My Working Day: Operations Manager

I am in my 17^th year at Behind Closed Doors which equates to the longest serving member of the team, but also the oldest (not something I like to ponder on). I find it hard to describe a typical day, because there isn’t one. That said, my day starts at 6am when I get up after having a cup of tea and watching the news headlines. I normally leave the house at around 7.30am, after saying goodbye to our dog and head out for the office. 8am is the start of my working day, as this allows me to log on, check my emails and ensure there are no staff absences or problems that may present for that day.

As the various teams start to arrive in the office and other staff members that may be working remotely or in different locations, log in with me, I check my plans for that day. Invariably, these can change during the course of the day if my support is required with any safeguarding issues or crisis situations. My role is to support the various areas of Behind Closed Doors that make up the services we deliver. These include the Community Domestic Violence Team, the Prevention and Recovery Team, the Domestic Violence and Abuse Co-ordinators based in the Early Help Hubs, the Complex Needs Workers, the Sanctuary Support Worker and the Men’s Service. Working closely with the supervisors for both the Community Domestic Violence Team and the Prevention and Recovery Service, we look at capacity on a daily basis, how many referrals are in service and whether there is room to take any more. I liaise closely with our partner agencies to ensure we are operating efficiently, managing throughput and addressing any potential issues on the horizon.

Over the course of the month I will attend Operation Managers’ Meetings with our consortium partners that make up Leeds Domestic Violence Service and work in partnership on tasks such as quality management frameworks and quarterly monitoring and reporting procedures. I attend quarterly meetings with our other partners in the Early Help Hubs and Sanctuary Support Scheme and work closely with them to deliver quality services.

A large part of my role is to ensure quality assurance processes are underpinned in all the services we deliver and that Safeguarding and Risk Assessment Procedures are embedded and adhered to. The safety of our service users and staff team is at the forefront and threads through everything we do.

On a day that I am in the office, I will take a lunch break and spend it in the kitchen with any other BCD staff in the office on that day. It is a good opportunity to step away from what is a pressured environment and spend some quality time with colleagues, often having a good giggle about something.

Most days are full and so when it is time to go home, I appreciate it. I especially enjoy the rapturous welcome I get from our dog when I arrive home which involves multiple hugs and a trip to his goody box for a treat (for him, not me)

Evenings normally involve, putting my PJ’s on, feet up and watching something not too taxing, or with humour, to wind down and be ready for the next day ahead.