Deputy Registered Manager / Care Team Leader

About the Role

Tender Healthcare Group is looking for an experienced, organised and values-driven Team Leader / Deputy Registered Manager to join our growing health and social care organisation.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Team Leader, Care Coordinator, Senior Support Worker or Deputy Manager who is ready to take greater operational responsibility and develop towards Registered Manager level.

The successful candidate will work closely with the Registered Manager and senior leadership team to oversee the safe and effective delivery of regulated and specialist support services.

Our services include domiciliary care, children and young people's community support, learning disability and autism support, mental health support and complex packages commissioned by local authorities and other partners.

This is a hands-on leadership position. You will be expected to know the people we support, understand the needs of our staff teams and maintain oversight of the quality of care being delivered.

Key Responsibilities

You will support the Registered Manager with the day-to-day management and development of services, including:

• Coordinating and monitoring care and support packages
• Leading and supporting Support Workers and Senior Support Workers
• Completing and reviewing person-centred care and support plans
• Completing risk assessments and ensuring control measures remain effective
• Undertaking staff supervision, competency assessments and spot checks
• Supporting staff induction, shadowing and probation reviews
• Monitoring daily records, care notes and incident documentation
• Reviewing incidents, accidents, safeguarding concerns and near misses
• Supporting investigations, complaints and lessons-learned processes
• Maintaining effective communication with families, social workers, commissioners and other professionals
• Supporting rota management and responding appropriately to staffing changes or emergencies
• Monitoring medication practices and escalating concerns where appropriate
• Supporting audits, quality assurance and service improvement activities
• Ensuring actions arising from audits, incidents and reviews are completed
• Supporting preparation for CQC inspections and Local Authority monitoring
• Promoting a positive safeguarding culture across the organisation
• Providing leadership and guidance to staff during complex situations

You may also provide management oversight to complex children and young people's packages, including 1:1 and 2:1 community support.

About You

We are looking for someone who combines strong care experience with sound judgement, emotional maturity and the confidence to lead others.

You should be comfortable making decisions, challenging poor practice appropriately and supporting staff to improve.

You will need to communicate confidently with families and professionals while maintaining clear professional boundaries.

The right person will understand that good care management is not simply about completing paperwork. It is about knowing what is happening within services, identifying risks early and ensuring that what is written in a person's care plan is reflected in the support they actually receive.

Essential Requirements

Applicants should have:

• Significant experience within health or social care
• Experience at Senior Support Worker, Team Leader, Care Coordinator, Deputy Manager or equivalent level
• Good understanding of person-centred care and safeguarding
• Experience supervising or leading care staff
• Experience with care planning and risk assessment
• Strong understanding of incident reporting and escalation
• Good written communication and record-keeping skills
• Confidence communicating with families, social workers, commissioners and multidisciplinary professionals
• Good understanding of confidentiality, professional boundaries and information governance
• Ability to manage competing priorities and respond calmly to operational pressures
• Good IT and administrative skills
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle
• Flexibility to participate in management/on-call arrangements where required

Qualifications

A Level 3 qualification in Health and Social Care or equivalent is required.

Level 4 or Level 5 Leadership and Management for Adult Care, Children and Young People's Services, or an equivalent management qualification is highly desirable.

Candidates who have not yet completed Level 5 but can demonstrate appropriate management experience and are willing to undertake further professional development will also be considered.

Desirable Experience

We are particularly interested in candidates with experience in one or more of the following:

• Domiciliary care
• Children and young people's services
• Learning disabilities and autism
• Mental health services
• Complex care packages
• Positive Behaviour Support
• Local Authority commissioned services
• CQC-regulated services
• Quality assurance and auditing
• Staff training and competency assessment
• Safeguarding investigations
• Service mobilisation and new care packages

Previous experience supporting a Registered Manager or preparing services for CQC inspection would be advantageous.

What We Offer

Tender Healthcare Group is developing and expanding its services, making this an opportunity to grow alongside the organisation rather than simply fill an existing position.

The successful candidate will receive:

• Structured induction and management support
• Ongoing professional development
• Regular management supervision
• Opportunities to develop across different areas of health and social care
• Exposure to quality assurance, compliance and commissioning processes
• Support towards further leadership and management development
• A clear opportunity to progress towards Registered Manager responsibilities for the right candidate

Who This Role Would Suit

This position may particularly suit an experienced Care Coordinator, Deputy Care Manager, Deputy Registered Manager, Senior Support Worker, Field Care Supervisor or Team Leader who feels ready for the next stage of their career.

We are looking for someone who takes ownership, notices when something is not right and acts on it.

If you are passionate about safe, person-centred care and want to develop as part of a growing organisation where your contribution will genuinely influence service quality, we would be pleased to hear from you.

Apply with your CV and a brief summary of your leadership experience, qualifications and the types of care services you have previously supported.