Deputy Manager – Children’s Homes Service Salary: £40,777 – £45,091 (starting salary within the grade range will consider experience relevant to the post, if required for external candidates). The Role We are seeking a Deputy Manager who will support the Registered Manager to ensure the delivery of high-quality care. You will work directly with children and young people, their families and carers, as well as other relevant professionals identified within the Care Plan.The Deputy Manager will work in partnership with the Registered Manager to model best practice and lead on interventions to train and develop others as required. You will deputise for the Registered Manager in their absence ensuring the smooth running of the home. Our Values Durham Cares incorporates our core values and strategic objectives, shaping our work and the high-quality care we provide for young people, as well as the culture across the Children’s Homes Service. Our ‘Durham’ values - Dignity, Unity, Responsibility, Heart, Aspiration, and Mindset are at the heart of everything we do for both our young people and our teams. What you will need You should have significant experience of working within a residential setting and experience of working in a supervisory or management role. As well as proven people management skills, and experience of quality assurance tools. You will also demonstrate exceptional communications skills and the ability to support and develop the team. You should have an understanding of the Children’s Homes Regulations 2015, and their application, as well as experience of Ofsted inspections and Regulation 44. You should have an appreciation of the importance of evidence-based practice and research in relation to children and young people in our care. Your expertise should come with relevant professional qualifications including: Level 3 Diploma for Residential Child Care or equivalent qualification as stated in the Children’s Homes Regulations 2015 Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare or willingness to work towards this within 18 months from qualification enrolment in accordance with DCC guidelines You will benefit from a comprehensive programme of training to support you to develop in your role, which will include safeguarding and health and safety related training to effectively manage a home and ensure the high quality care of our children and young people. Why Join Us? You will benefit from a comprehensive programme of training to support you to develop in your role. As well as access to a wide ranging rewards and benefits offer, take a closer look via Rewards and Benefits INTERVIEWS We encourage you to contact Courtney.Good@durham.gov.uk or Jodie.ODonovan@durham.gov.uk to arrange an informal discussion. It is anticipated that interviews will be held w/c 20 April 2026. 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. EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION We are a proud equal opportunities employer and believe a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and drives service improvement. We welcome applications from everyone and make employment decisions based on skills and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled people and offer support throughout the recruitment process. HOW TO APPLY Please note, we do not accept CVs. All applications must be submitted online via the Northeast Jobs portal. Use the ‘Person Specification’ section of the form to clearly demonstrate how you meet the essential (and where possible, desirable) criteria. Applications that do not evidence the essential requirements will not be shortlisted. For guidance on completing your application, visit our website If you require assistance when applying for this role, please contact our Recruitment Helpdesk on 03000 26 27 27, or via email RecruitmentCYPS@durham.gov.uk All correspondence relating to your application will be sent from donotreply@northeastjobs.org.uk. Kindly check your spam/junk folder regularly to ensure you don’t miss any updates. CONNECT WITH US Follow us on Instagram Like us on Facebook Visit our website VPRS/161