations, support staff teams confidently, and ensure safe, compliant, and person-centred care delivery. Key responsibilities are to take immediate operational responsibility for the service, ensuring safe, compliant, and effective delivery of care, assess current practices, identify risks or gaps, and implement corrective actions, lead, support, and supervise staff teams, setting clear expectations and accountability, manage incidents, concerns, and escalations professionally and decisively, ensure robust safeguarding practice and adherence to all policies, procedures, and regulatory standards, provide strong, visible leadership on shift and during critical situations, handle complex staff and stakeholder conversations with confidence and professionalism, organise and oversee rotas, training, supervision, and performance management, maintain accurate records, audits, and reports to support continuous service improvement, and manage MARs charts, Risk Assessments and Care plans. The successful candidate must have a supported living, residential, or complex needs background, be able to demonstrate clear evidence of successfully stabilising, improving, or turning around services, strong, practical knowledge of safeguarding, compliance, and regulatory requirements, and the ability to make effective decisions immediately in high-pressure environments. Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health & Social Care (or equivalent) would be highly desirable