About the role
Shift-leading and mentoring alongside hands-on care — the usual first step from support work into leadership. Often advertised as Senior Care Assistant.
These are the criteria providers across the UK typically set for this role, so you can judge your own fit before you apply anywhere. Individual services vary — any role we put you forward for will have its own criteria, pay and rota, and we confirm those with the provider first.
What the role usually involves
- Lead the shift: allocate work, keep the floor covered and set the tone
- Administer and audit medication, and catch MAR chart errors before they become incidents
- Coach new starters and sign off parts of their induction and competencies
- Contribute to care plans, reviews and risk assessments
- Be the person the team asks first, and escalate to the manager when it warrants escalating
Typical criteria
- Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care, held or being worked towards
- Experience of medication administration and competency sign-off
- Evidence you have led a shift or supervised colleagues, formally or informally
- Confidence with care planning, records and audits
- Willingness to have the awkward conversation when practice slips
Often asked for as well
Not usually dealbreakers, but they widen the range of services that will consider you.
- Train-the-trainer, moving-and-handling or medication-champion training
- Experience of supporting a service through CQC inspection
- A full UK driving licence
Hours and pay
Full-time on a rolling rota, usually including alternate weekends and a share of nights.
Nursing homes and complex-needs services pay toward the top. Some providers pay a flat senior uplift rather than a separate rate, which is worth checking against the hours you would actually lead.
Checks and eligibility
- An enhanced DBS check on the relevant barred list, or a current one on the update service we can check
- The right to work in the UK — we are not a licensed sponsor, so we cannot offer visa sponsorship or take over an existing certificate
- A full employment history with references covering it, including one from your most recent care employer
- Proof of identity and address, plus evidence of any qualification or professional registration the role depends on