Director of Care &CommunityOpportunities Job Pack Sunnyside Rural Trust (SRT) is a leading horticultural charitydedicated to supporting young people and adults withlearning difficulties by providing meaningful workexperiences and skill development opportunities. Throughour work, we empower individuals to gain confidence,wellbeing, independence, and employment skills in anurturing environment.The Director of Care and Community Opportunities is a keystrategic leader within Sunnyside Rural Trust, accountable forthe quality, growth, and impact of our trainee programmesacross all sites. A job description is a written statement reflecting the main requirementsand essential characteristics of the job. It is not intended to be anexhaustive list of the duties a post holder might be called upon toperform. ABOUT US: Sunnyside Rural Trust (SRT) is a leading horticultural charity dedicated tosupporting young people and adults with learning difficulties by providingmeaningful work experiences and skill development opportunities.Through our work, we empower individuals to gain confidence, wellbeing,independence, and employment skills in a nurturing environment. MAIN PURPOSE OF THE JOB: The Director of Care and Community Opportunities is a key strategic leaderwithin Sunnyside Rural Trust, accountable for the quality, growth, andimpact of our trainee programmes across all sites. You will provide vision,leadership, and direction to Site Managers and Project Workers, ensuringservices reflect our mission, values, and commitment to enabling people todevelop skills, confidence, and meaningful work experience. A core part ofthe role is to develop and maintain a strong referral pipeline, workingclosely with families, local authorities, partners, and commissioners tosecure new placements and support the long-term sustainability of ourservices. You will ensure compliance with Hertfordshire County Council andother commissioning bodies requirements, safeguarding expectations, andbest practice in learning-disability support, while championing a culturewhere trainees are at the heart of everything we do. JOB DESCRIPTION JOB TITLE:ACCOUNTABLE TO: LOCATION: HOURS OF WORK: Director of Care and Community Opportunities Chief Operating Officer Across Sites Full time contract (37.5 hours per week). Will require some evening / weekend work and a degree of flexibility. Usual hours are 9am-5pm Monday to Friday. SALARY: Starting at £55k per annum KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: 2. Leadership of Site Managers and Operational Excellence Provide direct line management, coaching and development to SiteManagers, ensuring consistent standards and effective operationaldelivery across all sites. Promote a culture of collaboration, accountability, open communication,and shared learning. Ensure that each site is well-resourced, safe, and operating in line withpolicies, procedures, and best practice. Oversee and report on site staffing budgets Ensure all staff meet mandatory training requirements, maintainingrobust tracking systems and supporting professional development. Oversee workforce planning, recruitment, and training to sustain askilled, motivated, and resilient team. Analyse site performance and provide reports, insights andrecommendations to the CEO, COO and Board.  1. Strategic Leadership and Growth Provide visible, compassionate, and values-driven leadership across allsites.Lead the strategic development of services, ensuring innovation,sustainability, and continuous improvement. Work closely with other Directors to ensure joined-up services,sharedproblem-solving and a consistent, seamless Trainee journey across theTrust. Develop and deliver a referral and growth strategy, building strongrelationships with local authorities, commissioners, colleges, socialworkers, and community partners. Monitor referral trends, capacity and emerging needs to inform futureplanning.Raise the profile of Sunnyside Rural Trust as a centre of excellence inhorticultural, environmental, and social-enterprise provision.  Work collaboratively with the COO and Senior Leadership Team toimplement the organisational strategy and contribute to long-term planning. 3. Trainee Journey, Wellbeing and Outcomes • Oversee the full trainee journey, from enquiry, referral, and assessment through to progression and outcomes. Ensure services provide safe, engaging, and inclusive learning environments that promote skill development, independence, and wellbeing. • Embed person-centred planning and regular reviews aligned with individual goals and aspirations. • Lead the development and implementation of skills-based qualifications and accredited pathways, ensuring measurable impact. • Champion trainee voice through involvement, consultation, and celebration of achievements. 5. Stakeholder & Community Engagement 4. Safeguarding, Quality and Compliance Act as the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for SunnysideRural Trust, ensuring appropriate response, reporting andoversight of safeguarding concerns. • Ensure full compliance with Hertfordshire County Council standards, HCPA, IIP, safeguarding regulations, and relevant inspectionframeworks. • Oversee effective use of CPOMS and other systems for incident reporting, safeguarding and information management. • Lead quality monitoring across all sites, conducting regular audits and ensuring timely implementation of improvement plans. • Embed health and safety compliance on site in conjunction with relevant colleagues, ensuring all risk assessments, working practicesand site standards meet legal and organisational requirements. Work with Site Managers and the Health and Safety Lead to ensureconsistent implementation of safe working practices across all locations. Build strong relationships with trainees, families, and carers toensure collaborative, joined-up support. Develop partnerships with external agencies, communityorganisations and professional networks to expand opportunitiesfor trainees. Represent Sunnyside Rural Trust in local forums, commissioningmeetings, sector networks and partnership events.Promote the Trust’s values, impact, and achievements tostrengthen reputation and encourage community involvement.  DESIRABLE: Experience in horticultural, environmental, or social-enterprise settings. Familiarity with Hertfordshire County Council commissioning frameworks.Experience in quality assurance, service improvement or changemanagement. Understanding of charitable governance and partnership development.YOU WILL BRING: Significant senior management experience in learning disability, social care,education, or day-service settings. Proven success in building partnerships and growing services, includingworking with commissioners, referral teams and external partners. Demonstrated ability to lead, coach and develop multi-site teams. Strong knowledge of supporting adults with learning disabilities, autism,and mild mental-health needs. Excellent understanding of safeguarding, inspection processes and qualityframeworks. Strong communication, planning, data-analysis, and problem-solving skills. The ability to balance strategic leadership with operational oversight. A values-led approach grounded in collaboration, respect, andempowerment. ABOUT YOU: The rightperson for this role is an experienced, forward-thinking, and compassionate leader with the ability to combine strategic vision with hands-onunderstanding of learning-disability services. You thrive in a multi-siteenvironment, are confident in leading change and have a strong commitment to inclusion, empowerment, and person-centred support. SUNNYSIDE’S VALUES1. We value our people and work as a team. We: Listen to each other and show respect. Empower people to reach their goals in a safe environment. Support everyone in a fair and inclusive way. 2. We have a passionate, "can do" approach to our work. We are: Resilient Creative Dedicated 3.We care deeply about the environment and offer inventive and sustainable services to the community. We stand for: Quality, Enterprise, Reliability Sunnyside Rural Trust strives to be an Equal Opportunities employer. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults with learning difficulties and all vulnerable groups and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DIRECTOR OF CARE AND COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIESFull-time • 37.5 hours • Across all servicesCompetitive startingsalary (dependent on experience) £55k per annumSunnyside Rural Trust is a thriving, values-driven horticultural charitysupporting young people and adults with learning difficulties across WestHertfordshire. Through nature-based work, social-enterprise activities, andsupportive learning environments, we help people to grow skills, confidence,and independence. We are looking for an inspirational and compassionateleader to join our Senior Leadership Team as our Director of Care andCommunity Opportunities, a pivotal role shaping the future of ourservices and championing the trainee experience across all sites.About the RoleAs our new Director, you will:Provide visible, collaborative leadership rooted in respect, inclusion, andempowerment.Line-manage and develop our Site Managers and Project Workers,ensuring consistently high-quality, person-centred delivery.Work in partnership with other Directors to ensure joined-up planning,shared problem-solving and a seamless trainee experience across theTrust.Develop and drive a referral and growth strategy, strengthening oursustainability and widening access to our unique programmes.Act as the Designated Safeguarding Lead, ensuring best practice acrossthe organisation.Embed health & safety compliance across all sites in collaboration withrelevant colleagues.Champion trainee voice, wellbeing, and celebration of achievements.About YouYou will bring:Significant senior leadership experience in learning disability, socialcare, education, or day-service environments.Confidence in leading multi-site teams and shaping quality, culture, andperformance.Experience building partnerships, managing referrals, and supportingorganisational growth.Deep understanding of safeguarding, inspection frameworks and bestpractice in supporting adults with learning differences, autism, or mildmental health needs.Strong communication, problem-solving and planning skills.A values-led, person-centred approach, you will put people first andlead with empathy.Experience in horticulture, outdoor learning or social enterprise is welcomebut not essential, what matters most is your commitment to empoweringthe people we support.Why Join Sunnyside?Be part of a welcoming, inclusive organisation that genuinely changeslives.Work in beautiful, nature-rich environments with a passionate anddedicated team.Shape the future direction of our charity as part of the SeniorLeadership Team.Lead innovative, meaningful programmes that help trainees thrive.How to ApplyPlease send your CV and a supporting statement explaining yourinterest in and suitability for the role to:emma@sunnysideruraltrust.org.uk by 5pm Friday 16th January 2026 Interviews week commencing 26th January 2026For an informal conversation, contact: Emma Power COO on 078 21 656 251Learn more about us at: www.sunnysideruraltrust.org.ukSunnyside Rural Trust is an equal opportunities employer.We welcome and support applicants with disabilities.