Job Title: Workforce Development Manager
Reports to: Head of Workforce Development / Responsible Individual
Location: Home Working – Office based as/when required
Role Purpose
The Workforce Development Manager is responsible for ensuring all Residential Children's Homes within the organisation are adequately resourced, compliant, and supported. This role provides leadership to the Candidate Care Team, the Clearcare Support Team, and the Admin Support Team, ensuring that recruitment, compliance, system support, and administrative functions are delivered to the highest standards. Working closely with the Regional Manager and House Management Teams, the Workforce Development Manager ensures safe staffing, robust compliance, and efficient operational support, enabling services to provide high-quality care to children and young people.
Key Responsibilities
Workforce Planning and Resourcing
· Oversee the Candidate Care Team to ensure effective resourcing, recruitment, and candidate compliance for all Residential Children's Homes.
· Build and maintain strong talent pipelines to meet both immediate and long-term staffing needs.
· Partner with the Responsible Individual and Regional Manager to forecast staffing demand and deliver proactive workforce solutions.
Compliance Management
· Ensure all staff recruited and deployed are fully compliant with regulatory requirements, including DBS checks, references, mandatory training, and safeguarding standards.
· Maintain robust systems for monitoring workforce compliance, addressing gaps swiftly and effectively.
· Ensure compliance processes align with Ofsted and CIW expectations, safeguarding best practice, and organisational policy.
Leadership of Support Functions
· Manage the Candidate Care Team, providing direction and accountability for recruitment and compliance activities.
· Lead the Clearcare Support Team, ensuring accurate reporting, effective use of systems, and timely information to support decision-making.
· Oversee the Admin Support Team, ensuring strong administrative support for Residential Children's Homes and management teams.
· Provide clear leadership, supervision, and professional development for all direct reports, creating a high-performing and motivated culture.
House and Service Support
· Act as a key contact for House Management Teams, offering guidance on staffing, compliance, and support functions.
· Ensure rotas are effectively managed and cover maintained, minimising disruption to care.
· Ensure that all employee availability is collated and distributed promptly across all services – and to all senior management that require it.
· Support induction and workforce development initiatives to improve capability, retention, and consistency of care across services.
Collaboration and Strategic Leadership
· Work in partnership with Regional and House Management Teams to identify workforce challenges, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
· Contribute to organisational planning and strategy in relation to workforce development and service delivery.
· Promote a positive, professional, and values-driven workforce culture across all services.
Key Skills and Attributes
· Strong leadership skills, with experience managing multiple teams and functions.
· Extensive knowledge of workforce planning, recruitment, and compliance within social care or a related field.
· Excellent organisational skills, able to balance strategic oversight with operational delivery.
· Skilled communicator, able to influence, support, and build trust across multiple levels.
· Proactive and solution-focused, with the ability to deliver under pressure.
· Proficient in working with IT software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Qualifications and Experience
· Experience in workforce management, recruitment, or HR, ideally within social care, health, or education.
· Proven track record in managing recruitment/compliance teams.
· Experience in leading support functions (administration, systems, reporting).
· Knowledge of Ofsted or CIW regulations and safeguarding standards.
· Relevant qualification in HR, Health & Social Care, or Business Administration (desirable).
Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience
Contract Type: Full-time, permanent
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Work Location: In person
Reference ID: Workforce Development Manager