At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a passionate team to create a safe, nurturing environment for young people.
- Company: Join MacIntyre, a values-driven community dedicated to making a difference.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, 6 weeks annual leave, and ongoing training opportunities.
- Other info: Flexible hours with strong support network and clear career progression.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on young lives while advancing your career.
- Qualifications: Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare and 2 years' experience required.
The predicted salary is between 42131 - 51493 £ per year.
Deputy Manager - Hillside Children's Home
Location: Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
Salary: £35,683.57 per annum + benefits
Hours: 38 hours per week (flexible shift pattern, including some evenings, weekends, and on‑call duties)
Contract: Full‑time, Permanent
Make a lasting difference where it matters most.
At MacIntyre, we believe every child and young person deserves a childhood filled with joy, stability, and real opportunity.
We are looking for a dedicated, compassionate, and experienced Deputy Manager to join our team at Hillside Children’s Home in Leighton Buzzard. Rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted, Hillside provides a warm, home‑from‑home environment for young people aged 10 to 19 with moderate to severe learning disabilities, autism, and complex needs.
As Deputy Manager, you won’t just be keeping things running, you will be helping to shape a safe, welcoming environment where young people are supported to live a life that makes sense to them. You’ll be part of a team trained in our unique DNA -focusing on person‑centred care, warmth, and meaningful connections- to ensure every young person thrives.
What you’ll be doing
Working closely with the Registered Manager, you will play a central role in the daily life and leadership of the home. You will step up in their absence, lead by example, and support a passionate team of Team Leaders and Support Workers.
Your day‑to‑day will involve:
- Leading with purpose: Line managing and supporting team members, creating an environment focused on high‑quality care, reflection, and learning.
- Prioritising safety: Acting at Designated Safeguarding Officer level, ensuring every child’s safety, emotional wellbeing, and health needs are met immediately and effectively.
- Driving high standards: Helping to maintain compliance with the Children’s Homes Regulations 2015 and gathering high‑quality evidence across Ofsted’s Quality Standards.
- Collaborating across sectors: Working alongside families, local authorities, clinical teams, and MacIntyre’s therapy and education teams to deliver a joined‑up 24‑hour curriculum.
- Managing resources: Assisting with household finances, ensuring records are meticulous, and taking responsibility for keeping the home environment comfortable, homely, and personalised.
Why join MacIntyre?
When you join MacIntyre, you join a supportive, values‑driven community that invests heavily in its people. We don't view Deputy Manager as a destination, it’s a genuine step up with a clear path forward.
- Real Career Progression: We actively encourage progression. With our fully funded qualifications, structured training, and leadership development, we will help prepare you for future Registered Manager roles or wider specialist positions across the organisation.
- Support & Wellbeing: You will be backed by a strong central support network, including dedicated HR, Health & Safety, and clinical therapy teams.
"Our vision is for all people with a learning disability to live a life that makes sense to them. We achieve this by celebrating each person's unique gifts, talents, and contributions."
About You
You are someone who genuinely cares about making a positive impact on young lives. You bring solid experience from a children's residential setting, a strong working knowledge of autism and learning disabilities, and the confidence to lead others through both quiet routines and challenging moments.
To be successful in this role, you will need:
- Qualifications: A Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare (essential) and a willingness to work towards your Level 5 Diploma in Leadership & Management (Residential Childcare), which we will fully fund and support.
- Experience: At least 2 years’ experience working in a children’s residential home.
- Skills: Strong communication, organisation, and IT skills, with experience designing bespoke support strategies and working alongside families and external agencies.
- Driving: A full UK driving licence with access to a vehicle for business use.
- Flexibility: The capability to work flexible hours (38 hours per week across shifts, including some evenings and weekends) and participate in an on‑call rota to support our children’s homes.
Welcome to our Wingrave community
We have four modern houses within our school campus, situated right next to the heart of the village of Wingrave. Each house is a real home, accommodating up to five young people in their own bedrooms, which are decorated and equipped to match their individual tastes.
Because our homes are registered in pairs, you will work across two houses, supporting up to ten young people in total. You will never be doing this alone; you will be backed by a large, collaborative staff team and experienced home managers who are there to guide and support you every step of the way.
We celebrate the successes and personal gifts of each child, and we want our team to be truly aspirational for the young people we support. When faced with new challenges, we work together to ensure our homes remain a positive, deeply supportive, and rewarding place to come to work.
Your Career Progression & Benefits:
Wherever you're starting from, we'll help you succeed.
You’ll receive a full induction, a mix of online and face‑to‑face training, and mentoring from experienced colleagues while you learn the role.
As your career develops, you'll have access to ongoing learning, professional qualifications where relevant, and opportunities to progress, all fully supported by MacIntyre.
Pay and benefits
Alongside your salary, you'll enjoy a range of benefits including:
- 6 weeks' annual leave per year including public holidays
- Pension scheme
- Paid DBS check
- Health and wellbeing support, including an Employee Assistance Programme
- Shopping discounts through Blue Light Card and our staff discounts scheme
- Ongoing training and career development
See the full range of benefits on the Careers page of our website.
Safer recruitment
We are committed to safeguarding the children, young people and adults we support. If we offer you a job, we’ll work with you to complete the appropriate pre‑employment checks.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we work in.
If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, we're happy to help, call us on 01908 357016. Our recruitment website also includes accessibility tools such as translation, Open Dyslexic font and display options.
Deputy Manager in Leighton Buzzard employer: MacIntyre
At MacIntyre, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the lives of children and young people with learning disabilities and autism. Our St Albans children's home fosters a warm and supportive work culture where kindness, respect, and teamwork are paramount, offering extensive training and career development opportunities to help you grow as a leader. With generous benefits including six weeks of annual leave, a workplace pension scheme, and access to employee discounts, joining our team means becoming part of a compassionate community committed to empowering both staff and the children we support.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Deputy Manager in Leighton Buzzard
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at MacIntyre.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from MacIntyre!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like MacIntyre, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at MacIntyre or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Deputy Manager in Leighton Buzzard
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to MacIntyre:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to MacIntyre! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at MacIntyre
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
