Regional Operations Lead - South

We are seeking to recruit an experienced and highly motivated individual to provide operational leadership for Ace Centre's clinical services in the South and to support our Senior Management Team to ensure the continual improvement of our portfolio of services that focus on supporting the evolving needs of people with complex communication difficulties and put the people we serve at the heart of all decision making.

Ace Centre is a registered charity (No. ) that specialises in providing Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and Assistive Technology (AT) services and support for people with complex needs. We offer assessment, training, technical and engineering, research and innovation, and information services, and we work actively with partners and stakeholders to advance service delivery and development across the UK.

We are recognised for the quality of our work, and we deliver services contracted by the NHS in the North West of England and the Thames Valley and Wessex region. In addition to our NHS work we are active in building partnerships across the health and education sectors, training, engineering and technological development, research and innovation, and emerging fields.

This is an exciting time to join Ace Centre as we look to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities that lie ahead as we embark on the next stage of our journey.

Closing date for applications: 11 January 2026

Interviews to be held: 21 and 23 January 2026

Main duties of the job The role is to provide operational leadership for Ace Centre's clinical services in the South and to support the Senior Management Team in developing services and enhancing systems at a regional level.

Ace Centre's operations in the South predominantly refer to the Thames Valley and Wessex region as determined by our NHS contract although some activities may require travel beyond that region.

The successful applicant will be responsible for the coordinated planning and delivery of our services in the South, and contribute to the recruitment, induction and ongoing training and support of service delivery staff to ensure we maintain a workforce that has the capacity, skill and competency mix to meet service requirements

They will also support our Senior Management Team to develop working relationships with external partners and to manage overall service capacity and demand, promoting the effective collection and use of data to inform operational decisions and facilitate the formulation and evaluation of business plans.

About us We are a registered charity (No. ) providing Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and Assistive Technology (AT) services for people with complex needs.

With bases in Oldham and Abingdon, our multi-disciplinary team of specialist teachers, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, technical and administrative staff ensure that we are focused on supporting the evolving needs of people with complex communication difficulties.

We believe everyone should be given the opportunity and the tools they need to fulfil their potential. We lobby for change in statutory policy as well as working directly with people who need our support and we are dedicated to the continual improvement of our portfolio of services that puts the people we serve at the heart of all decision making.

We have a clear business plan to deliver on four key goals:

• Establish and develop AAC/AT expertise to meet the needs of the community
• Become the nationally recognised Centre of Excellence in the provision and delivery of AAC/AT services
• Provide advocacy for all people needing/using AAC/AT
• Become the "go to" place for AAC and AT resources and information

We offer excellent CPD opportunities, a competitive salary, and membership of a generous pension scheme with Greater Manchester Pension Fund.

Job responsibilities With strategic oversight from the Director of Clinical Services, and in close collaboration with the Regional Operations Lead - North and wider Management Group colleagues, you will lead the operational coordination and delivery of regional clinical services, ensuring effective caseload management, workforce deployment, and service responsiveness.

You will maintain and develop effective relationships with external partners and stakeholders to support the implementation of agreed service plans, streamlined delivery, and ensure services are responsive to local needs. These relationships will also enable you to gather insights that inform operational improvements and support regional collaboration.

As postholder, you will:

• Provide specialist clinical input and guidance in complex cases and contribute to resolving complex clinical issues as required.
• Support the Senior Management Team by analysing and presenting data on regional service capacity and demand, developing, promoting and embedding the use of effective performance and activity reports to inform operational decisions, and contributing to business planning and resource allocation.
• Be responsible for the coordinated planning and delivery of regional services, developing and implementing strategies to support effective caseload and workload management across teams, in alignment with organisational priorities and service capacity.
• Work collaboratively with the Regional Operations Lead - North to ensure consistency in operational approaches, while recognising and supporting appropriate, justifiable geographic variations.
• Actively coordinate workforce planning across all areas of service delivery, working collaboratively with the Regional Operations Lead - North, Senior Management Team, and Management Group colleagues to ensure staffing capacity aligns with service requirements. Address recruitment, retention, and evolving service needs, and contribute to the development of sustainable workforce models, working collaboratively with the Quality, Compliance and Relationships Manager to ensure alignment with professional standards and service quality.
• Alongside Management Group colleagues, provide managerial and professional supervision to allocated Senior AAC Consultants, AAC Consultants and AAC Assistant Practitioners and further identified staff with clinical responsibilities as identified by the job planning process.
• Act as a point of liaison for sensitive and confidential staff-related matters, providing appropriate pastoral support to team members experiencing personal difficulties that may affect their work. Ensure concerns are managed with discretion and in collaboration with Human Resources to ensure compliance with organisational policies and procedures.
• Work with the Senior Management Team and Human Resources to lead the recruitment of new service delivery staff and ensure robust induction processes are in place to support staff integration and readiness for service delivery.
• Work with the Senior Management Team, Regional Operations Lead - North and Quality, Compliance and Relationships Manager in the planning, development and delivery of a cohesive and sustainable approach to working with local services.
• Work with the Senior Management Team and Management Group colleagues to develop and maintain effective working relationships with external partners in the South region, including NHS Trusts, Local AAC Services, and education providers, to support coordinated service delivery and regional collaboration.
• Support the implementation of Ace Centre's Continuing Professional Development framework within the South region, ensuring clinical staff have access to appropriate development opportunities and maintain professional registration in line with HCPC and other relevant standards. Monitor local compliance and liaise with the Quality, Compliance and Relationship Manager to enable effective reporting to the Senior Management Team.
• Work collaboratively with the Regional Operations Lead - North to coordinate the implementation of peer support groups and professional supervision across service delivery teams. Ensure these structures are embedded in operational planning and accessible to clinical staff, in alignment with the framework provided by the Quality, Compliance and Relationships Manager. Monitor local uptake and operational delivery and provide feedback to the Quality, Compliance and Relationships Manager to support ongoing development of the framework.
• Support clinical staff to maintain accurate and up-to-date personal development records in line with professional standards and organisational expectations by ensuring operational processes enable staff to meet requirements for professional registration and development.
• Work with the Senior Management Team and identified Management Group colleagues to support clinical staff in adhering to GDPR and Caldicott principles by coordinating the implementation of relevant policies and procedures across service delivery. Monitor operational compliance and escalate concerns in line with organisational governance processes.
• Manage complaints relating to service delivery in the South, ensuring complaints are handled promptly, appropriately and sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible in line with organisational policies.
• Act as Deputy Safeguarding Lead.
• Work collaboratively with the Senior Management Team to shape and deliver organisation-wide quality improvement initiatives, contributing operational insight to ensure service efficiency and effectiveness, and supporting clinical colleagues to embed improvements into day-to-day practice.
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