Assistant Director of Mental Health & Autism

Greys Specialist Recruitment are working with a specialist health and social care provider to recruit an Assistant Director of Mental Health & Autism.

This is a senior leadership role responsible for overseeing a portfolio of mental health and autism services across supported living, crisis intervention, specialist provision and multisite operations.

The successful candidate will lead service delivery, operational performance, regulatory compliance, culture, quality, safeguarding, referrals, occupancy and financial sustainability across a complex care environment. This is a key role within the senior care leadership structure, working closely with regional managers, commissioners, internal teams and external health and social care partners.

The role would suit an experienced senior leader with a strong background in mental health, autism, complex needs and commissioned adult social care services.

The Role

As Assistant Director of Mental Health & Autism, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across a defined portfolio of services, ensuring high-quality, person-led support that promotes independence, wellbeing and personal development.

You will be responsible for leading Regional Managers, embedding best practice, driving service improvement and ensuring services operate in line with regulatory, contractual, safeguarding and quality requirements.

The role will also involve working closely with commissioners, local authorities, NHS/ICB partners and wider health and social care organisations to support service development, referrals, occupancy, partnership working and growth across the region.

This is a hybrid role, with time split between home working, central office and service locations. Flexibility will be required, including occasional evening/weekend work and participation in senior on-call arrangements.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage mental health and autism services across supported living, crisis intervention, specialist services and multisite settings.

• Provide leadership, coaching and support to Regional Managers.

• Ensure services deliver high-quality, person-led support that promotes independence, wellbeing and positive outcomes.

• Drive positive cultural change and embed organisational values across services.

• Maintain strong regulatory compliance, quality standards and service governance.

• Oversee safeguarding, incident management, risk management and multidisciplinary working.

• Lead on service performance, KPIs, action plans and continuous improvement.

• Manage budgets, resources, cost controls and income maximisation.

• Oversee referrals, voids, occupancy, pricing, care cost models and commissioner relationships.

• Work with finance and internal stakeholders to ensure services are financially sustainable.

• Develop relationships with local authorities, NHS/ICB partners, commissioners and wider health and social care organisations.

• Support tenders, frameworks, service development and growth opportunities.

• Lead on care systems, data, reporting and service performance information.

• Support recruitment, retention, workforce planning and reduction of agency reliance.

• Deputise for the Director of Care where required.

• Promote collaboration across central office, operational teams and external partners.

The Person

We are looking for a senior health and social care leader with significant experience delivering services for people with mental health conditions, autism, complex needs and/or dual diagnoses.

You will have a strong understanding of commissioned adult social care provision, regulatory requirements, safeguarding, CQC expectations, quality improvement and financial management.

The successful candidate will be values-led, commercially aware and confident operating at a senior level, with the ability to influence internal teams, commissioners, health partners and external stakeholders.

This role requires someone who can balance quality, compliance, culture, risk and commercial sustainability while keeping the people supported at the centre of decision-making.

Requirements

• Senior leadership experience within adult social care, mental health, autism, learning disability, complex needs or specialist supported living services.

• Experience managing multisite services through regional or operational managers.

• Strong knowledge of CQC requirements, safeguarding, quality assurance and regulatory compliance.

• Experience working with individuals with complex diagnoses, including autism, mental health needs, personality disorder, self-harm risk or suicide prevention needs.

• Understanding of recovery-based models, therapeutic approaches and person-led support.

• Experience working with commissioners, local authorities, NHS/ICB partners or health and social care frameworks.

• Strong financial and commercial awareness, including budgets, voids, referrals, occupancy, cost models and service sustainability.

• Proven ability to lead cultural change, service improvement and quality turnaround.

• Experience coaching, mentoring and developing operational leaders.

• Strong communication skills, including board-level reporting, presentations and stakeholder engagement.

• Confident using digital care systems, data, reporting tools and Microsoft Office.

• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle for business use.

• Flexibility to travel to services and work occasional evenings/weekends where required.

Qualifications

• Level 5 Leadership for Health and Social Care, or equivalent relevant professional qualification.

• Additional mental health, autism, positive behaviour support or related professional qualification would be advantageous.

• Willingness to undertake ongoing learning, mandatory training and professional development.

Package

• Salary: £75,000

• Hybrid working

• Senior leadership role within a specialist care provider

• Opportunity to influence strategy, culture and service development

• Work across mental health, autism, supported living and specialist services

• Ongoing professional development

• Travel across services required

The Opportunity

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced senior care leader to take ownership of a specialist mental health and autism portfolio.

The role offers genuine influence across service quality, culture, growth, commissioner relationships, operational delivery and strategic development.

If you have a strong background in complex adult social care, mental health, autism and senior operational leadership, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact within a values-led organisation delivering specialist support across the South East.

To apply, contact Greys Specialist Recruitment.

Location: Reigate | Salary: £75000 per year | Job type: Permanent | Posted: 29/06/2026