Independent Living Area Manager

Independent Living Area ManagerLocation: Bedford (with travel across local schemes)Contract: Full-time, permanentSalary: £41,880.72 plus £2,000 car allowanceWe're looking for an experienced and passionate Independent Living Area Manager to lead and develop high-quality services for customers aged 55+ across a defined geographical area.This is a pivotal leadership role where you'll oversee multiple Independent Living schemes, ensuring services are safe, consistent and truly person-centred. You'll also have responsibility for the 24-hour response service in Bedford , helping to ensure timely and effective support when it matters most. Working at the heart of our housing services, you'll champion independence, wellbeing and positive outcomes - making a meaningful difference every day.What you'll be doingLead and inspire teamsLead, coach and develop a high-performing team across multiple locationsFoster a collaborative, supportive culture with clear accountabilityBuild capability and confidence through proactive leadership and coachingDeliver high-quality servicesOversee day-to-day operations of Independent Living schemesEnsure consistency, quality, and a strong on-site presenceAlign services with organisational priorities and customer needsOversee 24-hour response servicesEnsure safe, effective and timely responses to incidentsProvide leadership in complex or high-risk situations (including out-of-hours escalation where required)Drive continuous improvements through performance monitoring and insightChampion customer experienceEmbed a proactive, person-centred approach to service deliveryUse feedback and data to improve customer satisfactionEnsure concerns are resolved early and learning is embeddedDrive performance and improvementUse performance data and Operational Health Indicators to identify trends and risksLead on continuous improvement and service developmentEnsure compliance with safeguarding, quality and regulatory standardsWork collaborativelyBuild strong relationships with internal teams and external partnersContribute to cross-organisational projects and initiativesPromote joined-up working to enhance customer outcomesWhat we're looking forWe're seeking a confident and capable leader who can combine operational excellence with a strong people focus.Key skills & attributesStrong leadership and team development experienceExcellent communication and stakeholder engagement skillsAnalytical mindset with the ability to use data to drive decisionsHighly organised with the ability to manage multiple prioritiesResilient, adaptable and solutions-focusedPassionate about delivering high-quality, person-centred servicesExperience & knowledgeExperience in Independent Living, housing, or a similar service environmentProven track record of managing multiple services or locationsStrong operational management and performance delivery experienceExTPBN1_UKTJ