Southdown is accredited by Investors in People as a ‘Gold Standard’ employer. We’ve also been named as one of the top thirty employers in the UK for working families, an award given to the most flexible and family-friendly employers in the country.  But don't just take our word for it, here's what our employees have to say.  

Southdown offers an array of benefits to assist with daily expenses and promote a healthy work/life balance such as: a free health-insurance scheme, interest-free loans, flexible working arrangements (where possible) and access to thousands of discounts via a Blue Light card. For a more comprehensive list of benefits please see here.

Southdown supports flexible working and considers how this can be achieved based on individual needs balanced with the needs of providing brilliant services to clients. This may include hybrid working, flexi-time, and the use of time off in lieu (TOIL). For example, employees in many of our head office roles typically work a 40/60% home/office working schedule. 

Equality, equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are at the heart of our reason for being. We advocate for the people we work with (our employees and people who access our services) and create an inclusive culture where difference is celebrated, voice is  encouraged, and co-production is a natural way of working. Discover more about our EDI approach.  

We have created a simple one-page application form for all roles which should take between 15-30 minutes to complete. The average turn-around from application completion to interview is 2 weeks. Following interview, we provide feedback within one week. Onboarding typically takes between 1-4 weeks depending on what checks are required.

Yes, you can complete the application in stages by saving your details and then returning to your application at a later stage. We will email your application link.

If you are having problems with your application, please email jobs@southdown.org and recruitment will be able to answer your questions.

If you require any reasonable adjustments, please ensure you request these on your application form – we are happy to discuss any requirements you may have. Southdown is a Disability Confident Employer. This means that if you meet the minimum criteria for the role then you will be given the opportunity to take part in the first stage of the assessment process.

We are happy to provide constructive feedback on your application. Please email Jobs@southdown.org and recruitment will be in contact.

Yes, you can apply for multiple roles. All applications will be reviewed by the relevant hiring managers.

Unfortunately, Southdown is unable to offer sponsorship.

Southdown has its own Recruiting team. We are unable to accept speculative CVs from agencies and will not accept agency ownership of a candidate. On the rare occasion where we need to work with an agency, we work with trusted partners from our Preferred Supplier List. We are not looking to make any changes to this list.

Be sure to read through the position’s Role Profile within the job advert and prepare concrete examples of how you meet the essential criteria during your interview. 

Our interview questions will largely ask you to talk about specific examples where you’ve demonstrated the competencies within the role profile. These are called competency-based questions, and it is best to approach your answers with the STAR model in mind. Situation, Task, Activity, Result: 

Yes, you can reapply for an open position even if you were not selected for the role during previous rounds of recruitment.

We will need to obtain your proof of Right to Work and a minimum of 2 years of references for all roles. Other onboarding checks are role dependant. For instance, a DBS check is standard procedure for front-facing roles within the Learning Disabilities and Mental Health and Housing teams. If the position requires you to be a driver, we will also need to run a driving licence check.

If required, a new Disclosure and Barring Service check will be carried out and paid for by Southdown during the recruitment process.

We welcome applications from a wide range of candidates. Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar someone from working at Southdown. For positions where a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is required, this will be noted on the role profile. Where a DBS forms part of the recruitment process we encourage all applicants called for interview to provide details of their criminal record as part of their application. Any disclosure would be discussed with the hiring manager at interview to ensure compliance with requirements set by regulatory bodies such as the CQC. 

For details on what data we collect, how we process it, how long we keep it for, and what to do if you would like your data removed, please view our privacy policy.