Hostel Manager

Central Recruitment is currently working with a London based charity whose mission is to support people experiencing homelessness to find secure accommodation and work towards a positive future. 

Our client is currently recruiting for a Hostel Manager, to work in the Twickenham area. The hostel is a 14-bed service that provides 24-hour support to people affected by homelessness or rough sleeping to move off the streets and into safe, secure housing.
 

• 37.5 hours per week
• Monday - Friday
• Hours: 09:00 - 17:00 (with some flexibility to occasionally work evenings, weekends and on-call duties)
• £42,000 per annum
• This is a permanent role

This is a fantastic opportunity to make an impact in the lives of adults with a history of homelessness.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Line manage Hostel Team Leader, Hostel Support Workers and Hostel Night Shift Worker, including supervision, appraisal, and performance management.
• Oversee the day-to-day running of the hostel, ensuring a safe, well-managed, and responsive service at all times
• Lead regular team meetings, reflective practice sessions, and ensure effective communication across shifts.  Provide coaching and guidance to staff on trauma-informed practice, safeguarding, and complex client support, supporting staff to use de-escalation and non-punitive approaches
• Ensure full staffing cover across rota shifts, including planning, recruitment support, and absence management
• Oversee key work delivery, ensuring support plans are effective, strengths-based, and outcome-focused
• Act as the safeguarding lead within the service, ensuring all concerns are managed appropriately and escalated where required
• Oversee financial processes including petty cash, rent collection systems, and budget monitoring
• Represent the service professionally in multi-agency meetings and forums, developing and maintaining strong working relationships with external partners, including housing providers, healthcare services, and local authorities
• Support residents to access appropriate services and move-on opportunities

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR:

• Significant experience working with people affected by homelessness or rough sleeping, including those with complex needs such as mental ill-health, substance use, or trauma.
• Experience of supervising or managing staff within a supported housing, hostel, or similar environment and of managing staffing rotas and addressing resourcing gaps, including coordinating overtime, bank/casual staff, or agency cover to maintain safe service delivery
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding, risk assessment, and incident management, with the ability to lead on identifying, responding to, and escalating concerns appropriately.
• Demonstrable understanding of trauma-informed and psychologically informed approaches, and the ability to embed these within team practice
• Strong understanding of the challenges, barriers, and behaviours associated with homelessness, and the ability to implement compassionate and effective service responses.
• Ability to manage complex and sometimes high-risk situations, providing clear direction and support to staff
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective relationships with residents, staff, and external partners
• Knowledge of local housing pathways, homelessness legislation, and community resources
• Experience of service performance monitoring, quality assurance, or contract compliance
• Good organisational and administrative skills, including confidence using IT systems for case management, monitoring, and reporting.
• Ability to work both strategically and operationally, including providing hands-on support where required

FURTHER REQUIREMENTS:

In order to register with Central Recruitment Services for temporary agency work, candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Current valid right to work in the UK
• Minimum 12 months’ of paid experience in a front line social care role within the last 3 years* (unless recruitment criteria states otherwise)
• A fully enhanced DBS either registered on the DBS update service or issued within the last 12 months, or willingness to apply for one through Central (at a cost of £60)
• Employment or education history to cover the last 5 years which can be verified through the referencing process

HOW TO APPLY:

If you feel that you fully meet the above outlined criteria for this role and would like apply for this post, please forward your CV for consideration.

*Please note the outlined experience is the 'minimum' first stage criteria, and we will therefore be unable to consider your application unless you are able to demonstrate a relevant work history in line with this position.