INSPIRE POTENTIAL. CHAMPION CHANGE. SHAPE THE FUTURE.

For more than 120 years, St Elizabeth’s has been supporting children and adults with complex needs to live life to the full. Today, we are one of the few UK charities to provide a truly integrated offer — with education, residential care, therapies, and health services all co-located on one specialist campus.
Our 60-acre site in Much Hadham includes a school, FE college, seven Ofsted-registered children’s homes, adult supported living, and a CQC-registered health agency. Together, we support around 180 children and young people, many with severe epilepsy, learning disabilities, autism and associated conditions, providing not just care, but opportunity, aspiration, and community.
We are entering an exciting new chapter of development and growth. To achieve our ambitions, we are now seeking a visionary Director of Children’s Services to join our Executive Team.

This is a pivotal role, reporting directly to the Chief Executive, with accountability for the strategic leadership and operational excellence of our children’s residential care and health services.

You will:

• Provide strategic leadership across seven Ofsted-registered children’s homes, ensuring they consistently deliver safe, high-quality and person-centred care.
• Lead our CQC-registered Health Agency (nursing, therapies, psychology and clinical services), driving integration and innovation to improve outcomes for children.
• Shape and deliver the long-term vision for children’s services, aligned with our organisational strategy and values.
• Ensure regulatory excellence, building strong, transparent relationships with Ofsted, CQC, commissioners and external partners.
• Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead at Executive level, embedding a culture of vigilance, safety, and empowerment across all children’s services.
• Oversee the admissions pipeline, working closely with local authorities and families to ensure St Elizabeth’s continues to meet demand and future need.
• Drive service improvement and transformation, informed by best practice, evidence, and the voices of children, families and staff.
• Inspire, support and develop a multi-disciplinary workforce of over 200 colleagues, ensuring they are equipped, motivated and valued.