Deputy Manager - Residential Family Centre (Ofsted)

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Deputy Manager - Residential Family Centre (Ofsted)

Full-Time On-site

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Deputy Manager, Residential Family Centre

Westcliff-on-Sea, with occasional travel to the registered office at Socata House, 543–545 London Road, Westcliff-on-Sea.

Vacancy listed30/09/2026

Details

Key Responsibilities Supporting the Day-to-Day Running of Willow Reach

Support the Registered Manager in the day-to-day management of the centre, ensuring the centre operates consistently with the Statement of Purpose and provides a safe, well-run environment for families.
Take a share of shift leadership, including acting as the person in charge of a shift on a rota basis, in line with the staffing structure
Support rota management, ensuring two staff, awake, are on duty overnight and that paediatric first aid cover is in place on every shift.
Contribute to the weekly placement plan and risk assessment review for each family, and lead these reviews when asked to do so by the Registered Manager.
In Registered Manager’s absence being responsible for leading safe evaluations and fire safety actions, contribute and support the development of personal evacuation plans with families and staff
Help ensure the quality of the physical environment, and report premises, health and safety and maintenance matters promptly.
Help ensure the Centre is Ofsted visit ready every day, with the premises, records and evidence kept in a state that would satisfy an unannounced inspection at any time.
Undertake cleaning duties directly, and support the wider staff team with cleaning tasks as needed, and provide some direct physical support to new parents with practical day-to-day tasks.

Deputising for the Registered Manager

Act as the nominated deputy for the Registered Manager during periods of planned and unplanned absence, in line with regulation 27 of the Residential Family Centres Regulations 2002.
Maintain continuity of the centre's day-to-day management while deputising, including decisions on admissions, staffing and the immediate response to incidents.
Escalate to the Responsible Individual any matter that cannot reasonably wait for the Registered Manager's return.
Hand back to the Registered Manager on their return with a clear account of decisions taken and matters outstanding.

Staff Supervision, Training and Development

Provide supervision to allocated members of the staff team, in line with City Family's supervision and appraisal policy and the cadence set out in the Statement of Purpose.
Support the Registered Manager in holding and reviewing the training matrix, and in ensuring induction is completed and signed off before anyone works unsupervised, including bank and agency staff.
Model good practice and support the professional development of less experienced members of the team.
Contribute to recruitment, including sitting on interview panels in line with City Family's safer recruitment training requirements.

Safeguarding and Quality Assurance

Promote a culture of safeguarding across the centre, in line with City Family's Safeguarding Policy and the Southend Safeguarding Partnership procedures.
Identify and act on safeguarding concerns promptly, including referral to the Local Authority Designated Officer where required.
Support the Registered Manager in preparing for the Responsible Individual's monthly regulation 25 visit and the regulation 23 quality of care review, and help act on the findings of both.
Contribute to the quarterly safeguarding audit.
Support the handling of complaints in line with the Complaints Policy, including the 48-hour acknowledgement and 28-day response timescales.

Records and Regulatory Readiness

Help ensure records are kept in the form Schedule 3 and Schedule 4 require, and retained for the periods the regulations set: 15 years for family records and at least three years for centre records.
Support notifications to Ofsted and the placing authority being made without delay where the Registered Manager is unavailable to do so.
Support medication being stored, issued and recorded in line with the Medicines Policy, and ensure any error or omission is recorded and escalated to the Registered Manager.
Maintain personal fitness for the role, including an enhanced DBS check with barred lists and a satisfactory health declaration.

Person Specification

Essential

At least three years' experience in a senior, supervisory or Deputy Manager role in an Ofsted-registered provision.
Experience of leading a shift or a team in a residential childcare, family assessment or comparable regulated children's service.
Knowledge of the Residential Family Centres Regulations 2002 and the National Minimum Standards for Residential Family Centres, or the equivalent regulations and standards for the setting in which that experience was gained.
Knowledge of safeguarding and child protection, including local authority referral routes and the Local Authority Designated Officer process.
Experience of supervising and supporting staff, including holding formal supervision.
Able to take charge of a shift and to make sound decisions under pressure, including in the Registered Manager's absence.
Able to meet Ofsted's fit person requirements, including an enhanced DBS check with barred lists and a satisfactory health declaration.
Strong organisational skills, and experience of maintaining records and evidence to a regulatory standard.
Strong IT skills and significant experience using the Microsoft Suite and CRM systems

Desirable

Holds, or is working towards, the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare (England), or an equivalent Level 5 qualification (or willingness to work towards)
Experience of an Ofsted, CQC or comparable registration or inspection process.
Experience of, or a clear understanding of, family assessment models and the family court environment.
A relevant professional qualification in social work, early years or a related field.

Skills and Attributes

Calm, confident and compassionate leadership style, able to step up and deputise at short notice.
Excellent written communication, including report writing to a standard suitable for Ofsted and the courts.
A proactive, hands-on approach, willing to undertake practical and physical tasks alongside the staff team.
Commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and family voice.
A commitment to ongoing professional and practice development.

Additional Requirements

To be part of the on-call arrangements for Willow Reach, schedule to be confirmed.
To be willing to undertake cleaning and other practical tasks as part of the day-to-day running of the centre.

Equalities

The post-holder must be aware of and respect difference and ensure that children have equality of access to opportunities to grow, learn and develop. They must have an understanding of, and commitment to, equality of opportunity and anti-racism issues.

Policies and Procedures

The post-holder must be aware of and comply with all the organisation's policies and procedures, including those relating to: bribery and corruption, safeguarding, confidentiality, data protection, health and safety, security, and signing agreements and contracts and financial matters.

This role description is not an exhaustive list of duties and you will also be required to carry out any other duties which may reasonably be required of you in accordance with the needs of City Family CIC. You are also required to be flexible and adaptable with respect to your role.

Terms and Conditions

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and requires an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check with barred lists. Applicants must be prepared to disclose any convictions they may have and any orders which have been made against them. Appointment is also subject to satisfactory references and to meeting Ofsted's fit person requirements.

Professional Development

Regular supervision from the Registered Manager.
Support to work towards the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare, where not already held.
Continuing professional development support relevant to residential childcare practice.
An annual appraisal against the success measures below.

Success Measures

Effective, safe deputising for the Registered Manager during periods of absence, with no gap in the centre's day-to-day management.
A well-supervised, well-trained staff team, with supervision delivered to the agreed cadence for allocated staff.
The Centre kept inspection ready at all times.
Complaints, safeguarding and notification timescales met, with no material regulatory findings, for matters handled while deputising.
A good or better outcome at the Centre’s first Ofsted inspection.

Pension

These are the statutory minimum automatic enrolment contributions, unchanged since 6 April 2019 and calculated on qualifying earnings.

City Family Organisational Standards

| Be accountable and honest | Ensure your actions align with your words and our values. Be truthful, stay committed to your responsibilities, respect confidentiality and avoid conflicts of interest. Own your actions and acknowledge errors promptly, working to rectify them.

| Remain professional and positive | Approach situations and interactions with a can-do attitude. Be polite, encourage others and view challenges as opportunities for growth. Be flexible in your approach.

| Respect others | Actively listen to others, communicate clearly, avoiding assumptions and judgements. Respond to tasks in a timely manner and treat others with dignity and compassion.

| Be a team player | Actively contribute to City Family's vision, support colleagues and value diversity. Provide constructive feedback in a supportive environment.

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