Registered Manager - IFA

Registered Manager (RM) – Independent Fostering Agency Location: Romford, Essex Salary: £55,000 – £70,000 + bonus Reports to: Responsible Individual / Board Overview We are seeking an experienced Registered Manager to lead the day-to-day operations of a new Independent Fostering Agency. This role offers the opportunity to build and shape a fostering service from inception, working within an established group that already delivers children’s and healthcare services. You will play a key role in developing a high-quality fostering provision, supporting foster carers, and ensuring children receive safe, stable and nurturing placements. The Role As Registered Manager, you will take responsibility for the operational leadership of the fostering service, ensuring it meets all regulatory and safeguarding requirements while delivering excellent outcomes for children and young people. You will lead on the recruitment, assessment and approval of foster carers, ensuring a strong pipeline of high-quality carers is developed. This will involve overseeing Form F assessments, panel processes and training programmes, as well as ensuring foster carers receive consistent supervision and support to promote retention and placement stability. You will work closely with local authorities to respond to referrals, match children appropriately and maintain strong placement relationships. A key focus of the role will be ensuring that placements are stable, well-supported and tailored to the individual needs of each child. You will be responsible for building and managing a team of supervising social workers and support staff, creating a culture that prioritises safeguarding, professional development and high standards of care. Alongside this, you will implement and maintain effective quality assurance systems, ensuring the service is always inspection-ready and continuously improving. Working closely with the Responsible Individual, you will contribute to the ongoing development of the service, helping to refine operational processes, improve performance and support growth. About You You will be a qualified social worker registered with Social Work England and have substantial experience within fostering or children’s services. You will have experience managing teams, supervising social workers and working within regulatory frameworks. You are confident in managing the full fostering lifecycle, from recruitment and assessment through to placement support and review. You understand the pressures local authorities face and can respond effectively to placement demands while maintaining quality. You will be a strong and approachable leader who can build trust with foster carers, staff and external partners, while maintaining a clear focus on safeguarding and outcomes. Why Join This role offers the opportunity to take a leading position in building a new fostering agency with strong backing and clear growth plans. You will have the ability to shape the operational model, influence recruitment strategy and play a key role in establishing a high-performing service from the outset