Director of Operational Services
| Posting date: | 21 May 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £90,000 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 15 June 2025 |
| Location: | B29 6NA |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | Sense |
| Job type: | Contract |
| Job reference: | 278637JCP |
Summary
Are you an inspiring and strategic leader with a passion for person-centred care? Do you thrive in complex, multi-site environments and want to make a lasting impact on people's lives?
Sense is looking for a driven and experienced Director of Operational Services to join our senior leadership team on a 12 month fixed term contract. This is a pivotal role where you’ll drive innovation, champion high-quality care, and ensure that every individual we support has the opportunity to live the life they choose.
About the Role
As Director of Operational Services, you will lead a large, diverse team across the UK, ensuring services are not only high-performing and compliant, but deeply rooted in the values of Sense. You will be responsible for shaping and delivering an ambitious operational strategy—driving service quality, growth, and transformation while ensuring strong financial management and sector-leading outcomes.
You’ll be a key player in our senior leadership team, collaborating closely with directors across the organisation, supporting strategic decisions, and representing Sense externally. Your leadership will ensure our services are inclusive, innovative, and enable greater independence for the people we support.
Key Responsibilities
Provide visionary leadership across all operational services
Champion person-centred, inclusive support that exceeds regulatory standards (CQC, Ofsted, CIW, etc.)
Foster a strong, supportive performance culture through coaching and development
Ensure operational services are financially sustainable, delivering year-on-year growth
Drive innovation and adoption of technology to improve lives and service delivery
Build meaningful relationships with stakeholders, from families to commissioners
Contribute to strategic planning and organisation-wide performance as part of the Executive Team
Embed health and safety, compliance, and safeguarding as top priorities across services
Promote Sense’s brand, reputation and influence across the sector
What We’re Looking For
We’re seeking a senior operational leader who brings:
Proven experience leading large, multi-site services in social care, education, or the public/voluntary sector
A strong track record of strategic planning, financial oversight, and regulatory compliance
Experience working with local authorities, commissioners, and external stakeholders
The ability to inspire teams, build relationships, and deliver transformational change
A passion for inclusion, innovation, and empowering people with complex needs
Outstanding communication, influencing, and leadership skills
Commitment to Sense’s values of inclusion, independence, and empowerment
For a full job description and person specification, please see attached to this advertisement.
About Sense
For everyone living with complex disabilities. For everyone who is deafblind. Sense is here to help people communicate and experience the world. We believe that no one, no matter how complex their disabilities, should be isolated, left out, or unable to fulfil their potential. Sense are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer.
Working at Sense can be incredibly rewarding; we offer the opportunity to work in a large, diverse and successful charity where people can develop their skills, knowledge and careers in a supportive and flexible environment. In addition, we have excellent training and development, the opportunity for you to join our Group Personal Pension scheme and a generous annual leave entitlement.
To Apply
Please use the link below to complete your application. Managers will use your application to shortlist candidates for interview; in relation to the Personal Specification. Therefore, it is very important you complete this section thoroughly. We would recommend that you read the job description and person specification before applying.
Please note to avoid disappointment, we advise you to submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close posts at any time.
No agency submissions please: any submissions without prior authorisation from the Sense Recruitment Team will be treated as our own and as such no fee will be payable.
If you require any further assistance, please contact the Recruitment Team on 0121 415 6735 or recruitment@sense.org.uk
Sense is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable children and adults and expects all employees to share this commitment. Therefore, all offers of employment, where appropriate, are subject to a DBS check; level dependent on the nature of the role.
For this role we particularly welcome applications from candidates from underrepresented ethnic minority backgrounds and candidates with disabilities. Sense is committed to equality of opportunity, and to promoting and celebrating the diversity of staff, volunteers and the people we work with. Everyone's contribution is valued and we ensure they're given the opportunity to realise their potential. We welcome applications from talented people from all sections of the community who share our values and belief that no one, no matter how complex their disabilities, should be isolated, left out, or unable to fulfil their potential. For more information please visit: https://www.sense.org.uk/jobs/equality-diversity-and-inclusion-in-recruitment/
Sense is looking for a driven and experienced Director of Operational Services to join our senior leadership team on a 12 month fixed term contract. This is a pivotal role where you’ll drive innovation, champion high-quality care, and ensure that every individual we support has the opportunity to live the life they choose.
About the Role
As Director of Operational Services, you will lead a large, diverse team across the UK, ensuring services are not only high-performing and compliant, but deeply rooted in the values of Sense. You will be responsible for shaping and delivering an ambitious operational strategy—driving service quality, growth, and transformation while ensuring strong financial management and sector-leading outcomes.
You’ll be a key player in our senior leadership team, collaborating closely with directors across the organisation, supporting strategic decisions, and representing Sense externally. Your leadership will ensure our services are inclusive, innovative, and enable greater independence for the people we support.
Key Responsibilities
Provide visionary leadership across all operational services
Champion person-centred, inclusive support that exceeds regulatory standards (CQC, Ofsted, CIW, etc.)
Foster a strong, supportive performance culture through coaching and development
Ensure operational services are financially sustainable, delivering year-on-year growth
Drive innovation and adoption of technology to improve lives and service delivery
Build meaningful relationships with stakeholders, from families to commissioners
Contribute to strategic planning and organisation-wide performance as part of the Executive Team
Embed health and safety, compliance, and safeguarding as top priorities across services
Promote Sense’s brand, reputation and influence across the sector
What We’re Looking For
We’re seeking a senior operational leader who brings:
Proven experience leading large, multi-site services in social care, education, or the public/voluntary sector
A strong track record of strategic planning, financial oversight, and regulatory compliance
Experience working with local authorities, commissioners, and external stakeholders
The ability to inspire teams, build relationships, and deliver transformational change
A passion for inclusion, innovation, and empowering people with complex needs
Outstanding communication, influencing, and leadership skills
Commitment to Sense’s values of inclusion, independence, and empowerment
For a full job description and person specification, please see attached to this advertisement.
About Sense
For everyone living with complex disabilities. For everyone who is deafblind. Sense is here to help people communicate and experience the world. We believe that no one, no matter how complex their disabilities, should be isolated, left out, or unable to fulfil their potential. Sense are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer.
Working at Sense can be incredibly rewarding; we offer the opportunity to work in a large, diverse and successful charity where people can develop their skills, knowledge and careers in a supportive and flexible environment. In addition, we have excellent training and development, the opportunity for you to join our Group Personal Pension scheme and a generous annual leave entitlement.
To Apply
Please use the link below to complete your application. Managers will use your application to shortlist candidates for interview; in relation to the Personal Specification. Therefore, it is very important you complete this section thoroughly. We would recommend that you read the job description and person specification before applying.
Please note to avoid disappointment, we advise you to submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close posts at any time.
No agency submissions please: any submissions without prior authorisation from the Sense Recruitment Team will be treated as our own and as such no fee will be payable.
If you require any further assistance, please contact the Recruitment Team on 0121 415 6735 or recruitment@sense.org.uk
Sense is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable children and adults and expects all employees to share this commitment. Therefore, all offers of employment, where appropriate, are subject to a DBS check; level dependent on the nature of the role.
For this role we particularly welcome applications from candidates from underrepresented ethnic minority backgrounds and candidates with disabilities. Sense is committed to equality of opportunity, and to promoting and celebrating the diversity of staff, volunteers and the people we work with. Everyone's contribution is valued and we ensure they're given the opportunity to realise their potential. We welcome applications from talented people from all sections of the community who share our values and belief that no one, no matter how complex their disabilities, should be isolated, left out, or unable to fulfil their potential. For more information please visit: https://www.sense.org.uk/jobs/equality-diversity-and-inclusion-in-recruitment/
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.