Job Description

Purpose of the Role

Willoughby Place Ltd provides regulated supported accommodation to children and young adults aged 16+. The Deputy Manager supports the Registered Service Manager in leading one or more homes, ensuring the safety, welfare, and development of young people and the consistent delivery of care that meets or exceeds the Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023, the Children Act 1989.

Key Responsibilities

The Deputy Manager will lead and support a team to deliver high?quality, safe and nurturing accommodation. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Safeguarding & Welfare

Promote and safeguard the welfare of every young person in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018) and internal Safeguarding Policy
.o Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) deputy, ensuring timely escalation and recording of concerns, strategy discussions, and liaison with external safeguarding partners.

Champion a culture of professional curiosity and ensure all staff understand safer?recruitment, whistleblowing and escalation procedures. Undertake regular audits of incident logs, risk assessments and safeguarding files to ensure compliance with Ofsted inspection frameworks. Understand your individual responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of the young people Work to relevant frameworks and legislation relating to the support and care of young people, including the Supported Accommodation Regulations and Quality Standards 2023, Children's Act 1989, Data Protection Act 1998, Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.
Leadership & Management

Provide day?to?day leadership and supervision of staff, including recruitment, structured induction, coaching, probation reviews, appraisals and performance management.
Oversee safe staffing levels and effective rota planning to ensure 24/7 cover while controlling agency spend and staying within agreed budgets.

Model high professional standards and lead regular team meetings, reflective practice sessions and one?to?one supervisions.

Deputise fully for the Registered Service Manager, including participation in the 24/7 on?call rota and acting as Responsible Individual when required. Compile rotas, facilitate team meetings, and oversee the home's budgets. Supervise team members, monitor performance, sickness, and training needs, and complete annual appraisals. Lead on the management of services including staff management and supervision, care and placement planning, safeguarding, communications, report writing, and monitoring quality and compliance. Ensure full implementation of statutory and organisational policies and provide feedback on their effectiveness.
Lead in a way that is aspirational, inspiring both young people and staff.

.o Assist the Registered Service Manager in producing monitoring reports, statistical data and evaluation as required and within agreed deadlines.

Ensure the principles of equality and diversity are embedded in the culture of the home.

Support

Oversee creation, implementation and review of individual support plans, risk assessments and independence plans, ensuring they are outcome?focused and young?person?centred.
Contribute to young people's care plans and risk assessments, their review and implementation.

Promote development of life skills such as budgeting, cooking, personal hygiene and tenancy readiness to prepare young people for independence.

Establish positive relationships with young people and always offer them unconditional and positive regard.

Support staff to help young people gain self?control by challenging unacceptable behaviour and rewarding acceptable, pro?social conduct.

Provide a positive role model, able to offer advice, guidance and assistance where appropriate.
Provide advice, assistance and support to staff so that they are able to help young people address past and present difficulties.

Provide emotional support at times of difficulty or stress for staff and young people. Ensure homes are maintained to a safe, clean and welcoming standard, encouraging staff to involve young people in maintaining their environment. Attend planning meetings, reviews or any other meetings and act as an advocate at meetings where the young person is the subject of discussion. Support staff to deliver therapeutic, trauma?informed practice and positive behaviour support strategies.

Quality & Compliance

Maintain accurate and contemporaneous records, reports and data to evidence compliance with statutory requirements, GDPR and organisational policies.
Ensure that good quality records are maintained complying with company safeguarding procedures and policies.

Lead internal audits, quality assurance checks and continuous?improvement action plans in line with Ofsted Supported Accommodation Standards.
Prepare for and contribute to Ofsted inspections, local authority monitoring visits and commissioning reviews.

Monitor budgets, petty cash and expenditure, ensuring financial controls and reporting are maintained.

Handle any crisis situations or incidents promptly and effectively, ensuring appropriate safeguarding procedures and strategies.

Lead on the implementation of policies, procedures and quality assurance.

Community & Partnership

Build and sustain effective relationships with local authorities, commissioners, social workers, families and partner agencies to ensure positive outcomes for young people.o Develop constructive working relationships within the wider community to promote overall outcomes for looked after children.o Represent the service at statutory reviews, professionals' meetings and multi?agency safeguarding forums.o Maintain professional relationships with the team around the child, multi?agency partnerships and, where appropriate, parents, families and other stakeholders.o Promote the involvement of young people in decision?making processes, actively encouraging their participation and listening to their perspectives.

Teamwork

Work collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organisational aims and objectives.
Attend/lead team and staff meetings, making a positive contribution to discussions and development.

Actively contribute to the development of the team and service.

Receive and store information securely to improve communication.

Give and receive feedback on performance with colleagues and managers.

Be aware of plans for all young people and provide support for colleagues by maintaining consistency in the execution of those plans.

Provide informal practical and emotional support to colleagues experiencing difficulties.

Attend, contribute to regular supervision sessions

Develop, lead on, and maintain a supervision timetable for peer support, ensuring all staff receive regular, structured supervision sessions in line with organisational policy and regulatory standards. This includes scheduling, communicating dates, monitoring attendance, documenting outcomes, and following up on agreed actions to support staff development and well-being.

Monitor the conduct of colleagues and refer any causes for concern (whistleblowing).o Be familiar with all policies and procedures, adhere to them and be able to proficiently explain them to peers.
Safer Recruitment & Pre?Employment Requirements

This post is classified as regulated activity. Appointment is subject to:

Enhanced DBS check with Children's Barred List and satisfactory overseas police checks (if applicable).o Verification of identity, right to work in the UK and full employment history with explanation of any gaps.o Two verified references, including the most recent employer, obtained before start of employment.o Confirmation of relevant qualifications and professional registration (where applicable).o Satisfactory completion of a six?month probation period with structured induction and mandatory training.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience

Essential:

Level 3 Diploma in Children & Young People (or equivalent) and willingness to achieve Level 5 Diploma in Leadership & Management (Children & Young People) within agreed timescale. Proven experience in a supervisory or management role within supported accommodation, semi?independent living, residential childcare or similar regulated service. In?depth knowledge of safeguarding legislation, safer?recruitment practices and the Ofsted Supported Accommodation Regulations 2023. Excellent communication, organisational and leadership skills.
Desirable:

Level 5 Diploma (Children, Young People and Families Manager).o DSL or safeguarding lead training.o Experience of managing budgets and rota systems.
Personal Attributes

Demonstrates unconditional positive regard, resilience and a child?centred approach.o Ability to act as a credible role model, promoting equality, diversity and inclusion.o Commitment to reflective practice, continuous professional development and the organisational values of safety, empowerment and respect.
Mandatory Statements

Regulated Activity - This post is classified as Regulated Activity under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006. Appointment is therefore subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check with Children's Barred List information and to ongoing suitability checks during employment.
Safer Recruitment - Willoughby Place Ltd follows Safer Recruitment practices to protect children and young people. All offers of employment are conditional on identity verification, Enhanced DBS disclosure, full employment history and qualification checks.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion - Willoughby Place Ltd is committed to equality of opportunity and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates regardless of protected characteristics. Selection is made strictly on the basis of merit.

Safeguarding Commitment - All staff have an individual duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people, to raise concerns immediately and to adhere to the organisation's safeguarding, whistleblowing and child?protection policies.

Right to Withdraw Offer - The company reserves the right to withdraw an offer of employment where pre?employment checks reveal information that renders a candidate unsuitable to work with children and young people.

Probation & Training - Employment is subject to successful completion of a six?month probationary period and all mandatory induction and ongoing training (including safeguarding, GDPR, health & safety and OfstedSupported Accommodation Standards).

Salary Band

Band 1 - Developing Deputy

Meets essential criteria (Level 3 qualification, some supervisory experience) but still developing London/regulatory experience and working towards Level 5. Requires support to reach full management competency.

36,000 - 39,000

Band 2 - Competent Deputy (Market Mid-Point)

Fully meets all essential criteria and some desirables (e.g. part-completed Level 5, strong multi-agency working, confident rota/budget management). Able to deputise effectively for the Registered Manager.Minimum two years experience as a deputy within a similar setting

39,001 - 43,000

Band 3 - Senior/Advanced Deputy

Meets all desirables: Level 5 Diploma (or near completion), DSL or safeguarding-lead training, proven track record in Ofstedinspections, audits, and crisis management. Capable of running all three homes with minimal oversight.

Minimum three years experience as a deputy within a similar setting

43,001 - 45,000

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: 36,000.00-45,000.00 per year

Experience:

Working in Ofsted Regulated Supported Accommodation : 3 years (required) working with young people who display challenging behaviour: 3 years (required)
Licence/Certification:

Level 3 Diploma in Children & Young People (or equivalent) (required)
Work Location: In person