Registered Manager

Salary: £55,000 - £65,000 per annum (depending on experience)

Hours: 37 hours per week (Full Time)

Reports To: Director

Responsible For: Leading and managing the Thrive Fostering staff team, including social workers, managers and non-social work staff.

Job Purpose: As the Registered Manager, the Fostering Manager is accountable for developing and managing all aspects of the fostering service and support functions within Thrive Fostering. Working in accordance with Thrive Fostering's policies and procedures, relevant legislation and national guidance, the Fostering Manager will promote and maintain a professional fostering service for local authorities placing children and young people. The successful candidate will ensure organisational practice complies with the Ofsted Framework and the Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011, ensuring these standards are upheld at all times. The Fostering Manager will also lead on all safeguarding matters relating to the agency.

Key Accountabilities

• Strategic Management: The successful candidate will contribute proactively to the strategic planning and business development of Thrive Fostering in line with short, medium and long-term objectives. Advise on Thrive Fostering's position within a competitive marketplace, ensuring the agency remains competitive through service quality, innovation and pricing. Identify opportunities for service improvement, new initiatives and business growth, presenting recommendations to the Directors. Develop an effective client management strategy by establishing and maintaining regular monthly meetings with clients, monitoring client action plans, gathering and communicating client feedback to operational teams, and demonstrating positive leadership in client relationship management. Develop new business opportunities and fostering resources by building relationships with Local Authorities, negotiating, securing and reviewing contractual agreements, supporting foster carer recruitment initiatives, and assisting regional teams to achieve recruitment and service delivery targets. Provide regular performance reports to the Directors against agreed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
• Operational & Professional Management: The Fostering Manager will represent Thrive Fostering professionally across the region, promoting the organisation's reputation with Local Authorities and partner agencies. Manage the Placement Service, ensuring compliance with National Minimum Standards and legislation, that agency policies and procedures are fully implemented, existing fostering resources are effectively managed, new fostering resources are developed where required, and placement targets are achieved in line with business plans. Ensure regular consultation with foster carers and children, monitor quality standards through ongoing internal audits, ensure a professional 24-hour support service is available for foster carers, and ensure safeguarding concerns are managed in accordance with legislation, government guidance and company policy. Provide professional leadership, supervision and support to staff responsible for foster carer supervision, annual reviews, monitoring and support. Oversee the recruitment, training and ongoing development of staff and foster carers. Ensure foster carer assessments comply with agency procedures and statutory guidance. Maintain and develop agency systems, including training programmes, IT systems, fostering panel, out-of-hours services, and assessment, approval and review processes. Evaluate agency performance against agreed KPIs.
• Safeguarding Responsibilities: The Fostering Manager will lead the development and review of safeguarding and child protection policies, procedures and training. Ensure safeguarding policies remain current and effective. Provide expert safeguarding advice and support to staff. Liaise with external safeguarding agencies where referrals are required.
• Staff Management: The successful candidate will promote effective teamwork and a positive working culture. Lead and manage professional and support staff by providing supervision, allocating workloads, monitoring performance, conducting appraisals, managing disciplinary procedures where required, and supporting training and professional development. Ensure agency policies and procedures are fully understood and implemented. Identify operational issues and escalate matters requiring Director involvement. Provide guidance, advice and ongoing support to team members.
• Finance & Resource Management: The Fostering Manager will work alongside the Directors to establish, review and achieve business and financial targets. Be accountable for achieving agreed financial objectives. Authorise expenditure within delegated authority, ensuring all expenditure is properly evidenced, accurate and justified.
• Relationships: The successful candidate will build and maintain strong relationships with Local Authorities and external partner organisations. Support the continuation of existing contracts while responding proactively to changing customer needs. Develop positive internal working relationships across all departments. Work collaboratively with colleagues, consultants and managers to achieve organisational objectives.
• Other Responsibilities: The Fostering Manager will attend meetings, conferences and networking events as required. Promote compliance with Health & Safety legislation throughout the organisation. Undertake project work and any other reasonable duties requested by the Directors. Work in accordance with all Thrive Fostering policies and procedures. Maintain strict confidentiality at all times.