Director of Quality Improvement and Compliance

Job Description

Title:

Director of Quality Improvement and Compliance

Accountable to:

Chief Executive Officer

Responsible for:

Safeguarding,  Complaints  Assurance  Officer  and  Estates
Team.

Location:

Home  based  with  regular  travel  to  the  National  Office
(Leamington Spa) and locations around the UK

Contract Type:

Permanent, Part Time

Working Hours:

32 Hours per week

Benefits:

25  days  holiday  plus  bank  holidays  (pro  rata),  Pension
Scheme, Flexible working arrangements, Birthday leave after
1  years’ service,  Paid  mileage  for  travel  to  locations  other
than base location. 

Main purposes of the job:

As Director of Quality Improvement and Compliance, you will be a key member of Life’s
Senior Leadership Team, working closely with the CEO to translate organisational strategy
into high-quality, sustainable delivery, with exciting future developments ahead.

This is a senior role with real influence - both on the strategic direction of Life and on the
lives of hundreds of people we support.

You  will  provide  visible, values-led  leadership  across  the  organisation,  ensuring  that
quality,  safeguarding,  compliance  and  continuous  improvement  are  embedded  in
everything we do.

You will lead Life’s approach to quality assurance, safeguarding, estates compliance and
service improvement across a  multi-site portfolio, ensuring services are  safe, effective,
person-centred, financially sustainable and compliant with regulatory requirements.

Key achievement areas:

Strategic Leadership & Culture

•  Provide visible leadership that embeds Life’s vision, values and culture across all

services and departments.

•  Act as a senior strategic partner to the CEO and wider leadership team, shaping

organisational priorities and future developments.

•  Develop, coach and inspire senior managers and leaders to perform at their

best, fostering a high-performing, values-driven culture.

Quality Improvement, Compliance & Assurance

•  Hold senior accountability for regulatory compliance, quality assurance and

continuous service improvement across supported housing, estates and wider
organisational premises.

•  Lead an integrated and cohesive approach to quality assurance, ensuring robust
systems that maintain and improve regulatory compliance and evidence-based
practice.

•  Provide senior oversight of safeguarding governance, complaints handling and

assurance arrangements.

•  Lead and direct audit, inspection and review activity across supported housing

and helpline services to ensure consistently high standards of delivery.

•  Ensure policies relating to quality, safeguarding, complaints and compliance are

up to date, implemented effectively and reviewed regularly.

Operational Excellence & Partnership Working

•  Lead and oversee multi-site operations from a quality and compliance

perspective, ensuring consistently high standards of care, safeguarding and
support.

•  Work in close partnership with operational leaders to embed high-quality,

person-centred practice and sustainable improvements.

•  Drive operational excellence, innovation and efficiency through effective

systems, processes and continuous improvement methodologies (including Lean
Six Sigma).

Financial Sustainability & Resources

•  Ensure services are financially sustainable, working closely with Finance

colleagues on budgets, resources and financial planning.

•  Ensure effective and efficient use of resources to deliver financial targets

and maintain a motivated, capable workforce.

Estates, Health & Safety

•  Provide strategic oversight of property compliance, health and safety and

environmental standards across all Life premises.

•  Line manage and support the Estates team to ensure safe, compliant and

welcoming environments that support excellent client experience.

Safeguarding & Wellbeing

•  Oversee the operational aspects of safeguarding, client, staff and volunteer

wellbeing, and mental health support.

•  Safeguarding all who meet with the charity. This includes, but is not limited to,

clients and their children, staff , volunteers , trustees and beneficiaries.

•  Ensure robust systems for maintaining accurate, confidential safeguarding and

welfare records.

•  Ensure staff have timely access to effective mental health and wellbeing

support.

•  Stay up to date with safeguarding legislation and guidance and ensure relevant

updates are disseminated and embedded across the organisation.

Data, Insight & Innovation

•  Lead the use of data, insight and digital systems to drive continuous

improvement, performance monitoring and assurance.

•  Build a continuous quality assurance approach that identifies good practice,

addresses risk and supports sensitive implementation of change.

External Engagement & Regulation

•  Lead relationships with regulators, inspectors, professional bodies and sector

networks.

•  Work collaboratively with the Directors of Income Generation, Housing, Helpline

Services and Finance to ensure a joined-up approach to Quality
assurance, accreditation and service quality across the full journey of support.

Person Specification

We are looking for a values-led, strategic and credible leader who brings:
Essential

•  Senior leadership experience within supported housing,
homelessness or a closely related regulated sector.

•  A proven track  record of leading  multi-site services and managing

senior operational leaders.

•  Strong  experience  working  within  regulated  environments  and

delivering high-quality, compliant services.

•  Sound  financial  and  commercial  awareness,  with  experience
managing budgets and resources of a similar scale (c. 80 staff across
26 sites).

•  Deep understanding of quality improvement,

safeguarding, complaints and assurance in complex service
environments.

•  Passion for developing people, culture and values-driven practice.
•  Lean Six Sigma qualification.
•  Level 5 Safeguarding qualification.

Personal Qualities

•  Strategic  thinker with the ability to translate  strategy into practical

delivery.

•  Collaborative, visible and approachable leadership style.
•  Leads with integrity, humility and purpose.
•  Committed to co-production, continuous learning and innovation.

The  post  holder  must  assume  responsibility  for  their  own  professional  and  personal
development (supported by Life where appropriate) to ensure their continuing competence to
deliver Life’s requirements.

A  key component of development is being fully aware of regulatory and legal requirements
impacting on operational services and ensuring that all staff within those services are aware
of and deliver their individual responsibilities

Safeguarding Children & Adults at Risk of Harm:

•  Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, and all employees are required to act in
such a way that at all times safeguards the health and wellbeing of children and
adults at harm of risk.

•  Familiarisation  with,  and  adherence

the  appropriate  organisational
Safeguarding policies and any associated guidance is an essential requirement of
all employees as is participation in related mandatory/statutory training.

to,

•  All employees must ensure that they understand and act in accordance with this
clause. If you do not understand exactly how this clause relates to you personally,
then you must seek clarification from your immediate line manager as a matter of
urgency.

•  Equally, all  managers  have a  responsibility to  ensure  that  their  team  members
understand their individual responsibilities with regards to Safeguarding Children
and Adults at Harm of Risk.

Corporate behaviours:

All staff are expected to:

•  Work towards the charity’s aims and objectives, and uphold its vision and mission
•  Operate in line with our core workplace values which are:
-  Humanity – All people are special and equal

-  Solidarity – We’re with you and for you
-  Community – We’re better together
-  Charity – Doing good for one another
-  Common Good – Building a better world

•  Demonstrate respect for others and value diversity
•  Act responsibly regarding the health and safety of themselves and others
•  Focus on the client and customer, both internally and externally, at all times
•  Make an active contribution to develop the service
•  Learn from, and share experience and knowledge
•  Keep others informed of issues of importance and relevance
•  Consciously review mistakes and successes to improve performance
•  Act as an ambassador for the charity and always maintain professional standards
•  Use discretion and  sensitivity and be  aware of issues requiring total  customer

confidentiality

•  Demonstrate a flexible approach to their work
•  Abide  by,  and  take  responsibility for,  the  obtaining,  storage,  processing  and
sharing  of  any  personal  data  within  the  meaning  of  the  UK  General  Data
Protection Regulations  2018 and as  defined  in the  relevant Life policies for all
aspects  of service delivery and working practice, paying particular attention to
the protection of personal information in any form and by whatever means it is
accessed by you.

In addition, all managers and supervisors will be expected to:

•  Value and recognise ideas and the contribution of all team members
•  Coach individuals to perform to the best of their ability
•  Delegate work to develop individuals in their roles and realise their potential
•  Provide support, feedback and guidance to all team members and encourage

their team to achieve work/personal life balance

Charitable Ethic & Fundraising:

Life relies on voluntary income to deliver our vital services. As a result, all staff and volunteers
are required to have a charitable ethic, ensuring we are careful with our donor’s funds and
representing the best value for money in everything we do. This includes being an ambassador
for fundraising, retail and marketing when we represent Life in each of our roles; looking for
funding opportunities to pass onto the income generation team as well as taking a personal
interest in supporting income generation for Life.

Post title: Director of Quality Improvement and Compliance

Personal Skill Characteristics

Strategic Ability / Innovation

Essential
(Tick)

Desirable
(Tick)

Ability to lead individuals and teams to achieve key
objectives

Ability to think creatively and identify business
development opportunities

Excellent networking and communication skills

Experience / Knowledge / Qualifications

Academic or professional lean qualification (Six Sigma) or
evidence of relevant experience

 Safeguarding qualification level 5

 Health and Safety Qualification (IOSH Managing safely as
a minimum)

Evidence of continuing personal and professional
development

Senior or middle Management experience in a not
for profit organisation

Quality, compliance, Health and Safety,
Safeguarding strategies and methodologies

Proven ability to lead and motivate high performing teams

  Communication

Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Experience of communicating effectively with a wide range
of people to identify their needs, preferences and
demands

Personal

Committed to the vision, mission, and values of the charity

Commitment to quality, customer service, best practice and
best value in all aspects of the charity’s operation

Dynamic

 P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

Ambitious

Ability to work on own initiative

Handles pressure of meeting deadlines and supports
others where possible

Motivated

Commitment to own personal and professional
development

Ability to motivate others and work as part of a team

Ability to negotiate and influence

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

This job description is not necessarily an exhaustive list of duties but is intended to reflect
a  range  of  duties  the  post  holder  will perform.  The  job  description  will be  reviewed
regularly and may be changed in consultation with the post holder.

Internal Use Only

Approved By:  Kerry Smart

Issue No: 1

Approved Date:

Review Date: