Job Purpose
The Team Leader is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day delivery of support services within the hostel, ensuring residents receive high-quality, person-centred support. The role includes supervising support staff, coordinating and developing resident activities, maintaining oversight of support documentation and compliance, and ensuring a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment.
The post holder will lead by example, ensuring effective engagement with residents and promoting positive outcomes, independence, wellbeing, and service standards. The Team Leader will also provide direct operational support by covering support worker duties where required to maintain service continuity.
Key Responsibilities
1. Staff Supervision and Leadership
- Provide day-to-day supervision, guidance, and support to hostel support staff.
- Allocate workloads and ensure adequate staffing levels are maintained.
- Conduct regular one-to-one supervision sessions and contribute to staff appraisals.
- Support the induction, training, and development of team members.
- Promote a positive team culture and address performance issues where required.
- Provide shift cover and undertake support worker duties where necessary to ensure safe staffing levels and continuity of service delivery.
2. Resident Support and Engagement
- Oversee the delivery of person-centred support to residents, ensuring individual needs are met.
- Support staff in developing and implementing support plans and risk assessments.
- Monitor resident progress and ensure accurate and timely record keeping.
- Carry out quality assurance checks on resident support files to ensure compliance, accuracy, and consistency of documentation.
- Ensure support plans, risk assessments, case notes, and resident records are maintained to organisational and regulatory standards.
- Respond to complex or challenging situations, providing guidance and support to staff.
3. Resident Activities and Wellbeing
- Develop, coordinate, and oversee a programme of meaningful activities for residents.
- Encourage resident participation in activities that promote social inclusion, life skills, independence, and wellbeing.
- Work collaboratively with external agencies and community organisations to enhance activity provision.
- Ensure activities are inclusive, accessible, engaging, and responsive to residents’ needs and interests.
- Promote resident involvement and feedback in the planning and development of activities and events.
4. Safeguarding and Risk Management
- Promote and uphold safeguarding practices, ensuring the safety and welfare of residents.
- Respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns and incidents, following organisational procedures.
- Support staff in managing risk effectively, including de-escalation of challenging behaviour.
- Ensure all incidents, safeguarding concerns, and accidents are recorded accurately and reported within required timescales.
- Monitor staff compliance with safeguarding and support procedures.
5. Health and Safety Compliance
- Ensure the hostel operates in line with health and safety requirements.
- Conduct regular health and safety checks, including fire safety and building security.
- Support the implementation of policies and procedures to maintain a safe environment.
- Report maintenance, welfare, or safety concerns promptly and ensure appropriate follow-up action is taken.
6. Operational Oversight
- Support the smooth running of the hostel, including shift coordination and handovers.
- Ensure policies and procedures are consistently applied by all staff.
- Monitor service delivery standards and identify areas for improvement.
- Deputise for the Hostel Manager in their absence where required.
- Ensure effective communication between shifts and across teams.
- Assist with rota coordination and staffing arrangements where required.
7. Partnership Working
- Liaise with external agencies, including support services, healthcare providers, and local authorities.
- Advocate on behalf of residents to ensure access to appropriate services.
- Build positive working relationships to support resident outcomes.
- Support multi-agency working to improve resident engagement and progression opportunities.
8. Administration and Reporting
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date records, including support notes, incident reports, support plans, and activity logs.
- Carry out regular audits and assurance checks of support files and operational documentation.
- Contribute to internal reporting, compliance monitoring, and performance reviews.
- Ensure confidentiality and data protection standards are upheld at all times.
Person Specification
Essential Knowledge and Experience
- Experience working in a hostel, supported housing, or similar environment.
- Proven experience of supervising or leading a team.
- Strong understanding of support work, including working with vulnerable adults.
- Experience in planning, developing, and delivering resident activities or programmes.
- Experience of maintaining and auditing support records and documentation.
- Knowledge of safeguarding, risk management, and professional boundaries.
Essential Skills and Abilities
- Strong leadership and team management skills.
- Ability to motivate and support staff to deliver high-quality services.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Good organisational skills and ability to prioritise workload effectively.
- Ability to manage challenging situations calmly and professionally.
- Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate records and compliance standards.
Qualifications
- Relevant qualification in Health and Social Care (e.g., NVQ Level 3 or equivalent) desirable.
Personal Attributes
- Empathetic and person-centred approach.
- Professional, reliable, and resilient.
- Flexible and adaptable to service needs.
- Commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion.
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team environment.
Additional Requirements
- Ability to take part in the emergency on-call rota, including evenings, nights, weekends, and bank holidays.
- Willingness to provide operational cover for support staff where required.
- Enhanced DBS check required.
Safeguarding
The organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all residents. The post holder will be expected to adhere to safeguarding policies and procedures at all times.
Equality and Diversity
The organisation is committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion and expects all staff to uphold these values in their daily work.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: £27,000.00-£30,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
