Job Description
Assistant Residential Manager
A little bit about us….
Garvald West Linton Ltd is a long established, values-led Scottish charity founded in 1944. We are an independent centre providing full-time residential care, holistic support, and meaningful work opportunities for 32 adults with learning disabilities. We also offer day placements for adults living locally. Together, our residents, staff and day participants make up a community of approximately 130 staff, 32 residents and 10 Day Service users. Life at Garvald is centred around five shared houses providing a homely environment and five workshops (Bakery, Weavery, Crafts, Garden and Estate work) providing meaningful work opportunities.
Our Ethos
Life and work at Garvald West Linton are rooted in Rudolf Steiner’s principles of nurturing individual potential within an inclusive community. We take a holistic approach to care, ensuring the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of every individual are met in a way that promotes independence, inclusion, and choice.
There is a strong spirit of community here, encouraging the building of meaningful relationships throughout Garvald. This is complemented by a deep appreciation for rhythm; our days are thoughtfully structured with opportunities for meaningful work, therapies, leisure activities, community events and active participation in the wider community. We follow the natural rhythm of the year, staying attuned to the changing seasons.
Main Purpose of Role
The Assistant Residential Manager is a varied and rewarding role, combining direct leadership within The Lodge supported living service with wider responsibilities across the residential community at Garvald West Linton.
The postholder will oversee the care and support of residents at The Lodge, coordinate a flexible staff team providing cover across the other five houses, and collaborate closely with the Residential Manager to support the ongoing management and development of the residential service.
Person Specification
Desired Qualifications
SVQ 4 in Health and Social Care and/or Management and Leadership or other relevant qualification for SSSC registration as Manager or a willingness to work towards this if not already held.
• Must hold a full and valid manual driving licence.
Desired Knowledge and Experience
• Knowledge and experience of working with learning disabilities.
• Knowledge of anthroposophical approach and/or Rudolph Steiner approach or Social Pedagogy.
• Experience of managing and/or supervising staff in a care setting.
Skills and Abilities
• Skilled people manager with the ability to give and receive feedback to improve individual and team performance.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with specific ability to communicate with a range of stakeholders and represent the needs of residents’ and staff alike.
Confident in identifying behaviour that may obstruct the achievement of House duties and proactively manages team conflict when required.
• Ability to prioritise and plan own time while managing others in the team, as necessary.
• Computer literacy with knowledge of MS Office packages, email, and internet use.
• Ability to work within a set budget and provide relevant updates relating to spending etc.
Personal Attributes
• Commitment to embracing and pursuing the principles of social therapy (based on the Rudolf Steiner’s principles) and their application in a residential setting.
• Flexible and resilient with the ability to react quickly and appropriately to escalating situations.
• Self-awareness and a positive outlook with confidence and belief in own abilities.
• Logical approach to problem solving and decision-making.
• Confident in ability to work with individuals who exhibit challenging and complex behaviours.
Key responsibilities and tasks
Managing Care of residents
Ensures that a holistic approach (based on Rudolf Steiner’s principles) is applied in practice, striving to meet the needs of the whole human being and working to create a healthy social atmosphere in the Lodge.
• Ensures resident’s health needs are being supported and met.
Attends Learning Disability Team meetings to review residents’ progress and arising issues including behavioural and mental health concerns, changes to prescriptions, side effects from new medication etc.
• Ensures residents’ Care Plans and Risk Assessments are kept up to date and reviewed every 6 months, and any changes are effectively communicated to the staff team.
• Ensures Care Plans are fully implemented by all staff.
• Ensures Residents Finances are in order and all banking and financial transactions and records.
• Holds 6 monthly review meetings with Guardians, Family, social workers etc. ensuring support packages meet the needs of residents.
• Ensures resident’s social needs are being met.
• Ensures appropriate staff cover is always in place, this may require covering care shifts themselves.
• Ensures all incidents are recorded and fully reported in a timely manner.
• Reacts and responds promptly and appropriately to everyday matters that may arise in relation to residents,’ ensuring their welfare and safety is always paramount.
• Ensures the organisation’s values and ethos are upheld within the house.
• Ensure residents receive healthy well-balanced meals and groceries are within budget.
• Responsible for the home environment, good housekeeping and health and hygiene standards.
• Ensure the House operates within the policies and procedures of Garvald West Linton.
• Ensure Care Inspectorate standards are met and maintained.
Managing staff teams
• Has the line management responsibilities for the Lodge staff team and the Flexi Team.
Support staff to fulfil their roles in respect of the care and wellbeing of residents including conducting regular supervision meetings, identifying, and discussing challenges and concerns and reviewing training requirements.
• Mentor staff in good practice, addresses any poor practice/performance and ensure all staff work within the SSSC code of practice and Garvald’s policies and procedures.
• Ensure all staff receive an adequate induction.
• Co-ordinate and distribute the staff rotas.
Manage staff absences.
• Ensure all staff records are up to date on Bright HR.
Complete monthly Payroll sheets.
• Liaise with relief ‘bank’ and employment agencies to secure adequate cover for the lodge where staff shortages are recognised.
• Ensure effective communication across the staff teams.
• Attend wider Garvald meetings, both to contribute information and to ensure an awareness of what is happening elsewhere within the community, and to disseminate information to their teams.
Regularly communicate and liaise with colleagues (Chief Executive, Residential Manager, Day Services Manager, House Managers and Deputies, Finance Manager, Finance assistants, HR Administrators, Workshop Leaders, and Therapists), to share information and to seek necessary advice and support.
• Conduct interviews with prospective candidates and liaise with HR Administrators and Chief Executive regarding all relevant processes and procedures for recruitment.
• Monitor staffing levels across all the houses and assist with interviews for these staff teams.
Health and Safety
Responsible for all aspects of Health & Safety within the Lodge including ensuring that appropriate risk assessments are carried out and updated as required and all relevant H&S paperwork is accurate and up to date.
Responsible for fire safety within the lodge, regular fire safety checks, actioning tasks from Fire safety risk assessment, conducts regular fire drills and conducts 6 monthly fire safety training with staff.
• Reports any issue to the maintenance team and facilitates necessary house maintenance ensuring it is carried out in a timely manner.
• Reports all accidents related to staff and residents, actions and follows up measures required.
Assisting residential manager
• Assist the residential manager with development and improvement projects.
• Negotiating and reviewing support plans with local authorities.
• Conducting Compliance Audits in all houses.
Monitoring staffing levels in all houses.
• Ensuing staff meet SSSC qualification requirements.
• Supporting with Induction training.
Organising health clinics for all residents.
• Completing annual survey from all residents.
• Ensure all residents receive an annual and 6 monthly review.
• Reporting, recording, and monitoring of incidents accidents and medication errors.
• Taking a turn to be the manager on call at the weekend (around one in six).
• Deputise for the Residential House Manager in their absence.