Deputy Manager

Hertfordshire County Council; Watford; On-site; GBP 44,000 - 49,000; Full time

Job summary

Hertfordshire County Council is seeking a Deputy Manager for Meadow View in Watford. The role leads a small residential team, ensuring high standards of care and compliance with Ofsted and Reg 44.

This permanent post requires managing day-to-day operations, sleeping in monthly, and driving a trauma-informed, child-centred approach. Based in Watford, the role involves collaboration with psychologists, education advisers, health professionals and social workers to support up to 4 children aged

Qualifications

• Must have Level 5 leadership and management qualification in Residential or working towards it.
• Full UK Driving Licence and ability to travel.
• Minimum 2 years’ experience in residential children’s home.
• Minimum 2 years in a senior role in residential children’s home or relevant role.
• Knowledge of Ofsted inspections and Reg 44 visits.
• Ability to lead a team and manage day-to-day operations.
• Trauma informed approach to working with young people.
• Willingness to undertake 1 sleep-in per month.

Responsibilities

• Directly lead Seniors and the rest of the team, ensuring motivation, development, and nurturing.
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team including psychologists, education advisers, health professionals and social workers.
• Maintain high standards of care and a culture for the team to excel.
• Assist the Registered Manager with day-to-day operations and regulatory compliance.
• Foster a positive and empowering environment for young people and the team.

Skills

Leadership

Team leadership

Calm under pressure

Self-motivated

Quality assurance

Trauma-informed

Communication

Problem solving

Adaptable

Education

Level 5 leadership & management

Job description

Deputy Manager

Starting Salary: £44,253 progressing to £48,738 per annum plus 3% market enhancement

Hours: 37

Location: Watford

Contract Type: Permanent

Summary

Company: Hertfordshire County Council Salary: £44,253 to £48,738 a year Hours: Full-time Location: Watford, WD25 7BZ Job type: Permanent Posting date: 21 Oct 2026 Closing date: 5 Nov 2026

About the team

This is an exciting opportunity to join us as a Deputy Manager for one of our 7 children’s homes within Hertfordshire’s Residential Homes. Meadow View is based in Watford, at full capacity, Meadow View supports up to 4 children between the ages of 7 and 17 with complex emotional needs and many other difficulties, offers a safe short to long-term home and a therapeutic environment in which the children can thrive.

About the role

As a Deputy Manager you be responsible for the day to day running of the home and ensuring quality standards and legislative frameworks are met. You will line manage 3 Senior Residential Workers while supporting the wider team within their roles and deputising for the Home Manager in their absence. You will work closely with the Home Manager to embed trauma informed practice and advocate for the needs of the young people with other professionals.

• Directly lead Seniors and the rest of the team, ensuring motivation, development, and nurturing.
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team, including psychologists, education advisers from the virtual school, health professionals and social workers.
• Maintain high standards of care and a culture for the team to excel.
• Assist the Registered Manager with day-to-day operations and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Foster a positive and empowering environment for young people and your team.

Support to develop a trauma informed, child centred and outcome focused service

We’re looking for someone with a demonstrable passion to support young people with adverse experiences and advocate for their needs. You will have management experience and ability to lead a team, whilst modelling best practice.

As no two days are the same, you’ll be a natural problem solver with the ability to remain calm and resilient under pressure.

You will have working knowledge of Ofsted regulations, Reg 44 monitoring and being able to support visitors to ensure the home is meeting these standards, along with a full driving licence for cross county travel.

Applicants must be prepared to undertake a level 5 leadership and management qualification, if this is not already held, and undertake a minimum of 1 sleep-in shift per month.

About you

Essential:

• Must have level 5 leadership and management qualification in Residential or working towards it.
• Full UK Driving License and ability to travel.
• You will have management experience and ability to lead a team.
• Working with Children looked after.
• Undertake a minimum of 1 shift per month.
• You will be required to be flexible to support the needs of the home.
• Able to be a part of the on-call management rota.
• Demonstrable passion to support young people with adverse experiences and advocate for their needs.
• You will have working knowledge of Reg 44 visits and Ofsted regulations to ensure the home is meeting these standards.
• Able to be calm and work under pressure.
• Self-motivated
• Quality Assurance
• Minimum 2 years’ experience of working in residential children’s home.
• Minimum 2 years in a senior experience in residential children’s home or relevant role
• Trauma Informed ways of working.
• Knowledge of how to support with Ofsted Inspections and Reg 44 visits.

Desirable

• Minimum 2 years’ experience of working in residential children’s home.
• Minimum 2 years in a senior experience in residential children’s home or relevant role
• Trauma Informed ways of working.
• Knowledge of how to support with Ofsted Inspections and Reg 44 visits.

We welcome applications from candidates who currently reside in the UK with established proof of right to work documentation. We are not able to offer sponsorship at this time for this role.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employerand guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

This role has been identified as requiring a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.

You’ll need to have the ability to drive and/or travel around Hertfordshire, either using your own mode of transport or a company car to travel to other locations.

The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required).

Interview Details

Interview Date: 17th November and 20th November 2026