Regional Director / Operations Manager – Elderly Care

Sussex & Hampshire

£75,000–£85,000+ depending on experience | Full-time | 40 hours per week

Pivotal People is working exclusively with a well-established, family-owned and growing care provider to appoint an experienced Regional Director / Operations Manager for its elderly care services across Sussex and Hampshire.

This is a senior, multi-site opportunity overseeing five care homes: four residential services and one nursing home. You will work closely with Registered Managers and their teams, ensuring every home delivers safe, well-led and high-quality care for residents and their families.This role will suit an established Regional, Area or Operations Manager who understands that successful homes are built on strong leadership, stable teams, sound commercial oversight and high standards that are lived day to day, not simply discussed when an inspection is due.

The opportunity

The group has healthy plans for growth, expansion and future acquisitions within its elderly care provision. This is an opportunity to join at an important stage, helping shape that growth while protecting the people-focused culture and quality standards that sit at the heart of the organisation.

You will be supported by an experienced senior leadership team and regional support function, with real scope to influence performance, develop leaders and support the successful integration of new homes as the group grows.

What you will be doing

• Providing visible operational leadership across five elderly care homes.
• Supporting, coaching and constructively challenging Registered Managers to achieve the best outcomes for residents.
• Driving improvement in quality, resident experience, compliance and team culture.
• Ensuring homes are inspection-ready, with audit actions completed properly and sustained.
• Building confident relationships with CQC, commissioners, residents and families.
• Taking ownership of occupancy, budgets, staffing costs, agency use and operational performance.
• Supporting services requiring improvement and leading the integration of newly acquired homes.
• Developing capable leadership teams and improving team stability and retention.
• Joining a shared senior on-call rota.

What we are looking for

You will be an established senior operator with a strong track record in elderly residential and nursing care.

You will bring:

• At least three years’ experience managing multiple care homes and directly leading Registered Managers.
• A demonstrable record of improving underperforming services and achieving or maintaining CQC Good or Outstanding ratings.
• Commercial confidence across budgets, occupancy, staffing and agency spend.
• A practical, calm and credible leadership style, knowing when to coach, challenge and get involved.
• A Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Adult Care, or an equivalent or higher qualification.
• A full UK driving licence and access to your own vehicle.

Package and benefits

• £75,000–£85,000+ depending on experience.
• Private medical insurance.
• Group life insurance at four times salary.
• 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Business mileage paid.
• Company sick pay.
• Employee referral bonus.
• Paid DBS check.
• Staff events and birthday voucher.
• Free parking at the group’s Brighton head office.

If you are a proven elderly care leader looking for a role where quality, people and sustainable growth are taken seriously, please apply through Pivotal People in confidence.

Closing date: 22 November 2026