Jobs

Team Leaders – Opportunities are available across the County Durham Area

Salary: £32,597 - £36,363 (starting salary within the grade range will consider experience relevant to the post if required for external candidates). This is the basic salary for a Team Leader, in addition the post is paid enhancements, this can equate to an additional earning potential of up to £5,000 on top of the basic salary.

There are posts available across the County Durham area, applicants will be given the opportunity at interview to advise which areas they would like to be considered for. 

The Role

We are expanding our Children’s Homes Service, developing homes which meet the individual needs of young people and building supportive teams who are skilled in trauma-informed approaches. We are committed to ensuring that our children and young people live in homes where they feel happy, safe and aspirational for their futures. 
As a Team Leader, you will be part of the management team and facilitate supervision with Residential staff. You will be expected to lead and manage shifts and be responsible for decision making whilst on shift.
 
You will support the Registered Manager and Deputy Manager in undertaking tasks to ensure the smooth running of the home. This will include preparing, recording, monitoring, and reviewing documentation. You will be responsible for taking a lead in all aspects of caring and supporting the young people in the Children’s Home.
 
You will adopt a positive aspirational approach to improve and develop the Children’s Homes Service to achieve its vision of providing high quality care and support to children, young people and their families as detailed in the Children’s Homes Statement of Purpose.
 
Our Values

Durham Cares incorporates our core values and strategic objectives, shaping our work and the high-quality care we provide for young people, as well as the culture across the Children’s Homes Service. Our ‘Durham’ values - Dignity, Unity, Responsibility, Heart, Aspiration, and Mindset are at the heart of everything we do for both our young people and our teams.

What you will need

We are seeking candidates who have significant experience of working in a Residential environment. As a Team Leader, you should have strong leadership skills and have the ability to influence and motivate others. You should possess good oral and written skills, as well demonstrate the ability and experience of effective report writing and recording.

Your experience should come with a professional qualification, candidates must hold a Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare or equivalent qualification as stated in the Children’s Homes Regulations 2015. Please refer to page 71 to confirm relevant equivalent qualifications: QS Stat Guidance

Please note to be shortlisted for interview, you must evidence in your application that you meet the essential criteria as detailed in the person specification for the role.
 
We operate a 365 days per year, 24 hours a day service. As part of this, our shift-based roles work on a rota basis and attract enhanced payments which include time and a third for overtime and unsociable hours (working between the hours of 8pm to 6am and on weekends), as well as sleep in payments at £41.78 per sleep in. This can equate to an additional earning potential of up to £5,000 on top of the basic salary.

In accordance with Durham County Council’s requirements, candidates must be a minimum of 22 years of age or above to apply. The successful applicant for this post will be required to apply for a Disclosure & Barring Service Enhanced Disclosure.

Our offer to you

You will benefit from a comprehensive programme of training to support you to develop in your role.

We offer competitive rewards and benefits to help you perform at your best, including:

• 27 days holiday (plus bank holidays), rising to 32 days after 5 years' continuous local government service
• Option to purchase up to 10 additional days annual leave per year
• Excellent Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), with top-up options
• Wellbeing Portal and Employee Assistance Scheme
• Learning and development opportunities, including professional qualifications and mentoring
• Employee Benefits Portal with discounts at major retailers
• Discounted gym membership
• Staff-led networks (Race Equality, LGBT+, Carers, Armed Forces, Menopause)
• Trade Union membership
• Salary sacrifice schemes, such as car leasing

Take a closer look at our Rewards and Benefits

You can contact us via Nicole.Spoors@durham.gov.uk or Louise.Chippendale@durham.gov.uk if you would like any additional information on the post or have any queries. 

Interviews

It is anticipated that interviews will be held on Tuesday 11 November 2025.  

Removal and Lodgings

Removal, lodging and separation expenses may be available to the successful candidate if at the time of application for appointment their place of residence is outside the administrative area of County Durham and more than 30 miles in a straight line from their new administrative centre, along with several other criteria for eligibility.
 
Equality, diveristy and inclusion
 
We are a proud equal opportunities employer and believe a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and drives service improvement. We welcome applications from everyone and make employment decisions based on skills and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled people and offer support throughout the recruitment process.

How to apply
 
Please note, we do not accept CVs. All applications must be submitted online via the Northeast Jobs portal. Use the ‘Person Specification’ section of the form to clearly demonstrate how you meet the essential (and where possible, desirable) criteria. Applications that do not evidence the essential requirements will not be shortlisted. For guidance on completing your application, visit our website
 
If you require assistance when applying for this role, please contact our Recruitment Helpdesk on 03000 26 27 27, or via email RecruitmentCYPS@durham.gov.uk
 
All correspondence relating to your application will be sent from donotreply@northeastjobs.org.uk. Kindly check your spam/junk folder regularly to ensure you don’t miss any updates.
 
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