Are you ready to be part of something truly transformative? We’re offering an exciting opportunity to join The Beacon, a bespoke residential service within Keeping Families Together, a visionary programme dedicated to keeping children safe, supported, and thriving at home with their families. As Deputy Manager, you’ll be at the heart of a fast-paced, creative, and purpose-driven environment. No two days will be the same. You’ll need to be a problem-solver, a motivator, and a leader who thrives on challenge and innovation. This is your chance to help shape a service that’s redefining how we support children and families in County Durham. Why Join Us? We’re expanding our Children’s Residential offer to create homes that meet the unique needs of young people. Our approach is rooted in relational practice and trauma-informed care, and we’re building teams who are skilled, supported, and invested in making a real difference. You’ll be joining us at a pivotal moment, helping to develop and deliver a short break residential offer for mainstream children, working closely with existing services and the wider system to reduce the number of children entering care. The Role As Deputy Manager, you’ll work alongside the Registered Manager to: Model best practice and lead interventions Train and develop staff Drive a culture of aspiration, creativity, and high-quality care You’ll be part of a team that’s passionate about improving outcomes for children and families, aligned with our Children’s Homes Statement of Purpose. What We Offer A thorough and supportive induction A comprehensive training and development programme A culture shaped by our Durham Cares values: Dignity, Unity, Responsibility, Heart, Aspiration, and Mindset You’ll also receive safeguarding and health & safety training to ensure the highest standards of care. What You’ll Need Significant experience in residential childcare Supervisory or management experience Strong people management and communication skills Knowledge of Children’s Homes Regulations 2015, Ofsted inspections, and Regulation 44 A commitment to evidence-based practice and continuous improvement Qualifications: Level 3 Diploma for Residential Child Care (or equivalent) Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare (or willingness to work towards within 18 months) We encourage you to contact Rob Hamer or Greg Bevan to arrange a discussion via Rob.Hamer@durham.gov.uk / Greg.Bevan@durham.gov.uk Our offer to you We offer competitive rewards and benefits to help you perform at your best, including: 27 days holiday (plus bank holidays), rising to 32 days after 5 years' continuous local government service Option to purchase up to 10 additional days annual leave per year Excellent Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), with top-up options Wellbeing Portal and Employee Assistance Scheme Learning and development opportunities, including professional qualifications and mentoring Employee Benefits Portal with discounts at major retailers Discounted gym membership Staff-led networks (Race Equality, LGBT, Carers, Armed Forces, Menopause) Trade Union membership Salary sacrifice schemes, such as car leasing Take a closer look at our Rewards and Benefits Equality, Diversity and Inclusion We are a proud equal opportunities employer and recognise that a diverse, talented workforce brings new ideas and new perspectives, which will facilitate growth and improvements to services. We are committed to ensuring that our employment policies and processes are fair and equitable to all. We welcome job applications from everyone, and successful candidates are considered only on their skills and ability to do the job. As a Disability Confident Leader, we encourage applications from disabled people and provide support throughout the recruitment process. Take a closer look at our approach to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Interviews It is anticipated that interviews will be held on 1 October 2025. We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that can show they meet all the essential criteria and have indicated they have a disability, are a looked after young person, care leaver or a veteran. How to Apply In line with the County Council's Recruitment and Selection Policy, please note that we are unable to accept CVs. Applications must be submitted on-line via the Northeast Jobs portal. Please use the ‘Person Specification’ section of your application form to demonstrate that you have the essential and where possible, desirable experience, skills, and knowledge. Candidates who do not evidence that they meet the essential qualifications and experience listed on the person specification will not be short-listed. PLEASE NOTE THIS POST IS NOT OPEN TO JOB SHARE If you have any support needs or require assistance when applying for this role, please contact our Recruitment Helpdesk on 03000 26 27 27 (option 2), or the Recruitment Team via email at RecruitmentCYPS@durham.gov.uk We collect personal information from you when you register with North East Jobs and make an application. Details on how we process your personal data is available in our Privacy Notice. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION REGARDING YOUR APPLICATION FOR THIS POST WILL BE SENT TO THE EMAIL ADDRESS THAT YOU HAVE REGISTERED WITH NORTH EAST JOBS, INCLUDING YOUR INVITE TO INTERVIEW IF YOU ARE SHORTLISTED. 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