Care team leader jobs

We have some fantastic opportunities for dedicated and enthusiastic Keyworkers to join Barnardo's. Currently we have multiple Full Time, Permanent contracts available as we add to our growing team in Greater Manchester. Would you like the chance to provide crucial support to Children, Young People with Learning Disabilities and/or Autism (up to 25 years) and their families as part of the NHS Long Term Plan?

Covering the Greater Manchester area, it is essential to hold a valid UK driving licence with access to your own vehicle. As a Keyworker, you will have passion and commitment when delivering quality support within the family home, placement, or inpatient setting. You will work as part of a team to prevent - where possible - children and young people from requiring an inpatient admission or placement. Are you a compassionate individual looking for a meaningful and rewarding role?

As this is a new service there are lots of opportunities to develop your skill set, knowledge and career progression going forward. The service has a comprehensive training offer including core competencies through to bespoke training. To be a successful Keyworker, you will need to have the following:

• Experience in supporting children with Learning Disabilities or Autism
• The ability to ensure the 'voice' of the child and family is central, enabling lived experience to create change.
• Excellent team working skills. You will work as part of a service that covers the whole of Greater Manchester. However, there are 5 teams providing the opportunity to offer support and create strong relationships and partnerships in a local area and with colleagues which include Manchester, Bolton, Wigan, Tameside, Salford, Stockport and Trafford.
• Safeguarding knowledge.
• Good IT and recording skills.

This service is dynamic, no two days are the same, however you will have a number of children and young people who you will build positive and meaningful relationships with. You will manage your own diary with families, providing support at a time that suits their needs. This means you will be working some evenings and weekends. In return you will manage your hours so may benefit from later starts or earlier finishes. You will support in homes and the community and attend meetings with professionals and families to ensure excellent communication, a shared understanding and a team approach. You will support information to be understood, views to be shared, checking the right provision is known about and able to be accessed. You will work closely with health and social care partners. We aim to provide the right support, at the right time, in the right way. You may work by yourself or alongside colleagues depending on the support needed.

When completing your application please refer to your skills knowledge and experience in relation to the Advert description,  Person Specification, Job Description and Additional Information document. This should be done with an understanding of the context of the service described.

Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible.

Pay & Reward Framework

We know that our colleagues go above and beyond in delivering our vital work, driven by their passion and commitment to Barnardo's values.  We also know that we can only realise our ambitions and achieve better outcomes for more children, thanks to the talent, hard work and creativity of our people. 

For all these reasons, we are committed to a new approach to pay and reward, to ensure it is fair, attractive and progressive, which was rolled out in April 2023. This is a positive change for the charity, and a part of our People & Culture Strategy. It will assist us in supporting colleagues to belong, thrive and grow in their colleague journey at Barnardo's and in time will offer clear routes of progression for colleagues in both their career and their pay. 

Whilst the full pay band and salary range is advertised, our approach to starting salaries is to appoint between the minimum to mid-point of the pay band – this ensures that pay steps are available to reward our colleagues annually based on their contribution to excellence and alignment to our values and behaviours.  More details on Barnardo's pay framework can be found upon application. 

Benefits

Workplace Offer: What it means for you

Our hybrid working initiative is based on trust, flexibility and empowerment. We understand our workplace offer means different things to different people, and we encourage those conversations. This may mean working at one of our stores, services, working at home, in the community, at one of our Collaboration Hubs or depending on the role any combination of these. Please read through the advert carefully to understand the remits of hybrid working that will be specific to the role.

• Barnardo's believe in creating equality of opportunity in the workplace and supporting people to manage their work-life balance; we are therefore open to offering flexible working arrangements.
• Annual Leave entitlement for full-time colleagues is 26 days per annum, increasing to 27 days per annum, after 3 years Barnardo's service, 29 days per annum, after 5 years Barnardo's service and 30 days per annum, after 7 years Barnardo's service. Those working less than full time are entitled to the same level of holiday pro rata
• The ability to buy up to another 5 days annual leave via our HolidayPlus scheme
• A host of family friendly leave options including company Maternity Paternity and Adoption pay; together with all family additional leave options
• Service related sick pay from day 1
• Access to a Group Personal Pension with a matched 4% or 6% contribution from Barnardo's. Ability to pay via salary sacrifice to garner both tax and NI savings on your own contribution
• Death in service cover of 4x annual earnings for all staff contributing to our Group Personal Pension
• Cycle2work scheme
• Interest free season ticket loans
• Discounts and cashback from at high street shops including major supermarkets, cinemas, gyms, leisure/theme parks, holidays and much more via our Benefit Portal
• 20% discount at Barnardo's stores
• Opportunity to purchase a health cash plan to claim towards dental, glasses, therapy etc
• Free access to round the clock employee assistance program for advice and support
• Access to Barnardo's Learning and Development offer

*T&C's apply based on contract

About Barnardo's

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and cultivating a culture where everyone can belong and thrive through inclusion and connectivity. We want our workforce to be reflective of the communities we work with, and for equality, diversity and inclusion to be embedded in everything we do. We are a Disability Confident Leader, are progressing our ambition to be an anti-racist organisation with Anti-Racism Commitments and actions in place and have networks for colleagues who are disabled, LGBT+, Black and Minoritised Ethnic and Women. We particularly encourage applications from Black and Minoritised Ethnic and/or disabled candidates who are currently underrepresented in our workforce. For disabled applicants, we offer reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.

Our basis and values

About the eoa (Employee Ownership Association)

Employee ownership in the UK is at a critical moment. The sector has more than doubled since 2020. Awareness is rising. Evidence is compelling. Businesses, communities, and policymakers are increasingly recognising that a people-powered approach can unlock fairness, resilience, and productivity.

We believe the UK can reach 10,000 employee owned businesses within the decade, transforming succession, broadening ownership, and reshaping the economic landscape. But achieving this relies on bold, strategic, values-led leadership across our community.

The eoa exists to build and connect that community: a network of more than 850 member businesses, thousands of employee owners, specialist advisors, policymakers, and partners committed to powering fairer livelihoods and stronger businesses through employee ownership.

Purpose of the Role

The Finance Manager leads the eoa’s finances to ensure the businesses resources are used effectively, efficiently, and sustainably.

You will develop robust financial systems, reporting, and analysis to provide insight and assurance to the SLT and Board, playing a central role in safeguarding the eoa’s financial health and enabling its strategic goals to be achieved.

Role Summary

• Contract: Permanent
• Hours: 22.5 hours per week, working pattern to be agreed with successful candidate
• Location: Manchester (hybrid). You will be expected to attend the office at least twice per month, and more often where needed
• Salary: £45,000 (£27,000 pro rata) p/a
• Pension: Up to 7% employer pension match (from year 1 anniversary)
• Annual Leave: 30 days leave + bank holidays
• Reports to: Membership & Operations Director
• Management of: Finance and Business Support Administrator

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and delivery of the organisation’s financial strategy, ensuring it underpins and enables operational delivery.
• Manage the annual budget-setting process, working closely with colleagues to align budgets with strategic priorities.
• Manage day-to-day financial operations, including financial accounting, membership renewals, bank account management, cash flow monitoring, credit control, payments, and function oversight.
• Take responsibility for accurate and timely payroll and pension delivery, working in partnership with an external provider.
• Prepare and reconcile monthly, and year-end accounts, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and robust controls.
• Produce accurate, timely financial forecasts, management accounts and financial analysis to support operational and strategic decisions.
• Ensure compliance with statutory requirements including tax (VAT, PAYE, Corporation Tax) and financial reporting obligations.
• Maintain strong internal controls and risk management processes, safeguarding the organisation’s financial health.
• Act as a signatory on company bank accounts, ensuring appropriate authorisation and governance arrangements are in place.
• Lead the ongoing development and improvement of finance processes and systems, and automations to drive efficiency and effectiveness.

Knowledge, Experience, and Attributes

• Degree-level education and either ACCA, CIMA, or ACA qualification.
• Proven track record in budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management, and delivering accurate management accounts and financial analysis.
• Experience of working for or preparing SME accounts, managing audits, risk, and internal controls, with a focus on continuous improvement of systems and processes.
• Strategic thinker who can translate complex financial data into clear, actionable insight for senior leaders and the Board.
• Highly organised, proactive, and solution-focused, with excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Collaborative, adaptable, and professional, demonstrating integrity and sound judgment in all financial matters.

What Constitutes Success in This Role?

Success in this role means the eoa has reliable, efficient, and well-governed financial operations that underpin all aspects of the business. You will ensure day-to-day finance processes are accurate and timely, cash flow and budgets are effectively managed, and statutory obligations are met with confidence. By providing clear analysis and insight, you will support the SLT and Board in making informed decisions, drive improvements in systems and reporting, and enable the eoa to achieve its strategic priorities.

Key outcomes for the role Measures

1. Outcome: The eoa maintains accurate, timely, and insightful financial reporting and analysis to support decision-making.
   Measure: Accurate monthly management accounts and forecasts delivered on time. Rolling forecasts and scenario analyses updated regularly.
2. Outcome: Budgets are aligned with strategic priorities and financial resources are optimally managed.
   Measure: Budgets prepared and approved within agreed timelines. Variance between budgeted and actual expenditure monitored and reported. Cash flow maintained within agreed thresholds.
3. Outcome: Statutory, regulatory, and internal governance requirements are met and risks are effectively managed.
   Measure: All statutory filings (tax, Companies House, pensions) submitted accurately and on time. External audit completed with no significant issues. Internal controls and risk management processes maintained and reviewed annually.
4. Outcome: Financial systems and processes support operational efficiency and organisational growth.
   Measure: Transaction processing, reconciliations, and payroll delivered accurately and on schedule. Improvements in process efficiency implemented.
5. Outcome: Finance contributes proactively to strategic decision-making and organisational development.
   Measure: Financial insight and recommendations consistently inform senior leadership decisions. Evidence of finance-led initiatives driving cost efficiency or strategic impact.
6. Outcome: Finance function evolves to meet organisational needs and supports a culture of improvement.
   Measure: New or updated systems, processes, or reporting tools implemented successfully. Finance function demonstrates improved efficiency, effectiveness, or scalability over time.

How to apply

To apply, please submit:

• A two-page CV
• And ane of either:
  • Cover letter setting out your motivation, approach, and what you will bring to the role
  • Video (maximum 10 minutes) setting out your motivation, approach, and what you will bring to the role

Applications should be submitted before 9:00am 2 March 2026. We will close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. If you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

Interviews will be in Manchester w.c. 9 March 2026.

The eoa welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds, particularly those who are under-represented. We recruit based on values, skills, and contribution to our purpose.