Deputy Specialist Service Manager

Job Introduction

We are Eden Futures, and we deliver exceptional support services for people aged 18 and over who have learning disabilities, autism, mental ill health and associated complex needs.

Every role within Eden Futures is rooted in safeguarding and a commitment to the people we support. At the heart of this role is the responsibility to ensure service users are safe, respected, and protected from harm, while being supported to live meaningful, fulfilled lives in line with their wishes and choices.

Safeguarding is our proactive, everyday practice. You will be expected to remain vigilant, professionally curious, and responsive, always acting in the best interests of the individuals we support. Alongside this, you will live our company values, recognising that how we work is just as important as what we do.

The Deputy Specialist Service Manager will support the Specialist Service Manager in leading services effectively and ensuring that we are responsive to those we support in a caring and safe environment whilst ensuring we are meeting legislative obligations and compliance requirements.

You can find out more about us here:

At Eden Futures, we’re more than a supported living provider - we’re a true people’s organisation. In 2025, we were honoured with Investors in People Platinum status, and that achievement reflects our deep commitment to culture, collaboration, and giving our staff a real career in care. Hear from our staff and Expert Partners about why they love working for Eden Futures:

When you join us, you’ll discover genuine opportunities to grow. Whether through e-learning, face-to-face training, EdenEvolve - our leadership development programme, your own tailored development plan, we support you every step. We’re proud to offer apprenticeships and Continuous Professional Development opportunities too. See more about learning and development here:

Oh, and we love celebrating our teams! From annual Care Awards to monthly staff recognition, and long-service milestones, we ensure you feel valued. We’re an employer people want to stay with. See our recognition page here:

You will receive 25 days annual leave plus Bank holidays. Plus, non-contractual benefits like take your birthday off work, and refer a friend to a Support Worker role with us and if they’re successful, you’ll receive a £500 bonus (unlimited referrals!) .. And more!

Please note: Eden Futures are unable to offer sponsorship for this position

Main Responsibility

• Assist in the recruitment of new staff, ensuring new members of staff are successfully inducted and the correct training is received
• With guidance and training, provide structured supervision to the staff team and assist with personal reviews
• Identify areas for training / development
• Help lead staff meetings, ensuring they are conducted in a professional and constructive manner
• Provide or source hands-on clinical guidance, support and leadership in relation to best practice when supporting people who challenge under the guidance of the Specialist Service Manager
• Undertake on-call duties as required
• Respond to poor performance or conduct issues in a fair and consistent manner by reporting to the Specialist Service Manager so an action plan can be agreed
• Monitor attendance and conduct return-to-work interviews
• Ensure staff complete timesheets / annual leave requests are dealt with appropriately
• Undertake on-call alongside colleagues as appropriate, ensuring the service is effectively managed seven days a week
• Understand the wider implications of the business in relation to the commissioning process, audit, and inspection (CQC etc.)
• Attend and contribute to management meetings and other team meetings to discuss and share information and progress
• Establish and maintain positive working relationships with key stakeholders i.e. Adult Social Care & Health, CCG’s etc.
• Lead by example in enabling the service users to live fulfilling lives based around their individual needs and aspirations.
• Promote joint working when overseeing the transition for new / moving service users – ensuring all support needs are met both within the transition period and ongoing.
• Ensure service users receive their commissioned hours and manage the delivery of those hours in line with service users’ needs and preferences
• Generate person-centred support plans for all service users and ensure the ongoing review of the appropriateness to their needs in partnership with managers and staff
• Ensure appropriate risk assessments are in place and implemented to safeguard the wellbeing of the service users. Work in conjunction with the wider team and the multi-disciplinary team for those of a more complex nature

The Ideal Candidate

• A developing leader with desire to progress into a managerial role
• Ideally you will have previous experience in a Supported Living or Residential service
• Experience of working with adults with Learning Disabilities or Mental Health conditions is preferable
• Be willing to undertake further training or development which is deemed essential to fulfilling your role
• Ability to work effectively in a fast paced, demanding role

About The Company

Eden Futures is about enabling people to live fulfilling lives in whatever circumstances people choose. We support people to be as independent as possible to achieve what they want to with their lives.

Our purpose is our people, our culture is Platinum!

Eden Futures Has Been Awarded Platinum Accreditation By Investors In People – The Highest Level Of Recognition An Organisation Can Achieve. To Become a Platinum Organisation, Investors In People Look For More Than Just Performance – They Look For Purpose, Trust, Continuous Improvement, And a Genuine Commitment To Wellbeing. They Look For Companies Where

• Leadership is people-centric and values-driven
• Learning and development are embedded in everyday work
• Engagement is measured, acted on, and constantly improved
• Values are not just written – they’re lived
• Innovation, inclusion, and giving back are part of the culture

At Eden Futures, we often say we’re a true people’s organisation, and this award shows that we truly live up to it. Our people are the heart of our company. This accreditation reflects how we lead, how we support one another, and how we’ve built a culture where every voice matters.

Our organisation is committed to safe and fair recruitment, safeguarding and protecting those we care for and serve. We are an inclusive employer and make sure all our staff are vetted, selected, trained, and supervised fairly and to a high standard so that they can provide safe, effective, and compassionate care.

At Eden Futures we support vulnerable adults and therefore roles that require contact with our service users are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

The amendments to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (2013 and 2020) provides that when applying for certain jobs and activities, certain convictions and cautions are considered ‘protected’. This means that they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account.

Guidance about whether a conviction or caution should be disclosed can be found on the Ministry of Justice website. It’s a criminal offence for people who are barred from working in regulated activity to apply for roles that require them to work unsupervised with vulnerable adults.