Service Manager - Bournemouth & Poole

We are seeking an experienced and passionate Service Manager to lead our supported living services across Bournemouth and Poole. This role oversees a 12-bed supported living scheme and 3 single-occupancy homes in Bournemouth (close to the university campus), alongside an additional single-occupancy home in Poole. Together, these services deliver approximately 1,200 commissioned hours per week, supporting young adults with learning disabilities, autism, and complex needs.

You will be supported by a dedicated Area Manager and Regional Director, while having the autonomy to lead in your own style — driving high standards, building strong teams, and achieving meaningful outcomes for the people we support.

We’re Looking For a Leader Who

• Leads with positivity, compassion, and confidence
• Inspires teams to deliver outstanding, person‑centred support
• Champions quality, safety, and continuous improvement
• Understands the complexities of supporting individuals with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, personality disorders, psychosis, and behaviours of concern, including self‑harm

This is an opportunity to make a genuine difference every day — enabling the people we support to live independently, with dignity, purpose, and fulfilment in their own homes.

In This Role, You Will

• Support, inspire, and develop your team of support workers and team leaders to deliver outstanding care and support within this supported living flat scheme.
• Oversee the delivery of high-quality care and support for individuals with learning disabilities, autism, challenging behaviours, and physical disabilities, each with their own unique and complex needs.
• Drive service improvements and quality standards
• Build strong relationships with your team, families, and communities

You’ll lead with purpose, inspire your teams, and deliver the highest standards of care while shaping the future of services.

What You’ll Bring

• A minimum Level 3 qualification in Health & Social Care with Level 5 being desirable (or working towards it)
• Strong experience in operational and people management
• A valid UK driver’s licence and willingness to travel locally
• A genuine passion for quality care — and the ability to lead by example

We’re looking for individuals who embody empathy, courage, honesty, equality, and passion. If that sounds like you, we’d love to welcome you to the team.

Why Join Lifeways?

When you join Lifeways, you step into a leadership role in a company that values and invests in its people. Our shared values guide everything we do: Caring – Honest – One Team – Innovative – Courageous – Equal

You’ll Get

• Enjoy financial wellbeing tools with Stream — real‑time pay tracking, savings features, and instant access to earned pay when you need it.
• A supportive, inclusive workplace culture
• Matched contribution company pension scheme
• Wellbeing resources and mental health support
• Reward and Recognition Schemes
• Discounts on shopping, tech, travel, and more through CHOICE Rewards

Why Now?

We are on a bold journey to become the Care Provider of Choice — and this is an exciting time to join us. We listen closely to our team members through surveys and forums and act on their ideas, continuously improving how we support both our people and the individuals in our care. As a leader, you’ll have the authority, resources, and support to shape your team’s culture and the quality of care they deliver. We invest in your growth through leadership development and promote a workplace where wellbeing, diversity, and inclusion are more than just words — they’re lived values. At Lifeways, you’re not just anyone. You’re a leader who can make a difference every single day.