Deputy Care Manager

At Starling Homecare, we are building something special.

£28,000 to £32,000 per year, depending on experience. Full time. Based in Welwyn Hatfield, with a share of on-call.

We are a family run, independently owned homecare provider based in St Albans, on a continued mission to build the leading heart-first homecare service: the one families in Hertfordshire ask for by name when someone they love needs support at home.

We were founded by a husband and wife team who previously founded and led an award-winning homecare service in Hertfordshire for over a decade. We know what great care looks like and how to build a team that delivers it. We started Starling Homecare to bring good old fashioned values back into homecare: knowing your clients, turning up when you said you would, doing the small things properly, and treating people the way you would want your own family treated. We hold high standards because people deserve the best.

We are CQC registered and provide visiting care across St Albans, Harpenden, Hemel Hempstead and Welwyn Hatfield, and live-in care across Hertfordshire.

The role

We are looking for a Deputy Care Manager in Welwyn Hatfield who wants to be part of building something with high standards from the ground up. You will not be stepping into a tired, overrun service. You will work closely with the Registered Manager to shape how things are done day to day: the culture, the expectations, and the standard of care people come to rely on.

You will have real input, real responsibility, and the space to do things properly.

What the role looks like in reality

This is a hands-on leadership role. As Deputy Care Manager, you will:

• Review care plans and support the care team
• Solve problems, cover gaps and respond to the unexpected
• Work with care plans, risk assessments and audits
• Get out into the community, building relationships and representing the service
• Take part in our on-call rota
• Work closely with the Registered Manager on standards, culture and quality

What we ask of you

We should be honest about what this role asks. We are an early stage organisation, and at this stage everyone steps in when the service needs it. The people we support do not need us only between nine and five. There will be days when things do not go to plan, including in the evenings and at weekends, and you will need to think on your feet, support your team and step in when needed. This role needs someone who is flexible, who understands the commitment involved in making sure our clients are properly supported, and who is prepared to roll their sleeves up while we grow. It is not for everyone, and we would rather say so now.

We ask it because the reason we are here is bigger than the business. We want to make a real and lasting difference to health and social care in our local area, so that people get the care they deserve, at home, from people who genuinely care about them.

Who we are looking for

We are not just looking for experience. We are looking for the right mindset: someone who stays calm when things get busy, takes initiative instead of waiting to be told, supports their team while maintaining standards, and cares about doing things properly. You will likely already be working as a Senior Coordinator, Supervisor or Deputy Manager in domiciliary care, and be ready to step up further.

Essential

• Leadership experience within homecare
• A strong understanding of CQC standards and care delivery
• Confidence with care plans, risk assessments and audits
• Level 3 in Health and Social Care
• Full UK driving licence and your own car
• Willingness to take part in on-call
• Right to work in the UK

Desirable

• Level 4 or Level 5 in Leadership for Health and Social Care (completed or working towards)

What we offer

• £28,000 to £32,000 per year, depending on experience
• A leadership role working closely with the Registered Manager, with real input into how the service runs
• Real opportunities to grow as the business grows and new offices open
• Company pension
• A kind, respectful and professional working culture rooted in family values
• Our employee wellbeing scheme after six months, paid for in full by Starling Homecare. It includes a 24/7 GP service, counselling, digital physiotherapy, a benefits hub with over 1,500 savings and discounts, and more.

This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references. We are not accepting agency applications or enquiries at this time.