Service Manager

Initial calls with our Recruitment team will take place on the 5th August, with interviews scheduled for the 11st August.

We are Hestia. We make a difference.

At Hestia, we are guided by our core values and are dedicated to fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organisation. Our mission is to empower individuals to rebuild their lives and achieve independence. Right now, we are looking for a Service Manager to play a pivotal role in our Domestic Abuse service in Tower Hamlets.

Sounds great, what will I be doing?

You will lead a specialist refuge service providing safe accommodation and support to women and children fleeing domestic abuse. You will ensure a high-quality, trauma-informed service that empowers individuals to rebuild their lives, while promoting an anti-racist, intersectional and strengths-based approach in line with Hestia's values.

You will oversee all aspects of service delivery, including safeguarding, case management, move-on planning and support activities, ensuring women and children receive effective, person-centred support. You will also be responsible for the management of refuge properties, maintaining safe, secure and welcoming environments, and overseeing health and safety, housing management, repairs and voids.

The role includes leading and developing a team of refuge and children's workers, providing supervision, performance management and professional development opportunities to maintain a skilled and motivated workforce. You will also ensure compliance with contractual requirements, manage budgets, monitor performance and use data to drive continuous improvement.

Working closely with partner agencies and local networks, you will represent Hestia in multi-agency settings, building strong relationships with housing, health, social care, education and community organisations to ensure women and children can access the support they need to achieve positive outcomes.

What do I need to bring with me?

You'll need to be able to demonstrate the core skills this role requires as well as match our values and mission. You don't have to tick all the boxes right away; the important thing is that you're willing to learn. We also value lived experience of the areas we support, so if you feel comfortable, please do mention this on your application.

You will have experience leading and supervising teams within a domestic abuse, refuge, housing or supported accommodation setting, with a strong track record of delivering high-quality, person-centred services and managing risk for women and children affected by domestic abuse. You will be confident monitoring performance, maintaining high standards and supporting individuals with multiple and complex support needs.

You will have a strong understanding of domestic abuse, safeguarding, housing rights and welfare benefits, including legislation relevant to survivors of domestic abuse. Fluent in at least one South Asian language, you will be able to communicate effectively with women who do not feel confident using English and demonstrate a commitment to inclusive, culturally responsive support.

The successful candidate will be an excellent communicator with the ability to build positive relationships with service users, staff and external partners. You will be resilient, organised and able to work effectively in a fast-paced, crisis environment, managing competing priorities while maintaining a compassionate and empowering approach.

Interview Steps

We keep our interview process simple, so you know exactly what to expect.

• Shortlisting call: We have a team of dedicated recruitment specialists who will speak to you about your experience, motivations and values. They will also tell you about all the great work we do!
• Face to face interview: Now you will have face to face interview with the hiring manager. Our interviews are value and competency based.

Don't be alarmed if there are other stages in the process, it's all part of the plan for some of our roles.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Our services users come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes us stronger. We are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce and value the skills, abilities, talent and experiences, different people and communities bring to our organisation.

We are a disability confident employer

Hestia is proud to be a disability confident employer, dedicated to the employment and career development of individuals with disabilities. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role they have applied for. We also provide reasonable adjustments during the selection and interview process, and throughout your employment with us.

Safeguarding Statement

Hestia is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children and young people who are potentially at risk, and we therefore expect all staff and volunteers to do the same. We require all staff to undertake internal and external safeguarding training throughout their employment with Hestia.

Important Information for Candidates

If your application is successful, please be aware that you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks before a formal offer of employment can be confirmed.

We reserve the right to close this job advert early should we receive a high volume of applications or if the position is filled before the closing date. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible to ensure their application is considered