Are you seeking a fresh start?

Does the prospect of a blank canvas, and an opportunity to lead a brand new home excite and motivate you?

Following the announcement of two additional children’s residential care homes opening across Kent, we are actively recruiting for two brand-new Registered Managers with well-defined backgrounds having worked with young people who have challenging and complex needs.

Salary: £60,000 base + up to £12k annual bonus (achievable performance bonuses linked to occupancy, performance etc.

Homes: Both in Kent, one in Medway, and another in Dover/Sandwich.

Type: Permanent, full-time (Monday–Friday; 8am–4pm/9am–5pm core).

Provision: 52-week children’s residential care, SEMH/complex needs, 2–3 children max per homes.

Start: ASAP. A full handover with opportunity to shadow existing homes pre-opening available.

Benefits: Staff welfare scheme, clinical psychologist access, pension, sick pay for managers, 25 days holiday + bank holidays (33 days total, plus increases for loyalty).

As the first Registered Manager, you will take full ownership of the setup, leadership, and day-to-day running of these emerging children’s residential care homes. Delivering high-quality, trauma-informed care for up to three young people with SEMH and complex needs, you’ll be responsible for building and leading the staff team, establishing robust systems, and embedding a positive and productive culture from day one.

The organisation is committed to ensuring these emerging homes operate safely, compliantly, and to a standard that not only consistently meets, but aims to exceed Ofsted expectations. With strategic oversight and holding accountability for safeguarding, care quality, staff performance, budgets and inspections, you will also work closely with external professionals, families and commissioning bodies.

This is a role for a resilient, credible leader who can combine warmth with authority, translate regulation into excellent practice, and create a stable, nurturing environment where both young people and staff can thrive.

The successful applicant will have:

Proven track record within children’s residential care

Practical working knowledge of Children’s Homes Regulations and Quality Standards

Demonstrable history of achieving “Good” or better Ofsted outcomes

Hands-on experience supporting young people with complex needs

Level 5 qualification in Leadership and Management (or clear commitment to achieving this)

Confidence in recruiting, developing, and retaining a high-performing staff team

Ability to set clear expectations, lead from the front, and hold standards consistently

Skilled in shaping the culture, systems, and day-to-day operation of a children’s home

Above all, this role requires an experienced, steady, and values-led leader who is calm under pressure, professionally assertive, and deeply committed to safeguarding, consistency and high standards of care.

To Apply:

Please submit your CV via this advert, or reach out to Louis via louis@hire-purpose.uk.

Cover letters are not required, and interviews will be taking place on a rolling basis.

Hire Purpose champions inclusive recruitment.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and lived experiences. We uphold equal opportunity principles and challenge bias at every stage, partnering only with organisations that share our commitment to integrity, diversity, equity and inclusion.

Hire Purpose is also proud to be an active member of The TEAM Network, the UK’s largest recruitment community of independently owned recruitment businesses.