Most deputy manager roles in residential care feel like you're drowning in paperwork and politics, watching from the sidelines as the real work happens without you. We need someone different: a leader who can walk into a chaotic shift and bring calm, who gets stuck in alongside their team, and who genuinely cares whether the young people in this home feel safe, seen and supported
You'll be the steady hand that keeps this home running well. When the manager is leading strategy, you're the one making sure every shift is staffed, every safeguarding concern is handled properly, and every young person knows there's an adult in the building who has their back. It's operational leadership that directly protects vulnerable kids
This isn't about climbing a corporate ladder. It's about being the person who designs and champions support plans that actually change lives, working alongside social workers, families and your own team to understand what each young person really needs and how to deliver it. You'll see the impact of your decisions in real time
You'll work within clear policies and procedures in a structured environment, but you'll have the autonomy to lead your team with integrity. The manager trusts you to hold high professional standards and to speak up when something isn't right. That accountability is real, and it matters
What you will be doing
- Step up as the second-in-command, supporting the manager and children across the home, and leading the team when they're not on site
- Help assess the needs of each young person and collaborate with social workers, staff, parents and others to design and implement support plans that work
- Maintain a secure, stable and supportive environment where young people's health, culture, religion, race, identity and lifestyle are genuinely respected and promoted
- Follow all policies and procedures to ensure the home is safe, secure and healthy at all times, and hold your team to the same high standards
- Take on other reasonable tasks as the manager designates, rolling up your sleeves wherever you're needed most
Why you will love working here
- A genuine leadership role where you're not just managing paperwork but leading a team and directly protecting vulnerable young people
- The chance to work alongside a manager who values your input and trusts you with real responsibility and autonomy
- A structured environment with clear policies, procedures and support, so you're never guessing whether you're doing the right thing
- The opportunity to design support plans that make a tangible difference to individual young people's lives
Is this you?
- You've got real experience in residential or supported living settings for young people, and you understand what safeguarding actually means in practice
- You're a natural leader who brings calm to chaos, who listens as much as you direct, and who leads by example rather than ego
- You're detail-oriented and comfortable with policies, procedures and documentation, but you don't let process get in the way of doing right by young people
- You're reflective and honest about your own practice, and you want to work in an environment where high professional standards are non-negotiable
- You can demonstrate a genuine commitment to respecting and promoting the welfare, identity and wellbeing of vulnerable children and young people
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.