Deputy Service Manager

Voyage Care; Old Warren; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Enhanced evening and weekend pay

Premium overtime rates

Wagestream access

Blue Light Card discounts

24/7/365 doctor line

Cash plans for colleagues and families

Enhanced retirement leave

Long service awards

Job summary

Voyage Care is seeking a dedicated Deputy Service Manager for our Tilehurst service in Reading. You will help lead a team of Support Workers, ensure regulatory compliance and provide person‑centred care to adults with complex needs, including autism and learning disabilities.

You will supervise staff, participate in on-call duties, and contribute to service improvements. A Level 3 Diploma in Health & Social Care or equivalent is preferred, with a driving licence often beneficial.

Qualifications

• Leadership experience in supervisory/senior support or care management roles.
• Strong communication and team development skills.
• Excellent organisational and planning abilities.
• Proactive, solution‑focused approach to challenges.

Responsibilities

• Lead, motivate and develop the Support Workers through supervision, appraisal and performance management.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and high standards of care across the service.
• Oversee development and implementation of person-centred support plans and risk assessments.
• Conduct medication competencies and audits; maintain accurate records and reporting.
• Build positive relationships with people we support, families and professionals; respond to concerns and resolve issues.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Organisation

Problem solving

Education

Level 3 Diploma in Health & Social Care

Job description

Deputy Service Manager - Tilehurst, Reading - £29,230pa

This is a 37.5-hour-per-week role, with 17.5 hours dedicated to management responsibilities and 20 hours providing direct support, with flexibility to work shifts between 7:30am and 9:30pm to meet the needs of the service.

Join Voyage Care and Feel Valued, we reward your dedication with:

• Enhanced evening and weekend pay at an additional 50p per hour (Ts & Cs apply)
• Premium overtime rates at an additional £1 per hour (Ts & Cs apply)
• Wagestream – giving you the flexibility to draw upon up to 40% of your pay, as it is earned.
• Funded Blue Light Card – hundreds of discounts at high street retailers etc.
• 24/7/365 doctor line for our colleagues and their families
• Access to cash plans for our colleagues, which also covers their families
• Enhanced retirement leave
• Long service awards

We are looking for a passionate and dedicated Deputy Service Manager to join our residential service in Tilehurst. Our service supports adults with complex needs, including autism, learning disabilities, sensory needs and physical disabilities, including wheelchair users. Working closely with the Registered Manager, you will play a key role in leading and developing the support team, ensuring regulatory compliance, maintaining high standards of care and creating meaningful opportunities that enable the people we support to live fulfilling and independent lives.

As Deputy Service Manager, you will support the Registered Manager with the day-to-day operation of the service, ensuring excellent standards of support and compliance are maintained at all times. You will lead, motivate and develop a team of Support Workers through regular supervision, appraisal and performance management, while supporting recruitment, induction and training of new colleagues. You will oversee the development and implementation of person-centred support plans, complete care needs and risk assessments, conduct medication competencies and audits, and ensure accurate record keeping and reporting. You will build positive relationships with the people we support, their families and external professionals, responding appropriately to concerns and helping to resolve issues effectively. The role also involves attending multidisciplinary meetings, contributing to service improvements and introducing new opportunities and activities, such as cooking, gardening, music and theatre groups, to encourage engagement, skill development and community inclusion.

We are looking for someone with both the right experience and the right values. You will ideally have previous experience in a supervisory, senior support or care management role, along with a Level 3 Diploma in Health & Social Care or equivalent qualification. Experience supporting people with learning disabilities, autism and complex needs is essential, along with a strong understanding of person-centred support, safeguarding and quality compliance. You will be an organised and confident leader with excellent communication skills, capable of building strong relationships with colleagues, families and professionals. A proactive, positive and solution-focused approach is key, as is a genuine passion for helping people achieve their goals and live fulfilling lives. A full UK driving licence is preferred.

As part of the management team, you will participate in the on-call rota, currently operating on an approximately one-in-three-week basis, although this may change depending on the needs of the service.

Why choose us?

We embrace people’s differences and encourage you to Be You, and so long as you’ve got the passion to make someone’s life better, we can give you all the skills and development opportunities you need to build a great career.

We encourage our staff to Grow Together through our excellent training programme, starting at induction and following you through your career, with opportunity for promotion and progression as well as job security in a sector leading organisation.

All applicants and subsequent job offers will be subject to satisfactory DBS checks and references