WILDERNESS WAY
Operations Manager - Childrens Residential Care
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Lead with Purpose. Deliver with Impact.
Are you an experienced leader in children’s residential care ready to take the next step in your career? At Wilderness Way, we’re expanding and looking for an Operations Manager to oversee a cluster of our children’s homes.
This is a strategic leadership role for someone who understands the complexities of residential childcare and is passionate about delivering exceptional outcomes for children with challenging behaviours.
What You’ll Do
- Lead and Inspire: Support and mentor Registered Managers to deliver high-quality, child-centred care.
- Ensure Excellence: Oversee operational performance, compliance, and financial targets across multiple homes.
- Collaborate Effectively: Work with commissioning teams, social workers, and external agencies to ensure tailored care plans.
- Drive Improvement: Use data and insights to monitor service outcomes and identify areas for development.
- Champion Our Values: Embed our mission, vision, and values into every aspect of service delivery.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
What We’re Looking For
- Essential: Minimum 6 years’ experience in children’s residential care, including 4 years in a leadership role.
- Qualified: Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health & Social Care and Children & Young People’s Services.
- Knowledgeable: Strong understanding of Ofsted regulations, safeguarding, and child protection legislation.
- Operationally Skilled: Proven ability to manage budgets, implement policies, and meet strategic goals.
- Inspirational Leader: A collaborative and empowering approach to coaching and mentoring teams.
- Flexible & Mobile: Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel across services.
Why Join Us?
- Salary: Up to £71,219 (dependent on experience and qualifications)
- Annual Leave: 35 days, with additional days awarded at 2 and 5 years of service
- Workweek: 40 hours (Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm) with occasional flexibility
- Health & Wellbeing: Private Medical Insurance, Medicash plan, 24/7 GP access, cashback on optical/dental, gym discounts
- Recognition & Rewards: £1,000 referral bonuses, monthly Wilderness Heroes awards
- Financial Security: Pension contributions, life assurance (2x salary)
- Perks: High street savings, leisure discounts, and tailored local offers
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
A Culture of Growth
- Career development through coaching, qualifications, and progression pathways
- A forward-thinking organisation leading in therapeutic and assessment-based residential care
- A workplace built on Collaboration, Adaptability, Respect, and Empathy
All roles at Wilderness Way are subject to Safer Recruitment checks, including references, an enhanced DBS, and online/social media screening for successful candidates. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all staff to share this commitment. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all individuals, regardless of background, experience, or protected characteristics.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills