Dorset Council
Deputy Manager
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Role
We’re offering a brilliant opportunity for a Deputy Manager to join our team at Hayeswood in Colehill, Wimborne, a warm and welcoming short breaks children's home, supporting children and young people who are disabled. You’ll work closely with our Registered Manager to lead the team, shape the culture, and make Hayeswood a place where young people can enjoy new opportunities and thrive. This is a hands-on role, supporting both the day-to-day running of the home and championing high-quality, compassionate care.
What’s in it for you:
- You’ll be part of Dorset Council’s ever-evolving Children’s Services, helping to give children the best start in life, right here in Dorset.
- We’re proud to have been rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and even prouder of the dedicated team who make that possible every day.
- We’ll support you with a comprehensive training programme, regular supervision, and a genuine commitment to your professional growth, including opportunities to gain further qualifications.
- You’ll also have access to a range of employee benefits, like a generous pension and annual leave, all in a supportive and inclusive workplace.
What you’ll be doing:
About
As Deputy Manager, you’ll help oversee all aspects of Hayeswood, working side by side with the Registered Manager. After a period of time, we are looking to develop an outreach team, offering targeted support and intervention to other children, young people and their families in the Dorset area, in their home environment. This Deputy post will be pivotal in setting this up and running this alongside the needs of the team at Hayeswood.
- You’ll lead by example, guiding and motivating your team to provide consistent, high-quality care in line with the Children’s Home Regulations and Quality Standards.
- You’ll also play a key role in developing care plans, supporting staff in delivering personalised care, and fostering an environment where every child can build their independence and enjoy fulfilling, active lives.
- This might include anything from helping with cooking and personal care, to heading out paddle boarding or exploring the beautiful Dorset countryside with our young people.
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About you:
- We’re looking for a kind, caring and resilient leader with experience in a senior residential childcare role within the past two years, that includes supervisory practice.
- You’ll need a solid understanding of Children’s Home Regulations, Quality Standards and ideally the Ofsted Inspection Framework.
- A Level 5 in Leadership and Management (or working towards it), or a Social Work qualification, would be an advantage.
- Most importantly, you’ll be someone who’s passionate about making a difference, skilled at building positive relationships, and flexible enough to meet the varied needs of our young people and staff.
Further Information
For an informal conversation to discuss this vacancy further, we welcome you to contact Mandi O'Conor, [email protected], you will further be invited to the home to discuss the role and service provided here at Hayeswood.
- You must be able to work some evenings, weekends and bank holidays and also cover on call duties on a rota basis, for not only Hayeswood, but other Dorset children's homes.
- This post has a significant travel requirement and you are contractually required to have a vehicle (or transport deemed to be suitable by the council) available for use as required.
- This post involves working with children and/or vulnerable adults and/or having access to significant information about them. It will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check.
- See our policy on the employment of ex-offenders.
- See our policy on safeguarding children and young people.
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About Us
At Dorset Council, it's not just about the work we do, it's about how we do it. Hear directly from our employees about what makes Dorset Council special in this short video:
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At Dorset Council, we are working together to create a fairer, more prosperous, and more sustainable Dorset for everyone, now and in the future.
We
- provide essential services that support over 300,000 residents
- work in partnership to make a real difference
- value every role and the impact it has on our communities
- support our employees to grow, develop, and thrive
You Will
- be part of a team that works together for a better Dorset
- have access to a range of benefits and support
- receive training and development opportunities to help your career progress
We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation where different skills, perspectives, and backgrounds strengthen both our council and the communities we serve.
We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role, we will offer you an interview. We also want our recruitment process to be accessible, if you need any reasonable adjustments, just let us know on your application.
This role is UK-based, and we will need to confirm your Right to Work as part of the appointment process. We use generic job descriptions and person specifications, so the job title in any attachments may differ from the advert. If needed, we will provide additional details in a context statement.
If you’re passionate about making a difference, we’d love you to join us.
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