JOB VACANCY

At Abacus the people we support are at the heart of everything we do. This position is suited to a determined and motivated individual, who will help the company develop and grow.  

Job Role: Quality & Compliance Manager 

Team: Quality & Governance 

Responsible to: Director / Nominated Individual 

Full or Part time: Full Time 

Hours of work: Full time (40 hours per week, including flexibility for on-call and out-of-hours as required) 

Salary Range: Between 45k and 50k per annum, DOE 

Annual Leave: 28 Days 

Location: Your base site of work is Devonshire Business Centre, Works Road, Letchworth, Garden City, Hertfordshire, SG6 1GJ. 

This role requires regular attendance at all services and regional travel, as necessitated by the needs of the business.  

You will not be required to work outside the United Kingdom. 

Service Description

At Abacus Care & Support, we are dedicated to providing a Supported Living environment for the People We Support where their needs are holistically met. Our friendly, hardworking team commit themselves to achieving this goal. 

The People We Support are adults with learning disabilities, autism, learning difficulties, acquired brain injury, complex needs, behavioural challenges, mental health conditions and physical disabilities and other associated health needs.

Job Summary

The Quality & Compliance Manager will lead on the development, implementation and continuous improvement of quality assurance and compliance systems across the organisation. 

The post holder will ensure that services consistently meet and exceed Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulations, relevant legislation, and best practice standards, and will play a key role in supporting services to achieve “Good” and “Outstanding” ratings. 

You will work collaboratively with operational leaders to ensure services are: 

• Safe 

• Effective 

• Caring 

• Responsive 

• Well-led 

Job Role Overview

Core Accountabilities and Responsibilities

1. Regulatory Compliance & Governance

• Lead organisational compliance with CQC regulations, Fundamental Standards and KLOEs

• Maintain oversight of all regulatory activity, including inspections, action plans and submissions 

• Ensure policies, procedures and systems reflect current legislation and best practice 

• Keep abreast of regulatory updates and communicate changes to the organisation 

• Support services to prepare for and maintain “inspection readiness”) and respond to CQC and other regulatory inspections 

2. Quality Assurance & Auditing

• Develop and manage a robust quality assurance framework across all services 

• Conduct regular service audits, inspections and compliance visits

• Analyse audit findings and produce clear reports with actionable recommendations 

• Monitor and track service improvement plans, ensuring timely completion 

• Benchmark performance against internal standards and external best practice 

3. Service Improvement & Performance

• Work closely with Registered Managers and operational teams to drive continuous improvement 

• Support underperforming services with targeted improvement plans 

• Monitor KPIs, trends, incidents and outcomes to inform improvement strategies 

• Develop systems for gathering feedback from PWS, families and staff to inform service improvements 

• Promote a culture of excellence and continuous learning 

4. Risk, Safeguarding & Incident Management

• Ensure robust systems for:  

• Safeguarding 

• Incident reporting and investigation 

• Risk assessment and management 

• Oversee Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and ensure learning is embedded into practice 

• Provide oversight and support with investigations and resolution of incidents, safeguarding concerns and complaints, ensuring learning is embedded across services 

• Monitor compliance with MCA, DoLS, and safeguarding frameworks

5. Training, Coaching & Culture

• Support with training efforts on:  

• CQC standards 

• Compliance responsibilities 

• Best practice in care delivery 

• Coach and support management teams to embed quality frameworks and regulatory expectations 

• Promote a positive, transparent, continuous improvement and accountable culture

• Act as a role model for organisational values and behaviours 

6. Systems, Reporting & Data

• Ensure accurate and effective records of quality audits, compliance activity and governance reporting using  compliance systems (e.g. Radar, and Nourish) 

• Produce regular reports for senior leadership, including:  

• Compliance performance 

• Audit outcomes 

• Risk trends 

• Service comparisons 

• Use data to drive decision-making and organisational strategy 

7. Stakeholder Engagement

• Build strong relationships with:  

• CQC inspectors 

• Local authorities and commissioners 

• Health and social care professionals 

• Support organisational representation during inspections and external reviews 

• Engage with sector best practice and innovation 

• Act as a key contact for regulators, commissioners and safeguarding teams on quality related matters 

8. Operational Support

• Work alongside operational leaders to ensure effective service delivery structures 

• Support:  

• New service mobilisation 

• Referrals and assessments 

• Care plan quality and reviews 

• Maintain oversight of health & safety, fire safety and environmental compliance across services 

Care and Support Method

Abacus’ care and support method reflects our belief in the value of the People We Support. All aspects of your role will serve to promote and ensure our care and support method is carried out to an exceptionally high standard. 

The care and support Abacus Care & Support provides is: 

• Safe – People We Support deserve to expect safety from the service they receive and the environment they live in. All staff have a duty of care towards People We Support and will meet standards set by Abacus and the Care Quality Commission. This includes undertaking regular training to keep an active, working knowledge of how best to keep People We Support, colleagues and yourself safe. 

• Rooted in communication – Communication is essential for openness and transparency; it also increases understanding. Staff are expected to communicate appropriately and accessibly with People We Support about the support they receive, listening to their views and wishes. Staff should role-model supportive communication with their colleagues. 

• Collaborative – Collaboration allows us to share and benefit from one another’s unique gifts and contribution. Staff work with their team and colleagues, as well as People We Support and their support network, to establish and enact best possible support for individuals. Staff will encourage independence in People We Support, involving them in decisions. 

• Compassionate – Approaching situations with empathy and understanding will encourage People We Support to feel safe. Staff will assist People We Support in a patient, friendly and compassionate manner.  

• Ambitious – Abacus homes are a safe place to challenge yourself to grow. Staff will encourage People We Support to grow in independence by promoting healthy challenge and positive risk taking. 

• Community focused – Adults with additional needs often face challenges when it comes to safe and welcomed interaction with others. Staff will encourage an atmosphere of togetherness, advocating for People We Support and supporting them to establish and maintain healthy relationships. 

Person Specification

You will be a hardworking individual with great administrative and communication skills. You will be capable of working flexibly and adaptively to support service operation. Your approach to operational success will be positive, creative and perceptive. 

We expect staff to ascribe to the Abacus Care & Support mission and values, and to work in line with our policies and safeguarding practices. 

Qualifications/Skills/Experience

Education and Qualifications

Essential:

• Level 5 Diploma (or above) in Health & Social Care or equivalent experience 

Desirable:

• Degree / Level 7 qualification 

• Leadership or management qualification 

• Training qualification (e.g. PTLLS) 

Experience

• Significant experience within a CQC-regulated health or social care setting  

• Proven track record of achieving and maintaining compliance with regulations  

• Experience of:  

• Quality assurance systems 

• CQC inspections 

• Service improvement 

• Multi-site service oversight 

• Experience working with commissioners and external stakeholders 

Knowledge

• Strong understanding of:  

• CQC regulations and inspection frameworks 

• Safeguarding and risk management 

• MCA, DoLS, Health & Social Care Act 2014 

• Knowledge of supported living and complex care environments 

Skills & Competencies

• Strong leadership and influencing skills 

• Excellent analytical and reporting ability 

• Ability to manage change and drive service improvement 

• High attention to detail and organisational skills 

• Effective communication (written and verbal) 

• Ability to work independently and across multiple services 

Values

You will be somebody who:

• Is committed to providing high quality care 

• Respects the opinions of others 

• Is kind and thoughtful 

• Approaches situations with optimism 

• Is patient with and accepting of people who think differently 

• Sees the value and equal worth of all people 

• Is polite, friendly and well-mannered 

• Is enthusiastic about supporting others 

• Is flexible and adaptable to changing demands 

• Has a genuine interest in others 

• Is reliable, honest, motivated 

Approach to Work

You will be somebody who:

• Has a ‘can do’ attitude 

• Is able to creatively include and encourage participation from others 

• Can work both collaboratively and independently 

• Is proactive and takes initiative 

• Presents themselves with confidence 

• Expresses their views and asks questions  

• Is prepared to work shifts in irregular patterns 

Other Requirements

• Full UK driving licence 

• Flexibility to travel and work across services 

This is not meant to be an exhaustive list, the job holder may be required to undertake such other duties as Management may from time to time reasonably require.