Most management jobs in residential care feel like you're drowning in paperwork while the actual work - the reason you got into this field - slips away. This Registered Manager role is different: yes, you'll hold the licence and drive the strategy, but you're built into a team structure that actually gives you back the time to know the young people and shape their lives, not just manage the chaos
Picture your Monday: you handover with your team at 08.30, spot what matters for the week, then you've got real space to supervise your Deputy Manager, work through your action list, and still spend an hour with the young people before you leave. That's not fantasy - that's the rhythm here, because the provider has structured the role so management doesn't swallow you whole
You'll chair Child Looked After reviews that shape the direction for each young person. You'll respond when a school flags a problem, not as a firefighter but as the senior clinician who knows the child deeply enough to help them understand why education matters. You'll update risk assessments and care plans because they matter, not because you're ticking boxes. The young people will know you're not just the person behind the office door
This home runs on therapeutic principles. Your job is to hold that vision, support your team to deliver it, and make sure every decision - from staffing rotas to safeguarding - flows from what's best for the young people in your care. You'll work closely with an Operations Manager and other home managers, so you're never isolated. And you'll have a Deputy who's genuinely there to lead with you, not just absorb overflow
What you will be doing
- Hold the registered manager's licence and responsibility for the home's registration, compliance and safeguarding culture
- Lead your team through handovers, supervision and development, setting the tone for how young people are understood and supported
- Attend and lead Child Looked After reviews, making and driving recommendations that improve outcomes for each young person
- Work with your Deputy Manager to build and maintain robust risk assessments, care plans and educational engagement strategies
- Liaise with schools, social workers, and the Operations Manager to solve problems that affect the young people's stability and progress
Why you will love working here
- Lead a home where therapeutic practice isn't a poster on the wall - it's how every day actually runs, and you're the architect of that culture
- Work in a structured leadership team so you're supported, not siloed; regular contact with Operations Manager and peer managers means you're never problem-solving alone
- Have a Deputy Manager alongside you, so you can genuinely protect time for supervision, planning, and time with the young people - not just manage from behind a desk
- Join a provider committed to training and development: you'll have access to continued professional development and space to grow your practice
- Competitive salary commensurate with a registered manager role in residential care; realistic hours that respect the demands of the job without expecting you to live it
Is this you?
- Are you a qualified children's social care professional (social worker, children's nurse, residential therapeutic practitioner or equivalent) with significant experience in residential care leadership?
- Do you hold or are you willing to work towards registering with Ofsted as a Registered Manager, and do you understand children's residential home licensing and regulations?
- Can you balance strategic thinking and compliance with genuine interest in the young people themselves - you don't see management as separate from direct work?
- Are you someone who thrives in a team, can supervise and develop staff with warmth and clarity, and stay calm when multiple urgent things happen on the same day?
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.