Head of Services in Bristol

We are recruiting a Head of Services on behalf of a well-established charity dedicated to improving the lives of deaf people and the wider communities they support. This is a senior leadership opportunity for an experienced health and social care professional looking to make a genuine and lasting impact across a diverse portfolio of community-facing services.

The successful candidate will play a key role in securing the long term sustainability of these services whilst championing the needs of some of the most vulnerable deaf people in the communities served.

About the Role

Reporting to the Director of Finance and Operations, the Head of Services will hold senior management responsibility for staff across multiple geographically dispersed teams. Services span London, Kent, Surrey, Essex and Berkshire, with the postholder expected to travel to the London office regularly and to service locations as required.

This is a hands-on yet strategic role. You will be expected to provide confident operational leadership whilst also contributing to income generation, funding bids, commissioner relationships and the wider senior leadership team agenda. A strong understanding of financial sustainability within the charity and social care sector will be essential, as will the drive to identify new and innovative ways to grow service income and demonstrate impact.

It is not essential that candidates come from a deaf organisation or are BSL users, however a genuine willingness to understand and embrace deaf culture and work towards a basic level of sign language is expected. What matters most is a strong health and social care background, proven multi-service management experience, and the commercial acumen to help stabilise and grow the service.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide senior leadership and operational oversight across Independent Living, Advocacy, Advice, Employability services and other funded community projects.
• Lead and support Operations Managers and Team Managers to ensure services are well-resourced, compliant and consistently achieving quality and performance standards.
• Act as Operational Safeguarding Lead for the directorate, ensuring robust safeguarding policies, procedures and escalation processes are in place and consistently followed.
• Work closely with the Director of Finance and Operations to ensure services are financially sustainable, operating within agreed budgets and meeting contractual obligations.
• Contribute to income generation through funding applications, tender submissions, commissioner engagement and partnership development.
• Oversee service performance monitoring using data and CRM systems to inform decision-making, evidence impact and meet contractual reporting requirements.
• Contribute to organisational strategy, governance and risk management as a member of the senior leadership team.
• Support workforce planning, recruitment, succession planning and employee relations in collaboration with HR.
• Promote a culture of accessibility, inclusion and continuous improvement, keeping the needs of deaf and disabled service users central to all activity.

Requirements

Essential:

• Significant senior management experience within community services, health and social care, charity, advice, advocacy or public sector environments.
• Proven experience leading multi-disciplinary or geographically dispersed teams through senior managers or operational leads.
• Demonstrable experience overseeing funded services, contracts and performance frameworks.
• Experience working with statutory commissioners, local authorities and external funding bodies.
• Strong understanding of safeguarding responsibilities, governance and risk management in community-based services.
• Experience contributing to income generation activities including contract development, funding bids or tender submissions.
• Health and Social Care qualification or equivalent professional experience.
• Willingness to attend training and work towards BSL Level 2.
• Ability to analyse complex service and financial information to support informed decision-making.
• Strong communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
• Must undergo an enhanced DBS check.
• Car owner/driver with willingness to travel across service areas.

Desirable:

• Experience overseeing quality assurance frameworks and compliance standards such as AQS or Matrix.
• Recognised leadership and management qualification.
• Experience of working with deaf people or individuals with complex communication needs.
• Sign language user or BSL Level 2.

Benefits

• Competitive salary of £42,000 – £49,000 dependent on experience.
• Home-based role with flexibility and autonomy.
• Opportunity to join a values-driven charity at a pivotal point in its development.
• Senior leadership position with genuine scope to influence strategy and service direction.

Working Pattern

This is a full-time permanent role. The position is home-based with a requirement to travel regularly to the London office and to service locations across London, Kent, Surrey, Essex and Berkshire. Some flexibility around working hours may be required to meet the needs of the service, including occasional evenings or weekends.

Contact Details

If you wish to either apply or gain further information, please contact Ed at Compass Associates on 02394 214 487 or email eamaral@compassltd.co.uk.