All about the Role 

We’re looking for a committed and dynamic Operations Manager to play a key role in the safe, effective and consistent running of Clare Lodge. You’ll provide visible leadership across the home, supporting Team Leaders and staff to deliver high‑quality care that promotes the safety, wellbeing and positive development of the young people in our care.

In this fast‑paced and rewarding role, you’ll oversee daily operations, ensure regulatory compliance, manage safeguarding concerns, lead on incident response and maintain high standards around routines, boundaries and behaviour support. You’ll guide and develop staff through supervision, coaching and professional challenge, ensuring excellent practice is consistently delivered.

As part of the management rota, you’ll act as duty manager and contribute to on‑call cover, making key decisions and supporting staff during complex or high‑risk situations. You’ll work collaboratively with internal teams, external agencies and families to ensure joined‑up, child‑centred care planning.

This is a role for someone who leads by example, stays calm under pressure, and is passionate about improving outcomes for young people with complex needs.

All about our Team 

Clare Lodge is a leading national provider of welfare‑only secure accommodation for young women aged 10–17, and is the only all‑female secure unit in the UK. It is owned and governed by Peterborough City Council and provides an intensive, therapeutic environment in partnership with specialist health services. Young people placed at Clare Lodge often have complex needs and challenging histories, and the home delivers tailored care, education and therapeutic support to help them feel safe, stabilise, and make positive progress.
 

All about You

To be an Operations manager hear at Clare Lodge you will ;
 
– Be able to stay calm under pressure
– Have the ability to stay calm under pressure and lead by example
– Be a strong leader who is passionate about making a difference
– 3 years’ experience in a residential child care setting at a leadership level
– NVQ or Diploma 3 in residential child care

All about our Benefits 
We value our colleagues and have developed a number of benefits in addition to our generous annual leave starting at 25 days + bank holidays, sick pay and local government pension scheme… 

• Access to a range of benefits via our Employee Benefits Platform, including in-store and online discounts as well as our Cycle to Work and Home & Electronics schemes 
• Buy up to 10 days additional annual leave (pro-rata)  
• Access to car lease scheme 
• Take your bank holidays flexibly to better suit your personal circumstances 
• Make Additional Voluntary Contributions (Shared Cost AVCs) to your pension with tax and National Insurance savings 
• Access to development opportunities including apprenticeships to support your personal and professional growth 
• Paid volunteering hours each year so you can make a positive impact on our community during your normal working day 
• Access to our equality, diversity and inclusion network 
• Opportunities to receive Employee Recognition Awards 

All about our Commitments 
We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to fostering diversity, advancing equity, and building an inclusive workplace for everyone. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and particularly encourage those from underrepresented groups, including disabled people, care leavers, and individuals from minority ethnic communities. Your unique perspectives and experiences are encouraged and valued and will play a vital role in our success. 

We are committed to making our recruitment process as accessible as possible. If you are disabled and require any reasonable adjustments during the application or interview process, please contact pccrecruitment@peterborough.gov.uk  we will work with you to meet your needs. 

Appointment to this post will be subject to the outcome of an Enhanced Disclosure obtained through the Disclosure and Barring Service. The Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you’ve already applied and completed the recruitment process for this position within the last three months, there’s no need to reapply. We really appreciate your interest and thank you for considering us.