Unit Manager - Care Services

Friends of the Elderly; Reading; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Friends of the Elderly is seeking two Unit Managers for a new care home in Reading, dedicated to providing exceptional residential and dementia care. You will lead a motivated team, ensuring compliance with care standards and personalised support for residents. Join a charity with over 120 years of experience, offering a supportive environment and numerous benefits, including a group pension plan and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Group Pension Plan

Generous annual leave

Wellbeing support

Learning and development opportunities

Monthly prize draw

Retail discount schemes

Health cash plans

Cycle to work scheme

Long service awards

£200 bonus for referrals

Qualifications

• Experience in older people’s care services required.
• Solid understanding of person-centred care models.
• Ability to develop tailored care plans.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and deliver high standards of care to residents.
• Act as the person in charge outside of office hours.
• Support and coach care team to enhance skills.

Skills

Communication

Interpersonal Skills

Problem Solving

Numeracy

Education

NVQ Level 3 in Adult Social Care

Job description

Contract type: Permanent – Full Time 42 hours per week (average)

Working Pattern –Days - working on rolling rota of 3 consecutive days on and 3 consecutive days off (8am to 8 pm) .

About Us

Friends of the Elderly ( FotE ) is a not-for-profit charity dedicated to providing excellent care with a family feel, we have been supporting older people for over 120 years. The charity provides care home and day care services for older people, as well as grants for older people in financial difficulty .

About Friends Place, Calcot

Due to open in July 2025, Friends Place, Calcot will be more than just a care home - it will be a vibrant, welcoming community designed to provide exceptional residential, dementia, and respite care .

Run by Friends of the Elderly, where we pride ourselves on delivering personalised, compassionate care in a state-of-the-art facility .

Located in the heart of Calcot, Reading, our home will feature :

A cinema for residents to enjoy movie nights and entertainment .

A stylish salon offering professional pampering .

A peaceful library for reading and reflection .

A vibrant bar for socialising and relaxation .

The modern facilities are designed to create a warm and homely environment where residents feel safe, valued, and supported .

We have an opportunity for two Unit Managers to join us to lead a cohesive motivated team and to plan, monitor and deliver the highest standards of personalised care to residents ensuring that everyone is treated with respect and dignity, and that individual’s rights to privacy, dignity, independence and choice are met.

About the Role

Your key responsibilities will include:

Acting as the person in charge of the home outside of office hours or in the absence of the General Manager and/or the Care Manager, ensuring that legislation is adhered to and standards are maintained .

Monitoring and delivering the highest standards of personalised care to residents, following individual care plans carefully and ensuring that all contact is polite, friendly, warm and supportive .

Undertaking Move-In assessments for potential new residents, as delegated by the General Manager .

Participating in the formulation of individual care plans for each resident .

Supporting and coaching the care team to develop their care plan writing skills .

Respecting and maintaining the confidentiality of resident’s personal information at all times .

Leading and supporting all care teams and other staff, to ensure understanding and patience towards residents and their needs .

As part of your role as Unit Manager you will be required to be on call for the home in the case of an emergency on a rota basis .

About You

We are looking for an experience Care professional ideally with an NVQ Level 3 in Adult Social Care and good knowledge / understanding of the ‘Care Certificate’. You’ll also understand the Care Standards Act and Health & Safety legislation .

With experience in older people’s care services, you'll bring knowledge of age-related conditions and best practices in the field. You will have a solid understanding of person-centred and relationship-based care models, along with the ability to develop and implement tailored care plans that meet individual needs .

As you will be managing the unit, you will need to have experience of working with and leading a staff team within a care setting. You’ll have excellent communication and interpersonal skills along with the ability to problem solve and adapt to situations. With good numeracy skills, you’ll also have basic budgeting and accountancy skills .

Why Join Friends of the Elderly ?

Heritage of Care: Work with a trusted organisation backed by over a century of expertise .

Non-Profit Mission: Be part of a charity that prioritises people, not profit. While we take a commercial approach to our work, we are not for profit and we are committed to our charitable values .

State-of-the-Art Facilities: Lead a cutting-edge care home designed for comfort and community .

Professional Development: Access training and career development opportunities .

Make Your Mark

This is a unique opportunity to shape the culture and success of a brand-new care home, leaving a lasting impact on residents’ lives and the community .

In return for your hard work and dedication, you can look forward to a wealth of benefits:

Group Pension Plan, with a 6% contribution from us .

Generous annual leave .

Wellbeing support through various initiatives, including an employee assistance programme .

Learning, development, and progression opportunities .

Monthly prize draw, with 3 prizes to be won .

Retail discount schemes to make your salary go further .

Access to loans at affordable rates, saving directly from salary and advance pay already earned .

Health cash plans for you and your family .

Cycle to work scheme .

Long service awards that increase with length of service .

Refer a friend to work for us and receive a £200 bonus .

Free DBS checks .

Safeguarding:

Keeping everyone safe is one of the charity’s core values, and is central to everything we do at Friends of the Elderly. All staff follow our Safeguarding Policy & Procedures and, if they see or suspect abuse, we expect staff to report it straight away .

Criminal record checks:

As this role involves a regulated activity, successful applicants will undertake an enhanced DBS check, with barred lists check, and any offer of employment will be dependent on a satisfactory outcome .

Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar a person from working for us, this will depend on the circumstances and background of any record .

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion:

Friends of the Elderly strives to treat all staff equally and be a diverse and inclusive workplace, where everyone can be themselves and everyone accepts each other’s differences. A charity where everyone is equal but definitely not the same .

Our ambition is to ensure equality and celebrate diversity, all working together to create an inclusive workplace, which attracts and retains the best people. People that care and can make a difference.

We currently do not provide sponsorship but we welcome applications from those who have a right work in the UK .

Don’t delay in sending your application as we may need to close the vacancy early if we manage to appoint before the advertising closing date. We interview applicants as they apply .