Head of Supported Housing

Background

The Head of Supported Housing – Somerset is a critical role which will provide leadership of our supported accommodation service in Somerset called Thrive 16+. Thrive 16+ is a service which offers housing related support and accommodation for young people in care and care leavers. It also supports young people who are homeless.

This service is for young people aged between 16 and 25 and is delivered across Glastonbury, Street, Frome, and Yeovil.

This role will also be the Ofsted registered manager, and will be a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT).

Job Purpose

As Head of Supported Housing – Somerset, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for the Thrive 16+ service, delivering 95 units of supported accommodation for young people aged 16–25 across East and South Somerset.

Thrive 16+ exists to transform the lives of young people who are leaving care or experiencing homelessness. Through safe accommodation, trauma-informed support, and aspirational pathways into independence, the service enables young people to build confidence, develop life skills and pursue their ambitions.

This service is central to YMCA Brunel Group’s mission. As a senior leader, you will shape its future direction, ensuring the service delivers exceptional outcomes for young people while maintaining strong partnerships with Somerset Council and other key stakeholders.

You will lead a workforce of around 40 colleagues, cultivating a culture that reflects YMCA Brunel Group’s values:

• Kind – creating a safe, compassionate environment where young people feel valued and supported
• Curious – continually learning, improving, and seeking better ways to support young people
• Genuine – building authentic relationships with young people, colleagues, and partners
• Wave-makers – innovating and advocating for positive change in the lives of young people
• Custodians – responsibly stewarding the homes, resources and trust placed in us

Our service is registered with Ofsted for supporting young people aged 16–17. The post holder will therefore act as the Ofsted Registered Manager, holding legal accountability for the safety and quality of the service and acting as the Senior Designated Safeguarding Lead.

With potentially seven years remaining on the current contract, this role offers a significant opportunity to shape the next evolution of the service, ensuring young people not only achieve independence but exceed their aspirations.

Main responsibilities

Strategic & Service Leadership

Provide strategic leadership for the Thrive 16+ service, ensuring the delivery of high-quality supported accommodation that achieves strong outcomes for young people.

Responsibilities include:

• Setting the strategic direction, alongside the Director of Operations, for the service and ensuring it aligns with YMCA Brunel Group’s wider mission and strategy.
• Ensuring the service complies with all contractual requirements, regulatory frameworks and statutory legislation.
• Leading a high-performing service that supports 95 units of accommodation and delivers measurable outcomes for care leavers and young people experiencing homelessness.
• Embedding YMCA Brunel Group’s values and culture across the service, ensuring young people remain at the centre of everything we do.
• Driving continuous improvement through innovation, reflective practice and service development.
• Establishing robust reporting and governance processes for the Executive Leadership Team and Board of Trustees.
• Occasionally participating in the organisational duty manager rota alongside other leaders.

Regulatory compliance & safeguarding

Ensure the service operates to the highest safeguarding and regulatory standards.

Responsibilities include:

• Acting as the Ofsted Registered Manager for the service.
• Ensuring the service maintains compliance with Ofsted supported accommodation regulations and the Housing Regulator.
• Leading the reporting of Significant Events to Ofsted within statutory timeframes.
• Acting as Senior Designated Safeguarding Lead, providing oversight and guidance on co-occuring safeguarding cases.
• Ensuring the service remains inspection-ready through a robust quality assurance and audit framework.
• Preparing for and leading responses to Ofsted inspections.
• Conducting regular service reviews and implementing improvements following inspections, audits or regulatory feedback.

Stakeholder Engagement & Partnerships

Act as the senior representative for the service with commissioners, partners and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities include:

• Building strong relationships with Somerset Council commissioners, Children’s Services, and local partners.
• Acting as the public figurehead for Thrive 16+, representing YMCA Brunel Group externally.
• Providing high-quality reports and insight to trustees, statutory bodies and strategic boards.
• Working collaboratively with partners to influence local policy and improve services for young people.
• Ensuring young people’s voices shape the service, embedding co-production into service design and improvement.

Financial stewardship & asset management

Ensure the service operates in a financially sustainable and responsible way.

Responsibilities include:

• Leading the preparation and oversight of the Thrive 16+ housing budget.
• Monitoring financial performance and implementing mitigation plans where pressures arise.
• Overseeing strategies to maximise occupancy and referral pathways.
• Leading oversight of accommodation charges collection, Housing Benefit claims and social care placements.
• Ensuring the 95-property portfolio meets Decent Homes Standards and HHSRS requirements.
• Working closely with the facilities team and landlords to maintain safe, high-quality accommodation.

This work reflects our role as custodians of homes and resources entrusted to us.

People leadership & culture

Provide inspiring and values-led leadership to a workforce of approximately 40 colleagues.

Responsibilities include:

• Leading and developing a management team through effective supervision, coaching and performance management.
• Creating a culture where colleagues feel supported, empowered and connected to YMCA’s mission.
• Embedding trauma-informed and psychologically informed approaches across the workforce.
• Working with HR to develop strong recruitment, retention and workforce development strategies.
• Ensuring safe staffing levels and effective delivery of a 24/7 service, 365 days per year.
• Ensuring all staff receive appropriate training in safeguarding, health and safety and supporting co-occurring needs.

Through this leadership you will cultivate a culture that is kind, curious and genuine, enabling teams to do their best work for young people.

Risk, health & safety and complaints

Ensure effective governance, risk management and accountability across the service.

Responsibilities include:

• Maintaining robust health and safety systems across all accommodation and operational activities.
• Promoting a culture of proactive risk awareness and accountability.
• Leading investigations into serious incidents or complex complaints.
• Ensuring complaints are managed fairly, transparently and in line with organisational policy.

Working Environment

This role operates across multiple locations in Street, Frome, Glastonbury and Yeovil, with occasional travel to Bath.

A valid driving licence, access to a vehicle and business insurance are required.

Person Specification

Essential criteria

If you’re interested in this role we’re looking for an individual that has the following essential skills, qualifications and experiences:

1. A proven track record of leadership within an Ofsted or CQC regulated environment, with the demonstrable ability to hold Ofsted Registered Manager status.
2. Extensive experience leading, motivating, and developing large teams (20+ people) across multi-sites, with evidence of building a high-performance, safe  and values-driven culture.
3. A minimum of two years experience in a senior management role within housing, social care services or support services for vulnerable people
4. Experience acting as a Senior Designated Safeguarding Lead or equivalent, with a deep understanding of managing co-occurring high-risk cases and the statutory reporting requirements
5. Significant experience in delivering and developing services for vulnerable people, and embedding a trauma-informed environment
6. Proven experience in managing significant departmental budgets, including maximising income and achieving high-performance targets within large commissioned contracts.
7. The ability to act as a ‘figurehead’ for the service, working with external stakeholders and driving continuous improvement by ensuring young people’s voices shape our service
8. Must hold a full UK driving licence with access to a vehicle  for regular travel across the Somerset area

Desirable criteria 

Although not essential any of the skills or experience below would be desirable:

• Holds a Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management, or a willingness to undertake this course. The successful applicant will be enrolled onto a level 7 leadership and management course with the costs covered by the YMCA.
• Knowledge of the Social Housing Regulator’s standards
• An understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities within the charity sector.

Main terms of employment

Salary: £53,611

Location: One of our Somerset sites – Street, Frome, Wells, Glastonbury, Yeovil

Hours: 37.5 per week. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required and will be compensated through time off in lieu.

Contract: Permanent

Holidays: 6 weeks per year plus bank holidays

Pension: YMCA BG will currently make an employers contribution of 3% with employees contribution of 5%, rising to an employer contribution of 6% when an employee contributes 9%

Benefits

We offer a range of staff benefits, including:

• Reward gateway
• Cycle to work scheme
• 20% discount at our own nurseries
• 50% discount at our H&W centre in Bath

How to apply

To apply please provide a copy of your CV, alongside a covering letter of no more than 2 pages outlining how you meet the essential criteria.

Closing Date: 29th March 2026

Interviews: 16th April 2026

Apply now