Deputy Service Manager

About the Role

Sincerity Health Care is seeking an experienced Deputy Manager / Service Delivery Manager to support the safe, effective and efficient day-to-day management of our CQC-regulated domiciliary care and supported-living services.

This is a senior operational management position reporting directly to the Registered Manager.

The successful candidate will provide leadership across service delivery, quality, staff management, care coordination and supported living. You will hold Care Coordinators, Team Leaders and other operational staff accountable for maintaining safe, person-centred and compliant services.

This role is suited to an experienced adult social care manager who is confident managing people, resolving operational problems, maintaining regulatory standards and taking responsibility for service performance.

Key Responsibilities

You will:

• lead the day-to-day delivery of domiciliary care and supported-living services;
• deputise for the Registered Manager within agreed delegated authority;
• line-manage Care Coordinators, House Team Leaders and other allocated operational staff;
• ensure services remain safe, effective, person-centred and inspection-ready;
• oversee care plans, risk assessments, client reviews and changes in need;
• ensure incidents, safeguarding concerns, complaints and medication issues are managed appropriately;
• hold managers and Team Leaders accountable for completing actions within agreed timescales;
• oversee staff supervision, performance, competency and development;
• monitor training and competency compliance;
• ensure supported-living locations maintain effective local governance and compliance;
• monitor domiciliary care delivery, including missed calls, late calls, continuity and service risks;
• work closely with the Rota & Capacity Team to maintain safe staffing and service continuity;
• ensure staffing pressures do not result in unsafe reductions in assessed support;
• review quality findings and ensure corrective actions are completed;
• identify recurring concerns and ensure lessons from incidents, complaints and audits lead to improvement;
• support safeguarding processes and escalate serious concerns immediately;
• maintain oversight of medication safety and competency;
• use service-performance information to identify emerging risks and improvement priorities;
• build effective relationships with clients, families, commissioners, social workers, health professionals and other stakeholders;
• participate in management on-call arrangements;
• provide reliable management leadership when the Registered Manager is unavailable.

What We Are Looking For

You will have substantial experience within adult social care and have already demonstrated effective supervisory or management responsibility.

You must be confident managing both people and services. You will be expected to challenge poor practice, make decisions, delegate effectively and hold others accountable.

Experience within domiciliary care, supported living, learning disabilities, autism, mental health, physical disabilities or complex support services is particularly relevant.

You must understand the importance of balancing operational efficiency with safe care. This is not an administrative management role. The successful candidate will maintain visible oversight of services and intervene when standards, safety or service continuity are at risk.

Knowledge and Experience

You will be expected to demonstrate experience or knowledge of:

• CQC-regulated adult social care;
• staff management and supervision;
• person-centred care;
• care planning and client reviews;
• risk assessment and risk management;
• safeguarding adults;
• medicines management;
• incident management and investigation;
• staff training and competency;
• performance management;
• Mental Capacity Act 2005;
• Care Act 2014;
• CQC Fundamental Standards;
• health and safety;
• infection prevention and control;
• partnership working with families and professionals.

Qualifications

You must hold a Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care or equivalent recognised qualification.

A Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Adult Care, or equivalent management qualification, is preferred.

Candidates who do not currently hold Level 5 must be prepared to undertake an appropriate Level 5 qualification within an agreed development period.

A full UK driving licence and the ability to travel between services are required.

What Success Looks Like

You will be expected to create a management environment where:

• services remain safe and stable;
• staff understand who is accountable for what;
• Team Leaders and Care Coordinators manage their responsibilities effectively;
• risks are identified before they become serious failures;
• care documentation remains current;
• incidents and safeguarding concerns are managed promptly;
• training and competencies remain compliant;
• improvement actions are completed rather than simply recorded;
• supported-living services remain inspection-ready;
• domiciliary care is delivered reliably;
• poor practice is challenged;
• clients receive care that reflects their assessed needs, choices and outcomes.

The position provides a significant opportunity for an experienced Deputy Manager or Service Manager seeking broader operational responsibility and future progression within adult social care.

Sincerity Health Care is committed to safer recruitment, safeguarding adults and providing high-quality, person-centred care.