Placements Manager - Children's Residential in London

Children’s Residential Services Job Description – Placements Manager

Reports To: Director / Responsible Individual

Hybrid Working - London and Remote.

We are a growing provider of high-quality residential care for children and young people. Operating across a small group of homes, we are committed to delivering safe, nurturing, and therapeutic environments where young people can thrive. As we expand, we are looking for a skilled, commercially aware, and relationship-driven Placements Manager to sit at the heart of our operations connecting local authority commissioners with the right homes and ensuring every placement decision puts the young person first.

About the Role

This is a pivotal role. You will be the first point of contact for all incoming referrals and placement enquiries across our residential homes, building trusted relationships with Local Authority commissioners, placing teams, and social workers while ensuring every match is carefully assessed against the needs of the young people already living within our services. This is not simply an administrative placement’s role. We are looking for someone who genuinely understands the wider landscape of children’s residential care, the safeguarding responsibilities, the pressures facing Local Authorities and providers alike, the importance of placement stability, and what therapeutic matching really means in practice. Working closely with Registered Managers, the Responsible Individual, and senior leadership, you will drive occupancy growth across our homes whilst maintaining the quality, safety, and stability that children in our care deserve.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage all incoming referrals and placement enquiries across our residential homes, responding promptly and professionally.
• Assess referrals thoroughly against each home’s Statement of Purpose, current occupancy, and the needs of existing residents to ensure safe and appropriate matching.
• Liaise with Registered Managers to confirm placement suitability before submitting formal offers to commissioners.
• Coordinate and lead referral review meetings as required, working collaboratively with internal teams and external professionals.
• Maintain accurate referral pipelines, occupancy trackers, and reporting data at all times.
• Ensure all placement decisions are made in line with safeguarding practices, risk management frameworks, and regulatory expectations.
• Liaise professionally with families, social workers, IROs, and external stakeholders throughout the admissions process.
• Ensure confidentiality and GDPR compliance is maintained across all placement activity.

Commissioning & Business Development

• Build and maintain strong, trusted relationships with Local Authority commissioners, placing teams, independent agencies, and sector partners.
• Develop and implement strategies to grow occupancy across our homes whilst maintaining placement quality and stability.
• Attend networking events, commissioning meetings, and sector forums to represent us positively in the market.
• Support tender opportunities, framework engagement, and commissioning discussions as required.
• Use market knowledge and commissioner insight to identify growth opportunities and inform service development planning.

Placement Planning & Care Oversight

• Ensure individual Placement Plans are in place, regularly reviewed, and accurately reflect each young person’s current needs.
• Work collaboratively with Registered Managers, key workers, social workers, and IROs to ensure care planning processes are followed and changes in need are captured promptly.
• Support the transition of young people into, within, and out of placement ensuring smooth handovers, clear communication, and minimal disruption.
• Monitor placement stability and flag any emerging concerns to the Registered Manager or Responsible Individual at the earliest opportunity.
• Contribute to LAC reviews, professionals’ meetings, and placement reviews, providing accurate information and supporting positive outcomes for young people.

About You

We are looking for someone confident, organised, commercially minded, and relationship-driven with a genuine understanding of the children’s residential care sector and a real commitment to improving outcomes for young people.

Essential

• Significant experience within children’s residential care, at Deputy Manager level or above, or in a commissioning, referrals, or placement coordination role.
• Must have a close connection with placements/commissioning teams across England.
• Strong working knowledge of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015, Ofsted quality standards, and safeguarding legislation.
• Demonstrable experience of placement matching, referral management, or occupancy management within a residential childcare setting.
• Strong knowledge of Local Authority placement processes and commissioning structures.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills confident working with commissioners, social workers, and multi-agency professionals.
• A sound understanding of safeguarding, risk assessment, and the responsibilities of a non-registered senior manager in a children’s homes setting.
• Highly organised with the ability to manage multiple referrals simultaneously and respond quickly under pressure.
• Confident using CRM systems, databases, and reporting tools.
• A proactive, solution-focused approach and a genuine commitment to children’s wellbeing.
• Enhanced DBS clearance (or willingness to obtain).

Desirable

• Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management in Residential Childcare, or working towards.
• Existing relationships with Local Authority commissioners and placing teams.
• Experience within business development, tender writing, or framework engagement.
• Knowledge of therapeutic or EBD residential care models.
• Experience working across a multi-site residential care operation.

What we offer

• Competitive salary plus performance bonus.
• A senior leadership team that values initiative, professional growth, and genuine partnership.
• The opportunity to play a central role in a growing organisation with a clear vision and strong values.
• Ongoing training and continuing professional development.
• The chance to make a meaningful and lasting difference to the lives of children and young people in residential care.