Quality Assurance Manager - Maternity Cover

REPORTING TO: Director of Front-line Services

PURPOSE OF POSITION

The Quality Assurance Manager is a blended leadership role combining strategic quality assurance, performance oversight, service management and practice development.

The role is split broadly between focused on quality assurance, data-led improvement and performance oversight, and two days focused on service management, practice leadership and frontline improvement activity.

The postholder will lead the development and delivery of a strong quality assurance framework across support services, ensuring that practice, performance and service delivery are safe, effective, person-centred and aligned with contractual, regulatory and organisational standards.

Alongside this, the postholder will remain closely connected to frontline delivery through service management responsibilities and practice development leadership, particularly within Housing First and complex-needs services. This makes the role ideal for someone who enjoys combining strategic oversight, data insight, operational leadership and the development of high-quality, trauma-informed support practice.

What makes this role different

A distinctive role for someone who wants strategic influence while staying close to frontline practice. You will help shape quality, use evidence, support staff, strengthen resident outcomes and join an organisation committed to compassion, collaboration, inclusion, growth, learning and resident voice.

• Make a visible impact: use quality assurance, data and learning to drive practical improvements that strengthen services for residents and staff.

• Enjoy variety and influence work across performance oversight, service management and practice development, with scope to shape systems, standards and ways of working.

• Stay close to practice: remain connected to frontline delivery while helping embed trauma-informed, person-centred and psychologically informed approaches.

RESPONSIBILITIES & ACCOUNTABILITIES

Key Responsibilities

• Quality assurance and improvement: Lead the quality assurance function across support services, coordinating audits, quality checks, case file reviews, service reviews and improvement plans. Turn findings into practical actions that strengthen safety, consistency, resident experience, safeguarding, support planning and trauma-informed practice. Work with managers to embed learning, monitor progress and evidence improvement against internal and external standards.

• Performance oversight and reporting: Monitor performance against contractual, regulatory and organisational standards, including service outcomes, compliance requirements, safeguarding expectations and commissioner reporting. Identify risks, gaps, trends and good practice, escalating concerns and supporting corrective action where needed. Produce clear, evidence-based reports and briefings for senior leaders, governance meetings, commissioners and external stakeholders.

• Data, insight and systems: Use performance, safeguarding, complaints, incidents, resident feedback, outcomes and quality data to identify service strengths, pressures and improvement priorities. Maintain and improve reporting systems, including InForm, so information is accurate, consistent and useful. Analyse patterns, support decision-making and make practical recommendations that improve quality, accountability and resident outcomes.

• Information retrieval and STAIRs requests: Act as QA Manager lead for information retrieval relating to STAIRs requests, including triaging scope, gathering internal and contractor records, coordinating redaction and drafting responses within regulatory timeframes.

• Service and support management: Provide hands-on support management across frontline services, including Housing First improvement activity, Hope Street and St Mungo’s contracts, team rota management and the Support Manager on-call rota. Support managers and teams to manage risk, strengthen case accountability and recording, and deliver consistent, high-quality support to residents with complex needs.

• Practice development: Embed person-centred, trauma-informed and psychologically informed practice across support services. Develop practical tools, guidance, quality forums, workshops and reflective learning that help staff apply policy, improve support planning, strengthen safeguarding and promote consistent resident-centred practice.

• Resident voice and accountability: Strengthen resident engagement, feedback and involvement so resident experience informs service design, quality assurance, learning and improvement.

• People management and collaboration: Line manage agreed roles, including the Impact Specialist and Resident Engagement Specialist, supporting clear objectives, accountability, development and collaborative working across services.

• General duties: Attend key directorate, management, planning, quality and performance meetings; work flexibly across organisational priorities; and undertake other reasonable duties within the scope of the role.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Assessment will be through application, interview and, where relevant, a practical assessment

Quality assurance: Experience delivering quality frameworks, audits, case file reviews, standards and improvement plans that strengthen safe, consistent, person-centred and trauma-informed practice. Able to lead improvement activity, influence managers and turn findings into sustained service change.

Performance and reporting: Able to monitor contractual, regulatory and organisational standards; identify risks, gaps, trends and good practice; and produce clear reports for leaders, governance forums and commissioners.

Data, insight and systems: Strong analytical skills and confidence using performance, safeguarding, complaints, incidents, outcomes and resident feedback data to identify patterns, support decisions and improve services. Experience using resident feedback, consultation or involvement activity to inform quality assurance, service design and improvement, including through InForm or similar systems.

Information governance: Understands confidentiality, record handling and information governance. Able to triage STAIRs requests, gather internal/contractor records, support redaction and draft timely responses.

Support management and practice: Experience supporting people experiencing homelessness or rough sleeping with complex needs. Able to support managers, manage risk, strengthen recording and embed person-centred, trauma-informed, psychologically informed and anti-discriminatory practice.

Safeguarding and risk: Sound knowledge of adult safeguarding, risk assessment, MARAC processes and safe information sharing with vulnerable adults.

Communication and values: Strong written, verbal and facilitation skills; collaborative, organised, accurate and resilient, with commitment to compassion, collaboration, inclusion and growth.

Appointment is subject to DBS check and right to work in the UK