Senior HR Manager - Children's Residential Care Guidance Care | Preston, Lancashire
Salary: £45,000 - £55,000 per annum (depending on experience)
Job Type: Full-time, Permanent
Working Hours: Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm
Location: Preston, with travel to residential homes across Lancashire
Planned Start Date: January 2027
Help shape the people and teams who make a difference to children's lives.
Guidance Care is an established and growing children's residential care provider, supporting children and young people across Lancashire.
Due to continued expansion, we are looking to recruit an experienced Senior HR Manager to take ownership of our HR function, providing strategic direction, practical support and leadership across the organisation.
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced HR professional who understands the unique demands of Ofsted-regulated children's residential care and wants to make a genuine difference.
Working closely with the Directors, Responsible Individual and Registered Managers, you will play a pivotal role in developing our people, strengthening safer recruitment practices, managing complex employee relations matters and ensuring our homes have the support they need to deliver high‑quality care.
Previous direct HR experience within Ofsted-regulated children's residential care is essential for this position.
The Opportunity
This isn't simply a traditional HR management position. You'll have the opportunity to influence how HR operates across a growing organisation, develop existing processes and work directly with senior leadership to shape the future of the business.
You'll take responsibility for both the strategic and operational delivery of HR, ensuring employment practices are consistent, managers feel supported and safeguarding remains central to every people-related decision.
Key Responsibilities
- HR Leadership: Lead and develop the HR function, implementing effective policies, procedures and people strategies across the organisation.
- Safer Recruitment: Oversee recruitment and onboarding processes, ensuring appropriate DBS and barred‑list checks, references, employment history, qualification verification and right‑to‑work checks.
- Employee Relations: Provide expert guidance on complex disciplinary, grievance, capability, performance, absence and whistleblowing matters.
- Safeguarding: Work closely with the Responsible Individual and safeguarding leads on allegations and employment‑related safeguarding concerns, ensuring appropriate escalation and coordination.
- Management Support: Coach and advise Registered Managers, Deputy Managers and team leaders, helping them navigate challenging people‑management situations.
- Staff Development and Retention: Strengthen induction, probation, supervision, appraisal and development processes to improve staff engagement and retention.
- HR Reporting: Monitor key performance indicators, including recruitment, vacancies, staff turnover, sickness absence, agency usage and training compliance.
- Employment Compliance: Maintain accurate personnel records, robust HR systems and up‑to‑date policies, ensuring readiness for audits and Ofsted inspections.
About You
We are looking for an approachable, knowledgeable and confident HR professional who can build strong relationships at every level of the organisation.
You'll need to be comfortable providing constructive challenge, managing sensitive situations and balancing the needs of employees with the operational and safeguarding responsibilities of children's residential care.
Essential Requirements
- Proven experience delivering HR support within Ofsted-regulated children's residential homes.
- Experience managing complex employee relations cases and conducting thorough, fair investigations.
- Strong understanding of safer recruitment, DBS requirements and safeguarding responsibilities.
- Knowledge of the Children's Homes Regulations and Quality Standards.
- Understanding of the roles and responsibilities of Responsible Individuals, Registered Managers and wider residential management teams.
- Strong working knowledge of UK employment legislation.
- Ability to balance staff wellbeing, safeguarding and operational requirements.
- CIPD Level 5 qualification or equivalent professional experience.
- Full ability to work from the Preston office and travel to residential homes across Lancashire.
Desirable
- CIPD Level 7 qualification.
- Chartered CIPD membership.
- Experience leading or improving HR functions across multiple children's residential homes.
Why Join Guidance Care?
- Competitive salary of £45,000 - £55,000, depending on experience.
- Permanent, full‑time position.
- Monday to Friday working hours, 9am - 5pm.
- Opportunity to take ownership of the HR function.
- Direct involvement with Directors and senior leadership.
- Opportunity to influence organisational growth and development.
- A chance to make a meaningful contribution to the stability, wellbeing and development of residential care teams.
Guidance Care is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All appointments are subject to satisfactory references and relevant pre‑employment checks, including an appropriate DBS check.
We welcome applications from all backgrounds and will make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.
Senior HR Manager – Children's Residential Care in Preston employer: Service Care Solutions
As a leading non-maintained special school in Billingshurst, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer dedicated to the holistic development of our students and staff. Our supportive work culture fosters professional growth through continuous development opportunities, while our comprehensive benefits package, including mental health support and flexible pay options, ensures the wellbeing of our team. Join us in making a meaningful impact in the lives of students with special educational needs, all within a vibrant and innovative environment.
