Job Title: Deputy Manager

Job description

Salary: £27,045.82

Hours: 37 hours per week (including days, evenings and weekends)

Responsible to: Project Manager

Summary

The post-holder is responsible for co-ordinating and providing support for up to 19 service users in a brand new supported living scheme with high / complex needs.
To support the manager in providing leadership and motivation to the team, developing and maintaining quality standards and a person centred ethos in line with Centre 404s housing service
To undertake support duties where needed acting as a role model.
To lead on activity planning / rota planning for the service.
To take on management responsibilities for the project in the absence of the manager

Centre 404 is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults at risk and we are looking to recruit people who share these values.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Support to existing tenants and possible new tenants

To understand and adhere to the philosophies, policies and principles upon which the service is based.
To lead on an activity programme / rota for the service that is person centred and matched to the needs of the current service users, with consistency of staff and take up of the activity program to be maximised.
To work in such a way that encourages service users to be involved in day-to-day and long-term decision-making.
To offer an appropriate level of support to service users enabling them to build confidence, self-esteem and an independent life-style.
To support and encourage service users in all the usual domestic activities such as cleaning, shopping, laundry and cooking.
To support service users in managing health needs, attending appointments, accessing appropriate health services and identifying and responding to changes in needs.
To support service users with personal care as necessary in a respectful way.
To encourage and enable service users to use community facilities and shared space at the project to develop meaningful leisure and social activities.
To work with service users in such a way that takes account of their individual, cultural and spiritual preferences.
To support service users to budget their income and expenditure through paying their rent, bills and claiming their rightful benefits.
To liaise with Care Managers, other professionals and outside bodies where appropriate.
To involve families and advocates as stated in the support plan or by the service user

To facilitate and attend project meetings as required.
To support the manager in seeking and assessing referrals when vacancies arise.
To involve existing service users in decisions about possible new service users in shared flats.
To support service users during the moving in process.

To respond to requests/needs of existing service users to move on to different accommodation. To liaise with Housing Associations, the local Authority etc. about move on accommodation and possible support needs. To support service users moving on. To meet move on targets for the transition flat.
To support service users in the organisation of their regular Person centred Planning meetings. Participate in and prepare reports for these meetings.

To participate in the implementation of agreed individual plans, this may include structured teaching of skills.
To plan and work as a team with other staff members.
To pass on relevant information to other team members, using agreed communication procedures.
To keep records and write reports in the appropriate files.

Finance, Administration and Management.

To provide leadership and management for the service.

To liaise and work with the Housing Association who own the property regarding maintenance issues, etc.
To support the project manager with compliance standards around quality and Health and safety, which meet Centre 404, CQC and London Borough of Islington requirements.
To be involved in the management of the budget for the project, and ensure that expenditure does not exceed the budgeted levels.
To administer the petty cash system for the project and service users where needed.
To be involved in short-listing and staff selection panels, to participate in the interviewing and recruitment of support workers for the project and to involve the service users / families in the employment of new staff for the project.
To offer regular support and supervision to the Support workers in line with Centre 404's policy.
To offer advice and support, induction and training to the Support workers, to monitor their performance and promote good practice.
To participate in regular support and supervision with the Project Manager / Housing Manager.
To attend relevant meetings with other members of the housing team as needed.
To participate in the on call rota.
To identify training needs and undertake relevant training for the job.
The job description will be reviewed in consultation with the post-holder from time to time as the needs of the service change.
To contribute to the development of the housing service.

General responsibilities

To work as part of a team committed to providing a high quality housing service to people with learning difficulties according to the philosophy agreed by Centre 404 Housing Service.
To participate in regular support and supervision with line manager(s).
To adhere to the Code of Conduct for the housing staff.
To adhere to Centre 404’s Health & Safety Policy.
To adhere to and promote Centre 404's Equal Opportunities Policy.
To represent Centre 404 in a positive light through its ethos and values at all times.
To undertake other duties relevant to the post, this may include working in any of the other houses managed by the organisation. The house you work in will be assigned by your line manager.

Person Specification

(E) Essential requirements(D) Desirable requirements

Knowledge and Understanding / Understanding of what makes a quality support service for people with learning disabilities, including social role valorisation / E
Awareness and understanding of issues affecting people with learning disabilities / E
Awareness of self-directed support and personal budgets / E
Understanding of health and safety, legal and policy issues as they affect service users in order to manage their home safely / E
Knowledge of legislation, current and forthcoming issues relating to housing services for people with learning disabilities / D
Knowledge of welfare benefits processes / D
Qualifications / Good general education: Including 5 GCSEs or equivalent professional qualification / E
Professional qualification in a relevant area and / or a degree. / D
Experience / Experience of working with people with learning disabilities, including people with complex needs and / or physical disabilities. / E
Experience of enabling people to maximise their independence / E
Experience of providing a planned structured activity program for individuals or groups / E
Experience of rota planning and shift cover to meet the needs of an individual or group of people / E
Experience of working at a level equivalent to Deputy Manager / E
Experience of offering support and supervision / D
Commitment to concepts of inclusion and diversity and ability to handle confidential and sensitive information appropriately. / E
Skills / Abilities / Excellent interpersonal skills including communication with colleagues, service users and families / carers / E
Excellent communication skills with professional staff and ability to liaise with agencies and external professionals / E
Ability to form professional and constructive relationships with people with learning disabilities, significant people in their lives, colleagues and others outside the organisation / E
Clear written communication skills to be able to maintain records and write reports / E
Numeracy skills to be able to manage a budget / E
Able to work unsupervised and on own initiative, as well as effectively in a team / E
Ability to organise own workload effectively and to agree assignation of tasks with others / E
Good organisational and administrative skills required for day to day management of the project / E
Ability to use a range of computer packages; ideally Microsoft office and Excel, with an ability to develop templates and monitoring systems / E
Ability to identify stressors and take action to manage stress / E
Physical Requirements / Ability to work flexible hours including evenings, weekends and occasional bank holidays / E
Able to travel on your own and with service users to a variety of locations within and outside the borough / E
Able to offer physical support to tenants / E