Salary: From £58,239 up to £67,030 per annum

Grade:  SM1
Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full time (37 hours)

Location: Northallerton, North Yorkshire with hybrid working available

Are you an inspiring leader with a passion for improving the lives of disabled children and their families?  If so, we’d love for you to join us as our Short Breaks Manager.

Make a difference where it truly matters.

In this pivotal senior management role, you will shape, develop and deliver North Yorkshire’s Short Breaks offer ensuring high‑quality, accessible opportunities that enrich the lives of children and young people with disabilities. Working closely with parents, carers, providers and partners, you will lead a service that is truly co‑produced and responsive to local needs.

You will also act as the Responsible Individual for our three Children’s Resource Centres (CRCs), ensuring high standards of care, compliance with Ofsted requirements, and a strong safeguarding culture.

What you’ll be doing

 Strategic Leadership

• Lead the ongoing development of a high‑quality, countywide Short Breaks offer.
• Forge strong partnerships with schools, colleges, VCS organisations and new providers.
• Champion co‑production with families, ensuring their voices shape our services.
• Drive innovation through approaches that expand day, evening, weekend and holiday provision.

Responsible Individual for CRCs

• Provide strategic direction and oversight of the three Children’s Resource Centres.
• Ensure full Ofsted compliance and exceptional standards of care.
• Support and develop CRC Managers and their teams, embedding a culture of safety, inclusion and continuous improvement.
• Oversee £2m+ CRC financial resources and ensure value for money.

 Operational & Resource Management

• Oversee commissioning, quality assurance and delivery of short breaks.
• Ensure high‑quality plans, risk assessments and safeguarding practices.
• Manage budgets effectively, identify efficiencies and ensure the best outcomes for children.
• Monitor performance, provide robust reporting, and use data to drive improvement.

Partnership & Innovation

• Collaborate with health, education, care and voluntary sector partners to broaden opportunities.
• Identify external funding opportunities and support transformational projects.

Key Requirements

We’re looking for a committed leader with:

• Extensive experience leading services for disabled children or similar settings.
• Strong knowledge of the Care Standards Act, Children’s Homes Regulations and Ofsted frameworks.
• Proven success in service improvement, safeguarding, commissioning and operational leadership.
• Excellent communication and relationship‑building skills.
• A Level 5+ qualification in health/social care (Social Work qualification is desirable).
• The ability to travel across the county and work flexibly.

Why join us?

At NYC, we’re committed to investing in our employees and their wellbeing. As part of this, you’ll have access to:

• Generous Annual Leave: 28 days of holiday (pro-rata), increasing to 34 days after 5 years’ service – plus public holidays.

• Pension Scheme: Save for your future with our generous Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Fitness Discounts: Discounted Gym memberships at various gyms across the county.
• Lifestyle Savings: Enjoy a wide range of discounts at hundreds of popular high-street and online retailers.
• And more: Additional wellbeing support, employee assistance, and development opportunities.

If you would like further information, please contact Kate Reid, Head of Child Permanence and Reunification on 01609536929 or via email at kate.reid@northyorks.gov.uk or Rosie Appleby, Head of Placement Support, via rosie.appleby@northyorks.gov.uk

Ready to lead positive change?

If you’re motivated, compassionate and ready to take a leadership role with impact, we’d love to hear from you.

Key dates

Closing Date: Thursday 19^th February 2026

Interview Date: Tuesday 24^th February 2026

Key documents

Job Description

Total rewards | North Yorkshire Council

An enhanced DBS is required for this post.

NYC are committed to directly recruiting staff and will not accept applications nor services from agency suppliers in respect of our vacancies.  

We are committed to meeting the needs of our diverse community and aim to have a workforce reflecting this diversity. We are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.