Head of service jobs in London, greater london

Are you motivated to take on a leadership opportunity where you will influence strategy, shape specialist practice and improve outcomes for people sleeping rough?

We are looking for a dynamic, values‑driven leader to join our Pan London Rough Sleeping teams as Head of Specialist Rough Sleeping Services.

This vital role is central to our work with people facing multiple and overlapping barriers to ending homelessness, particularly migrant and non‑UK national rough sleepers who need specialist advice and support, and gives the opportunity to provide strategic and operational leadership across a portfolio of specialist services, currently including MAPS, the Roma Rough Sleeping Team, London Navigators and StreetLink London.

• As Head of Specialist Rough Sleeping Services, you will set direction, drive quality and innovation, and ensure our services deliver meaningful recovery outcomes.
• You will offer inspiring matrix leadership across St Mungo’s, sharing expertise and strategic oversight to improve practice with some of the most marginalised people experiencing homelessness.
• You will act as a strong external facing advocate, building strong relationships with commissioners, funders and partners, and lead on business development, contract management and service growth to ensure our services remain high quality, sustainable and aligned with St Mungo’s mission.

About you

We are looking for someone who can bring a combination of strong leadership capability, commercial awareness and deep commitment to social justice. If you bring the below, we encourage you to apply:

You will be an experienced leader with a track record of managing services for people experiencing homelessness, migrants or other vulnerable groups, and of guiding teams through change in complex environments.

You will be capable of balancing strategic thinking with operational delivery, ensuring services are high quality, compliant, financially robust and continuously improving.

You can demonstrate a strong knowledge of the policy and practice landscape affecting migrant and advice services, alongside health and social care, hostels, supported housing, and statutory and voluntary sector provision.

You will show clear understanding of the needs of St Mungo’s client groups, including non‑UK nationals, people with substance use and mental health needs, young people, and people with experience of the criminal justice system.

Crucially, you will lead with integrity and compassion, championing client involvement, embedding equality, diversity and inclusion into all aspects of service delivery, and supporting managers and teams to perform at their best.

We are working hard to create a diverse and fully inclusive culture where everyone feels valued. We particularly welcome applications from Global Majority candidates, who are currently under‑represented at this level within our organisation.

How to apply

To view the full job description and guidance on completing your application, please click on the ‘document’ tab on the advert page on our website.

When you’re ready to apply, click the ‘Apply now’ button to begin your online application.

To find out more and apply please go to the St Mungo’s careers page on our website. 

Closing date: 10am on 21 May 2026
Interviews and assessments: 2 and 3 June 2026

Where you’ll be working

In this role you will work flexibly for at least 2 days per week onsite from our Central Office in London or other various services. This allows for in person collaboration, team building, line management and other relationship building opportunities. We support a flexible approach to work with opportunities for agile working for the rest of your week; from home, or other St Mungo’s London or regional locations. 

While our Central Office is currently based in Tower Hill, London we plan to relocate in the summer of 2026 to a new space in Farringdon, London.

What we offer

• Excellent Development and Growth Opportunities
• A Diverse and Inclusive Workplace
• Great Pay and Other Benefits

Our client is a specialist ‘by and for’ organisation providing refuge, supported accommodation, and wraparound support programmes for Black and minoritised (Global Majority) women and their children who are survivors of domestic violence and abuse. They manage refuges and dispersed accommodation across Newham and Haringey and provide trauma-informed, culturally responsive support including advocacy, counselling, immigration and family legal advice and specialist projects.

They are now recruiting for a new Head of Services, a senior leadership role with responsibility for the strategic, operational, and financial oversight of all frontline delivery across the organisation. Reporting to the Director, the postholder will oversee the day-to-day operational delivery of all services, including refuges, dispersed accommodation, immigration legal advice, counselling, and specialist projects. You will ensure that services are managed and delivered efficiently and effectively, are safe, high-quality, compliant, financially well-managed, and aligned with the organisation’s feminist, anti-racist, and survivor-centred values.

To apply for this impactful senior leadership role, you will have significant experience of overseeing accommodation-based services, particularly for vulnerable adults and their children. You will have demonstrable experience of specialist domestic violence and abuse services that support the specific needs of Global Majority women and their children and will have significant experience of managing and supporting delivery staff. You will have experience of working within a commissioned or contract-funded service environment, as well as demonstrable budget management experience.

Please initially apply with a Word-formatted version of your CV – suitable candidates will then be contacted.

Due to the nature of the organisation’s work, the organisation considers the candidate’s race and gender to be an occupational requirement in accordance with Parag. 1, Schedule 9, of the Equality Act 2010. This post is open only to Black and minoritised, i.e. Global Majority, women.

Please note, this role will mostly be based onsite, with regular visibility across accommodation-based services (mostly East London and Haringey).

Role/Job Title: Head of Kent Services
Location: Pembury, with travel between services as required 
Contracted Hours Full time -37 hours per week (Mon-Fri)
Salary: £55,000 - £65,000 per annum FTE

Application Deadline Date:  Friday 24th May 2026 / Interviews to take place at Cornford Lane site (Pembury) on Wednesday 10th June
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

FULL JOB DESCRIPTION

Equal Opportunity/Accessibility and Accommodations Statement:
As a Disability Confident employer, Aspens Charities is committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for individuals with disabilities. We actively promote the recruitment, retention, and career development of people with disabilities, recognising the invaluable contributions they make to our organisation. We are dedicated to ensuring an accessible recruitment process for all candidates. If you require any accommodations during the application or interview process, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Aspens’ mission is to provide high-quality care and support to individuals on the autism spectrum and with learning disabilities; meeting their needs and aspirations and empowering them to learn and grow through an integrated network of services across the South-East.

We provide support and care to children, families and adults across Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Brighton and Hove, Surrey and the London Borough of Bexley. Our services include registered care homes; supported living; community outreach; day services, including pathways to employment; children and young people’s groups and support; specialist support; and free online support for families and carers across the South-East.
 

About the role:
This is a tremendously exciting time to join Aspens. With our new Chief Operating Officer in place, we are actively shaping how we work to ensure we deliver the very best for the people we support. Her focus and ambition are centred on establishing consistent, high-quality practice across the organisation and ensuring that everything we do enhances, in a meaningful and measurable way, the lives of those we support.
 

The Head of Kent Services is a leadership role responsible for the strategic, operational, and financial oversight of services within Kent, currently residential services for adults with autism and/or learning disabilities, supported living services, and services for children and families across Kent.

The postholder will ensure the delivery of safe, high-quality, person-centred care and support that promotes autonomy, dignity, inclusion, and positive outcomes for individuals and families. The Head of Kent Services will lead and develop a small team of locality managers ensuring regulatory compliance, financial sustainability, and continuous service improvement across the portfolio.

The Head of Kent Services will be a member of the Inclusive Executive Leadership Team, working in collaboration with other leaders to drive the best outcomes for the People we Support and the Charity.

 

Knowledge and Experience:

We’re looking for someone who brings a combination of the following experiences, whether gained through formal roles, lived experience, volunteering or other pathways.  We value diverse routes into leadership and welcome applications from individuals who may not have followed traditional career paths.

Essential Experience:

• Significant senior management experience in health and social care.
• Proven leadership experience managing CQC Registered Managers.
• Strong knowledge of autism and learning disability support models.
• Experience managing budgets and financial performance.
• Demonstrable experience of regulatory compliance and inspection processes.
• Experience working with commissioners and local authorities.
• Experience managing large-scale change programmes.
• Significant experience in building team capability and managing complex employee relations.
   

Essential Skills & Competencies:

• Strategic thinking and operational delivery capability.
• Strong financial acumen.

• Experience overseeing impactful, outcomes-driven services at a strategic level.

• Strong project and programme management skills.
• Excellent leadership and people management skills.
• Excellent analytical and data interpretation skills.
• High-level communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to manage complexity and drive change.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making ability.
• Ability to build and sustain relationships, with trust and integrity
  
  
   

Desirable:

• Relevant professional qualification in health or social care (Level 5 or above).
• Experience overseeing multiple residential and/or supported living services.
• Experience in service mobilisation or turnaround.
• Experience with Positive Behaviour Support at strategic level.
   

Core Values & Leadership Expectations:

• Commitment to person-centred, rights-based and autonomy approaches.
• Passion for inclusion, dignity, and empowerment.
• Dedication to safeguarding and promoting welfare.
• Evidence-informed decision-making.
• High levels of integrity, resilience, and accountability.

• Reflective, open to feedback and committed to continuous learning
• Brings authenticity, empathy and a collaborative spirit
  
   

What we can offer you:

• An exciting and rewarding role that you can really make your own
• An opportunity to learn and grow in a supportive environment, with formal and informal training and development initiatives.
• Member of the Inclusive Executive Leadership Team.
• Hybrid working
• Adjusted Hours or compressed working weeks
• Fantastic paid training and career progression opportunities (including recognised qualifications in health and social care)
• Paid DBS 
• Annual Leave / Pro rata dependent on hours. Annual leave entitlement increases with length of service
• Nest Pension and Death in Service Benefit
• Dedicated Employee Assistance Programme and Access to Mental Health First Aiders
• Aspens High Street Stores -20% discount on all items for Aspens’ staff
• Bluebell cafe- Discounted staff menu available
• Refer a Friend scheme, so you can earn up to £250 for every person you refer to work for Aspens
• Recognition schemes, including ‘Employee of the Month’
• Wellbeing initiatives such as: no email/meeting Fridays, no meetings over lunchtime to ensure people can take a break, encouraged not to read or reply to emails outside of working hours, and access to counselling

If shortlisted, we will contact you directly to schedule an interview. We strive to respond to all applicants; however, if you have not received a response within a reasonable timeframe, please feel free to contact us for a status update or feedback (where available). After the interview, you will be notified of the outcome. If successful, you’ll receive a formal offer in writing. Upon acceptance, we’ll guide you through the onboarding process, providing you with all the details you need.

Please note, any offer of employment will be subject to Disclosure and Barring checks (which we will arrange on your behalf if you don’t already have one) and satisfactory employment references.