Senior HR Manager- Children’s Residential Care

Company Overview

At Guidance Care, the people we recruit and the support we give them make a difference to children’s everyday lives. Due to expansion, we’re looking for an experienced Senior HR Manager to lead and develop our HR service.

Established in 2019, we are a growing children’s residential care provider with homes across Lancashire. You’ll work closely with our directors, Responsible Individual and home management teams, bringing sound judgement, practical advice and a clear understanding of the demands of residential childcare.

This role offers the opportunity to take ownership of HR, influence decisions and put improvements into practice across our homes.

Direct HR experience within Ofsted-regulated children’s residential care is essential.

Why join Guidance Care?

You’ll join an established organisation at a time when your experience can help shape its next stage of growth. Working directly with senior leaders, you’ll influence how we recruit, develop and retain our people.

You’ll also build relationships with the teams in our homes, understand their challenges and see the results of your work. Success will mean managers who feel confident and supported, fair and consistent employment practices, and stable teams who can provide continuity for children.

What you’ll do

You’ll combine leadership of our HR approach with practical involvement in everyday people matters:

• Lead safer recruitment: Oversee recruitment and onboarding, including appropriate DBS and barred-list checks, references, employment history, gaps, qualifications and right-to-work checks.
• Manage complex employee relations: Guide managers through investigations, disciplinary and grievance procedures, whistleblowing, absence, capability and performance concerns with fairness, sensitivity and sound judgement.
• Support safeguarding-related employment matters: Work closely with the Responsible Individual and safeguarding leads on allegations and concerns, ensuring appropriate escalation and coordination with external enquiries.
• Develop confident managers: Coach Registered Managers, deputies and team leaders, helping them make consistent decisions while understanding their responsibilities and the pressures within individual homes.
• Strengthen staff support and retention: Improve induction, probation, supervision, appraisal and development processes. Help managers respond to workload pressures, wellbeing concerns and the impact of difficult incidents.
• Turn HR information into action: Monitor recruitment, vacancies, turnover, absence, agency use and training compliance, using these KPIs to identify concerns and recommend practical improvements.
• Keep our HR foundations strong: Maintain accurate, confidential personnel records, clear policies and effective systems that support employment compliance, audits and Ofsted inspections.

What you’ll bring

We’re looking for someone approachable, credible and confident enough to offer constructive challenge when it matters. You’ll listen carefully, explain decisions clearly and follow through on commitments.

You will need:

• Proven experience delivering HR support within Ofsted-regulated children’s residential homes, including complex employee relations cases.
• A practical understanding of safer recruitment, DBS requirements, safeguarding and the Children’s Homes Regulations and Quality Standards.
• A clear understanding of the responsibilities of the Responsible Individual, Registered Managers, deputies and team leaders, including appropriate reporting and escalation routes.
• Strong knowledge of UK employment law and experience conducting fair, thorough investigations.
• The ability to balance staff wellbeing, safeguarding responsibilities and operational needs.
• CIPD Level 5 or equivalent professional experience.
• The ability to work from Preston and travel to our Lancashire homes, with reasonable adjustments considered.

CIPD Level 7, Chartered membership and experience improving HR across several homes would be welcome.

Apply

Please apply through Indeed with your CV and a short supporting statement explaining your experience in children’s residential care HR and what you would bring to Guidance Care.

Shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete a full application, including employment history and explanations for any gaps.

Guidance Care is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Appointment is subject to satisfactory references and relevant pre-employment checks, including a DBS check appropriate to the role.

We welcome applications from all backgrounds and will make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.

Pay: £45,000.00-£55,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Free parking

Work Location: In person

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