Head of Responsible Individual & Consultancy Services in Preston

• Act as the named Responsible Individual for an allocated portfolio of Ofsted-registered children's homes
• Provide governance, oversight and accountability across services
• Promote excellence in safeguarding, care planning, leadership and operational delivery
• Support and challenge Registered Managers
• Monitor quality assurance systems and regulatory performance
• Review Regulation 44 Reports, Regulation 45 Reviews, safeguarding matters, complaints, incidents and investigations
• Ensure compliance with the Children's Homes Regulations 2015 and Quality Standards
• Lead services through Ofsted inspections, registration processes and improvement initiatives
• Build relationships with Ofsted and external stakeholders
• Lead the development and growth of Delphi's Responsible Individual and consultancy services
• Deliver operational, regulatory and quality improvement consultancy support
• Support organisations through growth, change, registration and service development
• Identify new sector opportunities and build client relationships
• Support business development, tenders, proposals and strategic partnerships
• Represent Delphi as a sector expert and ambassador
• Undertake service audits and quality reviews
• Develop and implement improvement plans
• Coach and mentor senior leaders and Registered Managers
• Identify risks, trends and opportunities
• Drive continuous improvement and excellence

Requirements

• Previous experience as a Responsible Individual
• Extensive leadership experience within children's residential care
• Experience as a Registered Manager, Operations Manager, Regional Manager, Head of Service, Responsible Individual or Director
• Excellent understanding of Ofsted regulations, safeguarding and inspection frameworks
• Strong experience of compliance, governance and quality assurance
• Demonstrable track record of service improvement
• Outstanding communication and relationship-building skills
• Ability to provide both support and professional challenge
• Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel nationally
• Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare (desirable)
• Multi-site operational leadership experience (desirable)
• Experience opening and registering children's homes (desirable)
• Consultancy experience (desirable)
• Business development or commercial experience (desirable)
• Experience supporting services from Inadequate or Requires Improvement to Good or Outstanding (desirable)
• CV and supporting statement outlining Responsible Individual experience and achievements
• Appropriate safeguarding and pre-employment checks

Core Competencies

Demonstrates extensive leadership and operational expertise in children's residential care, with a strong focus on compliance, quality assurance, and service improvement. Proven ability to build relationships with Ofsted and stakeholders while driving continuous improvement initiatives.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Responsible Individual Experience
• Leadership Experience in Children's Residential Care
• Understanding of Ofsted Regulations
• Compliance and Quality Assurance Expertise
• Service Improvement Track Record

ATS Optimization Keywords

Hard Skills

• Quality Assurance Systems
• Regulatory Performance Monitoring
• Improvement Plan Development
• Service Audits
• Consultancy Support
• Business Development
• Tenders and Proposals
• Safeguarding Knowledge
• Children's Homes Regulations 2015
• Multi-Site Operational Leadership

Soft Skills

• Outstanding Communication Skills
• Relationship-Building Skills
• Ability to Provide Support and Challenge
• Coaching and Mentoring Skills

Certifications & Qualifications

• Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare

Industry Keywords

• Ofsted Inspections
• Children's Homes
• Governance
• Operational Delivery
• Service Development
• Regulation 44 Reports
• Regulation 45 Reviews
• Safeguarding Matters
• Inadequate to Good Improvement
• Sector Expert