Most management roles in social care ask you to choose between real leadership and real impact. This one doesn't. We're looking for a Deputy Manager to step into a Refuge service supporting survivors of domestic abuse, where you'll line manage a team, shape service development, and work alongside people whose lives depend on the support you champion every single day
You'll report directly to the Service Manager and lead a small team of support workers and housing management staff who are already doing brilliant work. Your job is to make that team better: clearer about their mission, stronger in their skills, and more connected to the survivors they're supporting. This means real line management - one-to-ones that matter, training that lands, and the space to solve problems together
The home is a registered charity with nearly 70 years of specialist expertise in housing and support services. You'll be working within a provider that manages around 4,500 homes across England, which means resources, stability, and a genuine commitment to developing staff like you. The team culture here values individual differences and champions inclusivity - not as a box to tick, but as how things actually work
You'll drive service development and work with stakeholder partners to enhance networks and outcomes for the people you serve. That's not a management phrase - that's the chance to actually shape how this service evolves, to spot what's not working and lead the change to fix it. And you'll contribute to organisational goals through training, working groups, and national programmes, so your influence extends beyond the service walls
What you will be doing
- Line manage support workers and housing management staff, supporting their development, performance and wellbeing
- Work alongside the Service Manager to deliver person-centred support to survivors of domestic abuse, ensuring their needs drive everything the service does
- Drive service development and improvement, identifying what works, what doesn't, and leading change
- Work with stakeholder partners - local authorities, specialist agencies, community partners - to strengthen networks and improve outcomes
- Ensure legal, organisational and regulatory compliance across the service
- Contribute to organisational goals through involvement in training delivery, working groups and national programmes
Why you will love working here
- 26 days annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing to 31 days - and genuine space to use it
- A comprehensive benefits package including matched pension scheme up to 6%, enhanced family leave from day one, occupational sick pay, plus the provider Cash Back Plan covering optical, dental, therapies and 24/7 GP access with counselling support
- Real support to learn, broaden your skills and develop your career - paid volunteering days, Cycle to Work Scheme, discounted private medical insurance, and financial support options including season ticket loans, emergency loans and mortgage advice
- A fun and inclusive work culture where your individual differences are genuinely valued and championed
- The stability and resources of a large specialist provider, backing your work with expertise and partnership
Is this you?
- You have some experience of working with vulnerable adults or survivors of domestic abuse (direct experience or a clear commitment to learning this specialism)
- You have strong leadership and people management skills - you know how to get the best from a team and how to develop people
- Your values align with the mission of the home: you're genuinely driven to support those whose need is great
- You can influence, lead and problem-solve - you see barriers as puzzles to work through, not walls to accept
- You're comfortable with occasional evening and weekend work, and willing to participate in an on-call rota
Applications close on 12 October 2026. Great roles like this are filled quickly, so the sooner you apply the better.
Safeguarding: We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All roles are subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.