Deputy Manager - Zoar Street in Leeds

Salary: PO1 £39,481 - £42,123 (pro rata) plus weekend enhancements and sleep in allowance where appropriate.

Hours: 37

Contract: Permanent

Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of children and young people? Leeds City Council is looking for an experienced and dedicated Deputy Manager to join our children’s residential services. In this vital role, you’ll help ensure that every young person in your care feels supported, safe, and empowered to achieve their potential. As Deputy Manager you’ll help oversee daily operations while actively engaging with children and young people, building positive relationships through shared activities and experiences.

The children have asked for someone who can do arts and crafts, take them to the movies, play games, keep them safe…and who likes pizza! Is this you? We want Leeds to be a city where all children are safe, happy and healthy, do well at school, fulfil their potential and grow up to be active citizens with voice and influence. This is your chance to join us and support our Child Friendly Leeds ambition. We are proud to align our work with the council’s values and ambitions, placing children and families at the heart of everything we do.

If you’re ready to bring your expertise, energy, and compassion to this vital role, we’d love to welcome you to our team.

About you

As Deputy Manager you will bring appropriate experience and qualifications to the role. We will fund your studies if you do not already hold the specified Level 5 Diploma. You must have:

• Level 3 Diploma in Residential Child Care and Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare (or willingness to complete Level 5 within 2 years)
• At least 2 years’ experience relevant to residential care in the last 5 years
• Extensive knowledge of the Children’s Homes Regulations 2015 and associated quality standards
• Understanding of care planning and case management, with the ability to liaise constructively with professionals and families and manage challenging situations
• Ability to lead a team, supervise and motivate colleagues

About the role

As a Deputy Manager you’ll play a key role in supporting the leadership and day-to-day running of one of our children’s homes. Working closely with the Registered Manager, you’ll help create a safe, stable and nurturing environment where young people can thrive. You’ll lead by example, providing guidance and motivation to the staff team while ensuring high standards of care are delivered. From building strong relationships with young people and their families to managing care plans and supporting staff development, this role offers variety and the chance to make a real difference. This is an opportunity to bring your skills, compassion and experience to a team committed to creating brighter futures for children and young people.

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

• A competitive salary plus enhancements for nights and weekends
• Generous annual leave entitlement plus bank holiday allowance
• A clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities, including support to study for relevant qualifications
• Membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
• A range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How to apply

Please complete the online application form. Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application. If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please email workinginchildrenshomes@leeds.gov.uk.

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check against the Children’s or Adults’ barred list as applicable will be carried out on preferred candidates. We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa. If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £38,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job purpose

The Deputy Manager takes an active role in the lives of children and young people and is responsible for the provision of a safe and stimulating environment which primarily provides good quality care for children and young people. You will assess their needs and encourage behavioural and/or relational change through proactive and positive interaction, maintaining a pro-social behaviour, restorative and solution focused approach. You will support the Registered Manager in the delivery of a high quality service that meets the emotional and developmental needs of children and young people.

You will take the lead role in the day-to-day leadership and management of the home in the provision of a safe home environment for children and young people; delivered in line with the Children’s Homes Regulations 2015 and the associated quality standards. You will organise, deploy and manage staff ensuring work patterns and rotas are flexible and maintained to ensure cover always meets the needs of the service.

Special conditions

This post is subject to a higher level check with the Disclosure and Barring Service. Please note that a criminal record will not necessarily be a bar to obtaining employment; this will depend on the circumstances and background to any offence. The hours of work are determined by the needs of the service and are worked on a rota basis, which includes weekends, Bank Holidays and, if required, sleeping-in duties.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for managing the physical environment, ensuring repairs and renewals are carried out promptly and health and safety matters are resolved
• Assist the Registered Manager with management of the home and deputise in their absence, commensurate with the grade
• Encourage and foster a commitment to continuous personal and professional growth and skills
• Supervision and appraisal of staff in line with associated policies and procedures, including participation in recruitment, selection, induction, training and support processes as required
• Management and oversight of care planning and risk management within the home and community, ensuring individual care plans are developed, delivered and evaluated, communicating any changes
• Ensure that key working sessions, skills development work and case management of children and young people’s care plans appropriately identify relevant and current risks
• Provide effective challenge to partners and corporate parents to provide resources and services
• Assist in developing, maintaining and monitoring robust quality assurance, audit systems, policies and procedures
• Physically manage young people’s behaviour in line with approved crisis management techniques, guidelines, procedure and interventions (training will be provided)
• Maintain data and information from digital and manual systems, preparing and presenting reports to senior managers and a wide range of audiences
• Keep up to date with local and national developments in respect of children and young people who are looked after, and ensure staff members are informed
• Convene, attend and chair meetings and reviews as required
• Be flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required, commensurate to grade
• Participate in appraisal, training and development activities to ensure up-to-date knowledge and skills
• Improve own practice through observation, evaluation, discussion and development programmes
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, knowing when to seek help and advice
• Contribute to the overall ethos, work and aims of the service by attending relevant meetings, training days and events as requested
• Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures such as child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all by working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding and promoting the values, standards and equal opportunities of Leeds City Council
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment or victimisation and any form of abuse of equal opportunities, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures
• The postholder is expected to work within the parameters of the council’s flexibility protocol
• The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post

Qualifications

To work in this role you must hold at minimum NVQ Diploma Level 3 in Residential Child Care and the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare. If you do not hold Level 5 we will fund your studies and you must achieve Level 5 within a reasonable period, normally 2 years after starting work. A social work qualification is an advantage but not essential to appointment.

Essential requirements

It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post. Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements.

• Management of staff, contributing to their development through appraisal, supervision and training
• Ability to take a lead role, manage, plan, organise and deploy staff, follow procedure and maintain records
• Maintenance of accurate manual and digital records in accordance with GDPR
• Ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of people including sensitive and complex information
• Use of initiative to adapt to changing circumstances and develop solutions to issues
• Ability to chair meetings constructively, arbitrating and resolving conflict when necessary
• Effective team working, organisational and time management skills, prioritising own and team’s work to meet conflicting deadlines
• Budget administration and monitoring, ensuring effective spending of budgeted sums
• In-depth knowledge of the Children’s Homes Regulations 2015 and associated quality standards
• Good knowledge and experience of law and practice relating to looked after children
• In-depth knowledge of child and adolescent growth and development
• In-depth knowledge of child protection procedures and the impact of abuse and neglect
• Computer literate with a good working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications
• In-depth knowledge of equal opportunities policies and managing diversity
• At least 2 years’ experience relevant to residential care in the last 5 years
• Care planning, risk management and case management
• Leading a team, providing supervision, motivation and direction for staff
• Managing difficult, demanding and challenging children and young people
• Convening, chairing and contributing to meetings and reviews
• Working with budgets and financial management

Essential behavioural and other characteristics required

• Be physically fit enough to carry out all requirements of the role including the use of Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) to manage challenging behaviour as required
• Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.
• Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
• Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
• Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
• Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities.
• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
• Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.
• Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity policies of Leeds City Council.
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.
• The council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.