About the Role
As Team Leader, you'll provide clear, structured leadership to our local support teams, working under the guidance of the Registered Manager to ensure the highest standard of care is delivered consistently and safely across your locations. This is a hands-on leadership role spanning 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, escalating and resolving any gaps within agreed timescales.
- Plan and manage staff rotas to ensure shifts are fully covered and service users' needs are consistently met.
- Support recruitment in line with Unique Care Network's recruitment policy, ensuring all required documentation is completed and passed to admin correctly.
- 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 staff allocated to a service user are trained, competent, and formally introduced before starting support.
- Keep service users' families informed of any changes, concerns, or incidents.
- Work collaboratively with external professionals to support each service user holistically.
- Represent the service at professional and MDT meetings in the Registered Manager's absence.
- Apply the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Best Interests decision-making in day-to-day practice.
- Respond to incidents, complaints and safeguarding concerns promptly, including writing clear, accurate incident reports and safeguarding referrals.
- Manage staff shortages and travel disruption to minimise impact and distress for service users.
Essential Criteria
- Level 3 Diploma in Health & Social Care (or working towards, with a clear completion plan).
- Minimum 12 months' experience in a supervisory or Team Leader role within domiciliary care, supported living, or a similar setting.
- Demonstrable experience conducting audits, compliance checks, or quality assurance activity (e.g. medication audits, care plan reviews, spot checks).
- Working knowledge of CQC's fundamental standards and current assessment framework.
- Practical understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, DoLS, and safeguarding adults 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 Criteria
- Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health & Social Care (or working towards).
- Prior experience managing medication competency sign-off for a staff team.
- Prior experience recruiting and inducting care staff.
What You'll Need to Succeed
- A person-centred approach — you treat the people we support as individuals with choices, not tasks to complete.
- Strong written communication, particularly for incident reports and safeguarding referrals.
- The ability to stay calm and adapt quickly when plans change.
- Confidence raising concerns and speaking up when something isn't right — with families, staff, or external agencies.
- A genuinely open attitude to feedback and your own development.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: £26,000.00-£28,000.00 per year
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Smethwick, West Midlands: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Experience:
- providing care: 1 year (required)
- supervisory: 1 year (required)
Licence/Certification:
- Driving Licence (required)
- NVQ Level 2 Health & Social Care (required)
Work Location: In person
