Voyage Care is one of the UK’s leading providers of specialist care and support for people with learning disabilities, autism, acquired brain injuries and complex needs.

Supporting thousands of people across hundreds of services nationwide, Voyage Care has built a reputation for delivering high-quality, person-centred care that enables people to live more independently and achieve meaningful outcomes.

Backed by an experienced Executive Team and investors committed to long-term growth, the organisation is entering an exciting new phase. Significant investment, digital innovation and a clear strategic vision are creating opportunities to further strengthen quality, expand specialist services and continue raising standards across the sector.

At the heart of this next chapter is a belief that quality should not simply assure standards, it should shape strategy, influence culture and improve lives.

 

 

Why this role is different

This is not a traditional quality leadership role.

Rather than inheriting a turnaround or maintaining the status quo, you will join an organisation with strong foundations and genuine ambition. Quality is viewed as a strategic enabler of operational excellence, organisational culture and sustainable growth, sitting at the heart of executive decision-making rather than operating as a standalone function.

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, you will work closely with the Executive Team, Board and Non-Executive Directors to influence organisational strategy, shape future models of care and help define what outstanding quality looks like across one of the UK’s largest specialist care providers.

For an ambitious executive leader, this is an opportunity to leave a lasting legacy by improving outcomes for the people Voyage Care supports whilst helping shape the future direction of the organisation.

 

 

The Opportunity

Voyage Care is seeking an exceptional Quality Director to provide executive leadership for quality, governance, clinical assurance and organisational improvement.

This role extends well beyond regulatory compliance. The successful candidate will partner with operational leaders to embed quality into every aspect of service delivery, from admissions and staffing models to service design, digital transformation and organisational growth.

You will lead the organisation’s Quality, Safety and Risk agenda, using data, insight and evidence-based practice to drive continuous improvement, strengthen organisational resilience and support strategic decision-making at Board level.

The role offers significant executive exposure whilst remaining highly visible across frontline services, building confidence with Registered Managers, operational leaders and colleagues throughout the organisation.

 

 

Key Responsibilities

The successful candidate will:

• Provide strategic leadership for quality, governance and assurance across a national, complex, multi-site specialist care provider.
• Embed quality as a driver of operational excellence, organisational culture and sustainable growth.
• Partner with Executive and Operational leaders to ensure quality is embedded within admissions, service design, staffing models and day-to-day operational decision-making.
• Lead the organisation’s Quality, Safety and Risk agenda, providing assurance and strategic advice to the Executive Team and Board.
• Influence strategic decisions relating to organisational growth, service complexity, acquisitions and future models of care.
• Champion the use of digital technologies, quality intelligence and predictive analytics to strengthen organisational decision-making and improve outcomes.
• Drive organisation-wide quality improvement programmes that move beyond compliance towards intelligence-led, outcome-focused improvement.
• Provide visible leadership across the organisation, building credibility and trust with Registered Managers, frontline teams and senior operational leaders.
• Foster a culture of learning, openness, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Build productive relationships with regulators, commissioners and external partners whilst promoting the highest standards of care and governance.

 

 

What We’re Looking For

This role is intended for experienced executive quality leaders who have already operated successfully at scale.

We are seeking individuals who have led quality, governance and assurance across large, complex, multi-site health or social care organisations and who are comfortable influencing Executive Teams, Boards and operational leaders.

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• A proven track record of operating at Executive Director or equivalent senior leadership level within a large, complex, multi-site organisation.
• Significant experience leading quality improvement beyond regulatory compliance, delivering measurable improvements in quality, safety and outcomes.
• Strong clinical governance, safeguarding, risk management and organisational assurance expertise.
• Experience partnering senior operational leaders to embed quality throughout service delivery rather than operating as an independent assurance function.
• Strong strategic thinking with experience supporting organisational growth, transformation, service redesign or acquisitions.
• Experience presenting quality, safety and organisational risk at Executive Team and Board level.
• Advanced analytical capability, using quality intelligence, digital tools and data to drive proactive decision-making.
• Outstanding communication, influencing and relationship-building skills.
• A genuine passion for improving the lives and outcomes of the people we support.

 

 

Essential Experience

This is a Board-facing executive leadership appointment. Applicants should be able to demonstrate most, if not all, of the following:

• Significant Executive Director or divisional leadership experience within a large, complex, multi-site health or social care organisation.
• Accountability for quality, governance and assurance across a substantial operational portfolio supporting multiple services and large dispersed workforces.
• A proven track record of leading organisation-wide quality improvement and transformation programmes delivering measurable improvements in quality, regulatory performance and organisational outcomes.
• Experience advising Executive Teams, Boards and Non-Executive Directors on quality, governance, organisational risk and strategic improvement.
• Strong operational credibility, working alongside Managing Directors, operational leaders and frontline teams to embed quality into everyday decision-making.
• Experience leading through organisational growth, transformation, acquisitions or large-scale service change.
• A comprehensive understanding of CQC regulation, safeguarding, clinical governance and organisational risk within complex care environments.

 

 

 

Success in the Role

Success will be measured not simply by regulatory performance, but by your ability to:

• Position quality as a strategic enabler across the organisation.
• Strengthen organisational culture through visible, values-led leadership.
• Embed operational ownership of quality across all services.
• Improve outcomes for the people Voyage Care supports.
• Develop intelligence-led quality systems that proactively identify opportunity and risk.
• Support organisational growth through robust governance, innovation and high-quality service design.
• Continue raising standards across one of the UK’s leading specialist care providers.

 

 

This appointment is being managed on a retained and confidential basis by Rinnova.

For a confidential discussion or to request further information, please contact:

 

Carl Stevenson
Managing Director
Rinnova
E: cstevenson@rinnova.co.uk