Support Manager

About the Role:

Would you like to lead services where every day brings an opportunity to make a real difference?

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Support Manager to work alongside the Operations Manager in leading and directly line managing support teams across a number of supported living schemes and outreach services throughout Leicestershire.

The role offers the opportunity to oversee a varied portfolio of services supporting adults with learning disabilities and mental health needs, primarily within low-to-medium support needs environments.

Our services include supported living schemes where people are supported to live as independently as possible in their own homes, as well as outreach services providing flexible, person-centred support across multiple locations.

The portfolio also includes a 24-hour supported living service, providing continuous support to customers, including sleep-in provision. This means the successful candidate will need to be comfortable managing services with different models of support and working across a geographically dispersed area.

You will play a key role in ensuring that all services deliver high-quality, personalised support, while maintaining strong standards of safeguarding, regulatory compliance, quality assurance and staff development.

As an exemplary role model, you will ensure that the people we support remain at the heart of everything we do. You will also make sure that your teams feel valued, well supported and confident in their roles, with the skills, knowledge and resources they need to deliver excellent support.

Success in this role means enabling the people we support to live as independently as possible, achieve their goals and live the lives they choose.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead and directly line manage teams of Support Workers across multiple supported living and outreach services in Leicestershire
Oversee the day-to-day delivery and quality of support across a varied portfolio of services
Ensure services provide person-centred, strengths-based support that promotes independence, choice, dignity and inclusion
Manage services supporting adults with learning disabilities and mental health needs, predominantly within low-to-medium support needs environments
Provide effective leadership and oversight of the 24/7 supported living service, including the management of sleep-in arrangements
Act as an exemplary role model, ensuring that the people we support remain at the centre of all decision-making and service delivery
Ensure services operate in accordance with company policies, contractual requirements, safeguarding standards and relevant legislation and regulations
Develop and maintain positive relationships with customers, families, advocates, commissioners, social workers, health professionals and other key stakeholders
Manage staffing levels, rotas and resources effectively across multiple locations to ensure safe and consistent service delivery
Provide regular supervision, support, coaching and performance management to staff
Identify training and development needs and support staff to maintain and develop the skills required for their roles
Manage and resolve staffing issues effectively and fairly, following organisational policies and procedures
Complete and oversee risk assessments, support plans and appropriate crisis management arrangements
Promote positive risk-taking and independence while ensuring appropriate safeguarding and risk management
Monitor service quality through audits, observations, reviews, feedback and other quality assurance processes
Ensure accurate and timely recording and reporting through digital care management systems
Respond effectively to incidents, safeguarding concerns, complaints and other service issues, escalating where appropriate
Ensure confidentiality and compliance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR
Contribute to service reviews, improvement plans and the ongoing development of services
Support the Operations Manager with business development, mobilisation of new services and opportunities for service growth
Work flexibly across Leicestershire, including occasional weekends, bank holidays and sleep-in duties where required
Person Specification Essential:

Minimum of 2 years' experience in adult health and social care, supporting people with learning disabilities and/or mental health needs
Previous experience of team leadership and staff management within health and social care
Experience of working within supported living, outreach, community or similar adult social care services
Strong understanding of person-centred care and support, promoting independence, choice and positive outcomes
Understanding of supporting people with mental health needs and/or learning disabilities
Strong understanding of safeguarding, risk management and quality assurance
Strong IT literacy, including experience using digital care planning and recording systems
Ability to work autonomously, prioritise effectively and manage competing demands across multiple services
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work effectively with customers, families, staff and external professionals
Ability to remain calm and effective when managing challenging situations, incidents or competing priorities
Commitment to ongoing training and professional development
A proactive approach to service improvement and development
Experience or understanding of business development and a willingness to contribute to service growth
Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle, due to the multi-location nature of the role
NVQ/QCF Level 5 in Health and Social Care (or equivalent), or willingness to work towards the qualification
Desirable:

Experience working as a Support Manager, Deputy Manager, Team Leader or similar within supported living or community-based services
Experience managing 24/7 supported living services, including sleep-in arrangements
Experience overseeing outreach services or services across multiple locations
Understanding of health and social care regulatory and compliance frameworks
Experience of working with local authorities, commissioners, social care professionals and other external agencies
Experience of service mobilisation, business development or supporting the expansion of care and support services
For more information about the role please contact, Kavita Patel, Email: Kavita.Patel@advanceuk.org

About the organisation:

Advance is a national, not-for-profit provider of housing and support services for people with disabilities and mental health conditions. Our vision is to transform lives; providing the best quality housing and support services so that people can live the lives they choose, achieve their personal goals, feel valued and know their voices are heard.

We recognise that our people are our greatest asset and we’re passionate about making Advance a great place to work. We invest in our staff, providing the training and support you need to succeed in your role, gain industry-recognised qualifications and realise your career aspirations.

We are an equal opportunities employer who values its staff and the difference they make to their customers. There is no place for racism or discrimination of any kind in Advance. As an organisation, we will not tolerate it. We are firmly committed to recruiting the best colleagues regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation and to supporting customers from similarly diverse backgrounds.

All newly appointed staff receive an induction, during which they will learn about our PRIDE values, our expectations of how they should treat our customers and our commitments in relation to how they will be treated as a member of staff.

Benefits of working for Advance:

We value our staff and the difference they make to the lives of our customers, which is why we offer the following benefits:

Paid holiday (from 25 days up to 30 days with long service in addition to bank holidays, pro rata for part time hours)
Sector specific training is provided as part of induction plus opportunities for professional development
Access to Perks at Work where you can obtain great discounts of cinema tickets, shopping vouchers and much more
Long service awards payable in 5 year increments
Golden Hello/refer a friend receive up to £500
Cycle to work scheme
Access to our Employee Assistance Programme
Free DBS (Disclosures and Barring Service)
Excellent opportunities to progress your career within Advance
Enrolment in a pension scheme with matched contributions above the statutory minimum (if you work enough hours to meet the threshold for enrolment)
Advance is regulated by the Regulator of Social Housing and the Care Quality Commission and we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the people we support. You will be required to provide evidence of right to work. An enhanced DBS disclosure will be required for this role, the cost of which will be covered by Advance.

Why join us?

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced care professional to take on a varied and rewarding management role, overseeing a diverse range of services across Leicestershire.

You will have the opportunity to make a genuine difference to the lives of the people we support while developing your leadership skills and contributing to the continued growth and quality of our services.

Safeguarding:

At Advance, Safeguarding is embedded in our organisational culture — it’s reflected in our values, our behaviours, and the way we work together. We believe that creating a safe environment is not just about compliance, but about cultivating trust, openness, and accountability at every level.

As the organisation’s Safeguarding Lead, Ryan Brummitt, Executive Director of Support, oversees our safeguarding arrangements and ensures that concerns are acted upon quickly, sensitively and in line with national legislation and local safeguarding procedures.

We believe that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Whether you are a customer, family member, colleague or partner organisation, if you have any concerns about the welfare or safety of someone we support — or of any member of our team — please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

📧 Ryan.Brummitt@Advanceuk.org

Together, we can ensure that Advance remains a safe, supportive and inclusive organisation for all.

We value diversity and therefore welcome applications from everyone interested in working at Advance. We are a Disability Confident Leader.

Advance Housing & Support Ltd reserves the right to close this job once sufficient applications have been received.