Most deputy manager roles in residential care feel like you're drowning in paperwork while missing the actual relationships that drew you to this work. Here's the difference: this is a hands-on leadership position where you're genuinely present with the young people, building real trust and impact every single day, not just managing from behind a desk
Picture your Friday: you're up early getting three young people ready for school and college, then you're delegating smartly to your team so you can crack on with the real leadership work. Mid-morning a young person needs picking up unwell from school, so you go. This is what leadership looks like here - you're trusted to make the call and respond immediately, not waiting for someone else to sort it
Lunch with one of the kids, two staff supervisions completed, homework support when they're back, then you're making shepherd's pie for tea and heading to the park for football. Yes, that's all one shift. The home has that buzz - the chatter at breakfast, the settling at bedtime - and you're woven into it, not separate from it. You're building the culture while you manage it
You work two days on, three days off. That rota means you actually have a life outside the home, which means you come back refreshed and present. The manager trusts you with their to-do list because they know you'll delegate well, problem-solve in real time, and keep the home running smoothly without losing sight of why you do this work. This is where skilled care professionals become real leaders
What you will be doing
- Lead the daily life of the home across your shifts: getting young people up, to school or college, supporting homework, meal times, activities and evening routines, alongside your management duties
- Supervise and develop your care team, delegating tasks effectively and ensuring consistent, high-quality support for the young people in your care
- Support the manager with operational tasks, paperwork and planning, working from the office when needed but never losing connection with the home's day-to-day life
- Respond flexibly to young people's needs: pick-ups from school when unwell, supporting emotional wellbeing, organising activities like park visits and games that build relationships and trust
- Help create and maintain a warm, stable environment where three young people can thrive, with clear routines, good food, homework support and genuine care
Why you will love working here
- A leadership role that keeps you grounded in real relationships with young people, not buried in management alone
- A two-on, three-off rota that actually gives you a proper life outside work so you can bring your best self when you're here
- A smaller home setting (three young people) where your decisions matter and you can see the direct impact of your leadership every day
- A supportive manager who trusts you to problem-solve, respond flexibly and develop your team - genuine professional growth, not just a title
- A fully Ofsted-registered service where you can develop your career with security and credibility
Is this you?
- Are you an experienced residential care worker ready to step into leadership, or a deputy/manager keen to work in a smaller, more intimate setting where you can really know the young people?
- Do you have the energy and flexibility to be both hands-on (cooking tea, playing football, getting kids ready) and strategic (supervising staff, managing tasks, supporting the manager)?
- Can you delegate well and trust your team, rather than trying to do everything yourself?
- Are you comfortable with a two days on, three days off rota and able to commit to the consistency young people in residential care desperately need?
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.