Project Lead – Residential Care Academy

Project Lead – Residential Care Academy (Outside IR35)

Location: Hybrid – Chichester base, with travel across the South East region
Rate: £550 per day (Ltd) (£398 PAYE a day)
Duration: 3–6 months (potential extension subject to funding)
Client: West Sussex County Council (as part of the South East Regional Care Cooperative Pilot)

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Project Lead to lead the delivery of the South East Residential Care Academy Pilot. This high-profile role will provide strategic leadership across multiple local authorities to design, develop and embed an innovative practice model, improve workforce capability, and enhance outcomes for children and young people in residential care.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and coordinate the design and implementation of the Residential Care Academy Pilot.
• Develop a regional proposal for a residential care practice model grounded in social pedagogy principles.
• Align the Academy’s work with workforce development strategies across the region.
• Produce tools and resources including job descriptions, frameworks, and practice guidance for hosting on the RCC website.
• Establish and facilitate a regional community of practice for residential care staff and managers.
• Build cross-sector partnerships with health, education, youth justice, Ofsted, DfE, and sector providers.
• Support recruitment, retention, and progression pathways for residential care staff.
• Develop and embed monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to measure impact.

About You:

• Proven track record in project and programme management, ideally within children’s services, social care, or workforce development.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with experience influencing at a senior level across multiple organisations.
• Knowledge of social pedagogy, residential childcare, or similar practice models is desirable.
• Ability to lead transformation programmes across complex multi-agency environments.
• Flexible to travel across the South East region as required.

This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of residential care provision across the South East by leading an ambitious, collaborative, and transformative pilot programme.

📌 To apply or find out more, please get in touch today.