Head of Quality - Complex Specialist Learning Disabilities Division
Job Title: Head of Quality - Complex Specialist Learning Disabilities Division
Location: National role – hybrid working with travel across services (HQ attendance once per month)
Applicants must live within 1 hour 30 minutes of an existing service.
Salary: Up to £85,000 per annum (depending on experience)
Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
About the Role
We are seeking an experienced and passionate Head of Quality to lead quality, governance, and compliance across our Specialist Learning Disabilities Division, supporting adults with complex needs, autism, and behaviours that challenge.
This is a senior, strategic role with real influence. You will drive a culture of continuous improvement, ensure regulatory excellence, and champion person-centred, compassionate care across all services. You will also act as the organisation’s Nominated Individual and Safeguarding Lead, working closely with operational leaders, commissioners, and regulators.
Reporting Structure
Reports to the Chief Executive.
Line manages the Quality Assurance and Improvement Team and the Compliance Team.
Key stakeholders include Registered Managers, Operational Managers, Heads of Service, Director of Operations, the Positive Behavioural Support Team, Commissioners, the Care Quality Commission, and health and local authority partners.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide strategic leadership for quality, compliance, and governance across all specialist services
- Develop and embed a robust quality assurance and improvement framework
- Ensure services consistently meet and exceed CQC Fundamental Standards and contractual requirements
- Act as the Nominated Individual, leading engagement with the CQC and ensuring inspection readiness
- Lead on safeguarding, serious incidents, complaints, audits, and regulatory responses
- Use data, audits, and feedback to drive measurable quality improvements
- Promote co-production, ensuring the voices of people supported, families, and staff shape service delivery
- Work collaboratively with operational teams and specialist leads, including Positive Behaviour Support
- Produce high-quality reports for executive leadership, boards, and regulators
About You
You will be a confident, credible leader with extensive experience in quality and governance within adult social care, particularly learning disability and complex care services.
Essential Experience and Skills
- Significant senior leadership experience in quality, compliance, or governance within adult social care. Specifically with services for people with learning disabilities, autism, behaviours of concern and/or complex needs. Minimum 5 years of experience.
- In-depth knowledge of CQC regulations, safeguarding, MCA/DoLS, and wider legislation
- Proven experience leading audits, inspections, investigations, and improvement programmes
- Strong strategic thinking, leadership, and influencing skills
- Experience working with people with learning disabilities, autism, and/or behaviours that challenge
- Ability to analyse data, identify risk and trends, and translate insight into action
- Professional qualification and/or degree in Health & Social Care or a related field
- Occasional evening/weekend work if required for incident response, as well as flexibility to support services during inspections, outside of normal working hours.
- Willingness to travel nationally
- A full driving licence and business use of a vehicle may be required.
Desirable
- Leadership or management qualification (Level 5 or 7)
- Experience in multi-site operations, complex service portfolios, or large budgets.
- Experience of transformation, service redesign or tendering in social care.
- Knowledge of Positive Behaviour Support and restrictive intervention governance
- Experience leading organisations through CQC inspections
- Knowledge of NICE guidelines and best practice in complex care.
- Lead Auditor or equivalent quality qualification (ISO 9001 or equivalent)
Why Join Us
- A senior leadership role with real impact on people’s lives
- Opportunity to shape and lead quality at a national level
- Collaborative, values-driven organisation
- 33 days annual leave (including bank holiday)
- Your birthday off (after completing your 6-month probation)
- Life insurance cover of £10,000*
- Cycle2work scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme – including advice on wellbeing, finances, and family support
- Blue Light Card Reimbursement
- Award and Recognition Schemes, including the Glenholme Care Awards
- Paid for specialist training and industry-recognised qualifications
To find out more, apply today for our Head of Quality position!
This role requires an enhanced DBS to be conducted.
Job Code: GHETO1