We are recruiting two Group Leaders to Willow Lodge which is a newly acquired residential children’s home situated on the grounds of Bannercross Hall, Sheffield 11 which opens in July 2026. The home is being developed to meet identified local authority sufficiency needs for high-quality residential placements for 2 children aged 4–10 years on admission with Emotional and Social Behavioural (ESB) needs. The service is designed to support children who have experienced significant early life trauma, neglect, disrupted attachments, and instability, resulting in complex emotional, behavioural, and developmental presentations.

As a group leader you will manage a number of staff acting as first line manager to Residential Childcare Practitioners, including providing regular supervision in line with children’s home regulations, management including disciplinary, and grievance, absence management and performance. You will assist the homes and service leadership team in the day-to-day operation of the home in meeting and maintaining the Children’s Homes Regulations, Principles of Residential Care and Quality Standards. Fulfil necessary line manager responsibilities for direct reports in line with Sheffield City Council policies and procedures. You will need significant residential child care experience and have a QCF level 3 diploma in child care qualification. You will ensure effective assessment, care planning, monitoring and review, involving the child and where appropriate, the parents/ carers to meet all their individual, religious and cultural needs; that encourage emotional, behavioural and attitudinal change where young people have significant behavioural difficulties.

Further information: Karla.Mitchell@sheffield.gov.uk

We are investing in our workforce and are promoting opportunities to our under-represented groups. We value equality, diversity and inclusion and are focused on increasing the diversity of our workforce, particularly the number of Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic, Disabled and LGBTQ+ people, so that our teams reflect the communities in the city we serve. We are also supporting staff with unpaid caring responsibilities to work flexibly.

It is a great time to join us and we welcome your application.

Under the Guaranteed Interview scheme, applicants who are disabled, care leavers, or armed forces veterans will be guaranteed an interview if they meet the essential criteria and indicate their eligibility on the application form. Sometimes, if lots of people apply, we might not be able to interview everyone who qualifies for the Guarantee. In these cases, we’ll interview the candidates who best meet the essential criteria for the job.

Full-time employees work 37 hours for 52 weeks of the year and we offer a generous holiday entitlement. We are open to discussions about a wide range of flexible working opportunities which benefit you and the Council, including reduced hour contracts, working part time or as a job share.

If you are appointed to this role, your starting salary will be at the bottom of the grade. If you provide payslip evidence that your basic pay is greater than the bottom of the grade, we will consider starting you at the point of minimum advantage within the grade.

Equality of pay is extremely important to us. All roles at Sheffield City Council are going through an evaluation process which may result in changes to some pay arrangements from 2026. Find out more on our Sheff news page.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all individuals, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for everyone and where appropriate to the role the successful applicant will be required to undertake relevant safeguarding checks.