Job Description:

About the Role
As Team Leader, you’ll provide clear, structured leadership to our local support teams in and around Smethwick, West Midlands. You’ll work under the guidance of the Registered Manager to make sure care is delivered safely and to a consistently high standard across your locations. This is a hands-on leadership role covering staff supervision, compliance, recruitment support and day-to-day service delivery for the people we support.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee and audit support plans, support records, medication records and financial records for your locations in line with company policy. Escalate and resolve any gaps within agreed timescales.
• Plan and manage staff rotas so shifts are fully covered, including managing staff shortages and travel disruption to minimise the impact on service users.
• Support recruitment in line with Unique Care Network’s recruitment policy, induct new staff, and organise ongoing supervisions and appraisals for support workers.
• Carry out regular spot checks to confirm support workers are delivering person-centred, high-quality care.
• Administer medication in line with company policy and complete medication competency assessments for support workers.
• Confirm that staff allocated to a service user are trained, competent and formally introduced before support starts.
• Keep service users’ families informed of any changes, concerns or incidents.
• Work collaboratively with external professionals, and represent the service at professional and MDT meetings when the Registered Manager is absent.
• Apply the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Best Interests decision-making in day-to-day practice.
• Respond promptly to incidents, complaints and safeguarding concerns, including writing clear, accurate incident reports and safeguarding referrals.

Essential Criteria

• Level 3 Diploma in Health & Social Care (or working towards, with a clear completion plan).
• At least 12 months’ experience in a supervisory or Team Leader role within domiciliary care, supported living or a similar setting.
• Demonstrable experience of audits, compliance checks or quality assurance, such as medication audits, care plan reviews or spot checks.
• Working knowledge of CQC’s fundamental standards and current assessment framework.
• Practical understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, DoLS and adult safeguarding procedures.
• Enhanced DBS check (on the Update Service, or willingness to apply).
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle, with willingness to travel between locations.
• Right to work in the UK.

Desirable
It would be an advantage if you hold or are working towards a Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health & Social Care. Experience signing off medication competencies for a staff team, or recruiting and inducting care staff, would also be valued.

What You’ll Need to Succeed
You’ll take a genuinely person-centred approach, treating the people we support as individuals with choices rather than tasks to complete. You’ll write clearly, particularly when completing incident reports and safeguarding referrals. You’ll stay calm and adapt quickly when plans change. You’ll be confident raising concerns when something isn’t right, whether with families, staff or external agencies. And you’ll be open to feedback and committed to your own development.

Job Type: Full-time, Permanent | Location: Smethwick, West Midlands (in person, travel between locations required)