Deputy Officer in Charge

Contract to start ASAP

Duration: 12 weeks with a possible extension.

Deputy Officer in Charge

Hours: Full-time (37 hours per week)

Contract: 12 Week Temporary Contract, ending 24 January 2027

Support the Safe and Effective Delivery of High-Quality Care Services

We're recruiting an experienced Deputy Officer in Charge to join Cardiff Council, supporting the day-to-day management and delivery of high-quality care and support services.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone with experience in social care, residential care, supported living, children's services, adult services, safeguarding, staff supervision, or care service management.

You'll work closely with the Officer in Charge, care staff, service users, families, Social Workers, health professionals, and partner agencies to ensure services are safe, person-centred, well managed, and compliant with relevant standards.

About the Role

As Deputy Officer in Charge, you'll support the operational management of the service, helping supervise staff, monitor care standards, manage risk, and ensure service users receive consistent and effective support.

You'll provide leadership in the absence of the Officer in Charge and help maintain a professional, safe, and supportive environment for both service users and staff.

What you'll be doing:

• Supporting the Officer in Charge with the day-to-day management of the service
• Providing leadership and supervision to care and support staff
• Ensuring high standards of care and support are maintained
• Supporting the development and review of individual care and support plans
• Monitoring service user wellbeing, progress, and outcomes
• Ensuring safeguarding concerns are identified, recorded, and escalated appropriately
• Supporting staff with complex or challenging situations
• Helping coordinate staff rotas and ensuring appropriate staffing levels
• Providing guidance, coaching, and support to team members
• Contributing to staff supervision, development, and performance management
• Supporting induction and training for new staff
• Ensuring accurate and timely care records are maintained
• Monitoring medication, incident, risk, and safeguarding documentation where applicable
• Supporting risk assessments and risk management plans
• Working closely with Social Workers, health professionals, families, and external agencies
• Supporting reviews, meetings, and multi-agency discussions
• Responding appropriately to incidents, emergencies, and service concerns
• Helping investigate complaints, concerns, and service issues
• Ensuring the service complies with relevant policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements
• Supporting audits and quality assurance activity
• Promoting dignity, independence, choice, and person-centred practice
• Acting as senior lead when the Officer in Charge is unavailable
• Supporting continuous improvement across the service

Requirements

We're looking for a confident, experienced, and supportive care professional with strong leadership skills and a good understanding of safeguarding and service delivery.

You'll ideally have:

• Experience working within social care, residential care, supported living, or a related service
• Previous senior, supervisory, or deputy management experience
• Experience supervising and supporting care staff
• Strong understanding of safeguarding principles and procedures
• Experience developing or reviewing care and support plans
• Experience managing risk and responding to incidents
• Strong knowledge of person-centred care
• Experience working with vulnerable children, young people, or adults depending on service area
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to provide clear leadership and direction
• Experience working with families, Social Workers, health professionals, and partner agencies
• Strong organisational and time-management skills
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a busy care environment
• Good written communication and record-keeping skills
• Experience contributing to staff supervision and performance management
• Understanding of confidentiality and professional boundaries
• Ability to work independently and make appropriate decisions
• Experience within a local authority or regulated care environment would be advantageous
• Relevant qualification in Health and Social Care would be advantageous
• Enhanced DBS clearance or willingness to undertake required checks
• Eligibility to work in the UK
• Ability to provide three years of references/work history
• Ability to complete a Criminal Convictions Declaration
• Ability to sign a Confidentiality Agreement

Why Apply

• Competitive Umbrella rate of £25.37 per hour
• Opportunity to work with Cardiff Council
• 12-week temporary assignment
• Full-time 37-hour working week
• Opportunity to develop further leadership and management experience
• Varied role combining staff supervision, safeguarding, quality assurance, and service delivery
• Work closely with experienced care professionals and partner agencies
• Opportunity to make a positive impact on service users and their families
• Gain further local authority social care experience

Benefits

• Weekly Pay
• Company Pension
• Ongoing Agency Support

Additional Information

Client: Cardiff Council

Job Title: Deputy Officer in Charge

Location: County Hall, Atlantic Wharf, Cardiff, CF10 4UW

Start Date: 2 November 2026

End Date: 24 January 2027

Hours: 37 hours per week

Pay Rate: Umbrella: £25.37 per hour

Employment Type: Temporary

Number of Positions: 1

Job Types: Full-time, Temporary contract

Contract length: 12 weeks

Pay: £25.37 per hour

Benefits:

• Company pension

Application question(s):

• Do you have experience working within social care, residential care, supported living, or a similar care environment?
• Have you previously worked in a senior, supervisory, or deputy management role?
• Do you have experience supervising and supporting care staff?
• Do you have a strong understanding of safeguarding, risk management, and person-centred care?
• Have you supported the development or review of care and support plans?
• Are you confident acting as the senior lead when the Officer in Charge or Service Manager is unavailable?
• Please confirm your current location and whether you can reliably travel to County Hall, Atlantic Wharf, Cardiff, CF10 4UW as required.

Experience:

• Social Care / Care Services: 2 years (preferred)
• Senior / Supervisory Care Role: 1 year (preferred)
• Safeguarding / Risk Management: 1 year (preferred)
• Local Authority / Regulated Care Service: 1 year (preferred)

Education:

• Relevant Health and Social Care qualification (preferred)

Licence/Certification:

• Enhanced DBS on the Update Service (preferred)

Work authorisation:

• United Kingdom (required)

Work Location: In person

Disclaimer: On applying for this vacancy, you agree that your personal details will be passed onto our client for their consideration of your suitability for the role. I acknowledge that it is my responsibility to notify iWork Recruitment Limited of any hirer who I do not want my details to be passed onto.

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