Service Operations Manager
| Posting date: | 26 January 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £40,000 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 09 February 2026 |
| Location: | Bangor, Northern Ireland, BT19 |
| Company: | Mencap |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 59016547 |
Summary
We are recruiting for a Service Operations Manager for one of our services in Bangor (Northern Ireland).
About the Team and the Role
- Provide leadership for high-quality, person-centred services for adults with learning disabilities, autism and behaviours of concern, delivering measurable outcomes.
- Direct and coordinate a multidisciplinary workforce to deliver integrated, holistic support.
- Embed Positive Behaviour Support and trauma-informed practice across services, ensuring consistency and measurable reduction in restrictive practices.
- Own regulatory compliance (e.g. RQIA) and internal governance through scheduled audits, quality reviews, action plans and continuous improvement cycles.
- Manage budgets, staffing models and resource allocation to ensure safe, efficient and financially sustainable operations.
- Build a high-performance culture through supervision, coaching, reflective practice and continuous improvement.
- Lead safeguarding, risk management and crisis response, ensuring proportionate risk assessments, and timely escalation and reporting.
Act as key liaison with families, commissioners and partner agencies, representing the service, negotiating solutions and advocating for people supported.
What you will bring to the role (Essentials)
- Substantial leadership experience managing supported living or care services for individuals, with clear accountability for quality and performance.
- QCF Level 5 in Health and Social Care Management or a NVQ Level 5 in Health and Social Care, and relevant experience to be Registered Manager. Eligible for NISCC registration and able to obtain Enhanced AccessNI clearance.
- Advanced knowledge of Positive Behaviour Support and trauma-informed approaches, with a track record of embedding these frameworks at service level.
- Excellent communication, judgement and problem-solving skills, with evidence of sound decision-making under pressure.
- Demonstrated capability in people management, including supervision, performance management, workforce planning and professional development.
- Proven competence in financial stewardship and resource planning, delivering services within contractual, regulatory and organisational parameters.
- Strong expertise in safeguarding, risk assessment and incident management, including investigation, analysis and implementation of corrective actions.
- Thorough understanding of regulatory standards (e.g. RQIA) and quality assurance, including audits, governance reporting and readiness for inspection.
Clean Driving Licence would be preferrable.
To be considered for this role you will need to hold following qualification:
- Professional social work qualification and registered on the appropriate part of the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC) register, without condition; or (b) a first level registered nurse on the appropriate part of the Nursing and Midwifery Council register; or (c) allied health professions registered with the Health Professions Council and:
- A minimum of four years’ work experience in any health or social care setting with one or more of the service user groups supported by the agency. At least two years of this experience must be in a relevant operational management capacity in a health and social care setting
OR
- A QCF Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care Services (Adults’ Management) Wales and Northern Ireland and:
- A minimum of five years practice experience in any health and social care setting with one or more of the service user groups supported by the agency which must include at least two years relevant experience in an operational management capacity in a health and social care setting.
Benefits
Here at Mencap, we offer an impressive range of benefits designed to support and reward our employees to ensure that our teams feel valued and appreciated.
Our benefits package offers 32 days of paid holiday (including bank holidays, pro rata), along with a range of perks such as discounts at leading high-street retailers, access to health cash plans, interest-free loans, and many more exciting offerings.
About Mencap
Our vision is for the UK to be the best place in the world for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives.
We're here to support people with a learning disability, their families and their carers. We fight for a kinder, fairer and more inclusive society for people with a learning disability to live in.
About the Team and the Role
- Provide leadership for high-quality, person-centred services for adults with learning disabilities, autism and behaviours of concern, delivering measurable outcomes.
- Direct and coordinate a multidisciplinary workforce to deliver integrated, holistic support.
- Embed Positive Behaviour Support and trauma-informed practice across services, ensuring consistency and measurable reduction in restrictive practices.
- Own regulatory compliance (e.g. RQIA) and internal governance through scheduled audits, quality reviews, action plans and continuous improvement cycles.
- Manage budgets, staffing models and resource allocation to ensure safe, efficient and financially sustainable operations.
- Build a high-performance culture through supervision, coaching, reflective practice and continuous improvement.
- Lead safeguarding, risk management and crisis response, ensuring proportionate risk assessments, and timely escalation and reporting.
Act as key liaison with families, commissioners and partner agencies, representing the service, negotiating solutions and advocating for people supported.
What you will bring to the role (Essentials)
- Substantial leadership experience managing supported living or care services for individuals, with clear accountability for quality and performance.
- QCF Level 5 in Health and Social Care Management or a NVQ Level 5 in Health and Social Care, and relevant experience to be Registered Manager. Eligible for NISCC registration and able to obtain Enhanced AccessNI clearance.
- Advanced knowledge of Positive Behaviour Support and trauma-informed approaches, with a track record of embedding these frameworks at service level.
- Excellent communication, judgement and problem-solving skills, with evidence of sound decision-making under pressure.
- Demonstrated capability in people management, including supervision, performance management, workforce planning and professional development.
- Proven competence in financial stewardship and resource planning, delivering services within contractual, regulatory and organisational parameters.
- Strong expertise in safeguarding, risk assessment and incident management, including investigation, analysis and implementation of corrective actions.
- Thorough understanding of regulatory standards (e.g. RQIA) and quality assurance, including audits, governance reporting and readiness for inspection.
Clean Driving Licence would be preferrable.
To be considered for this role you will need to hold following qualification:
- Professional social work qualification and registered on the appropriate part of the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC) register, without condition; or (b) a first level registered nurse on the appropriate part of the Nursing and Midwifery Council register; or (c) allied health professions registered with the Health Professions Council and:
- A minimum of four years’ work experience in any health or social care setting with one or more of the service user groups supported by the agency. At least two years of this experience must be in a relevant operational management capacity in a health and social care setting
OR
- A QCF Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care Services (Adults’ Management) Wales and Northern Ireland and:
- A minimum of five years practice experience in any health and social care setting with one or more of the service user groups supported by the agency which must include at least two years relevant experience in an operational management capacity in a health and social care setting.
Benefits
Here at Mencap, we offer an impressive range of benefits designed to support and reward our employees to ensure that our teams feel valued and appreciated.
Our benefits package offers 32 days of paid holiday (including bank holidays, pro rata), along with a range of perks such as discounts at leading high-street retailers, access to health cash plans, interest-free loans, and many more exciting offerings.
About Mencap
Our vision is for the UK to be the best place in the world for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives.
We're here to support people with a learning disability, their families and their carers. We fight for a kinder, fairer and more inclusive society for people with a learning disability to live in.
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.