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- Tasks: Lead participation initiatives and support volunteers to amplify voices in care services.
- Company: Care Inspectorate, dedicated to improving care quality across Scotland.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working, and a supportive work-life balance.
- Why this job: Make a real difference by ensuring everyone’s voice is heard in care services.
- Qualifications: Educated to SCQF level 9 or equivalent, with experience in social care or community development.
- Other info: Open to secondments and offers excellent career development opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 41910 - 46302 £ per year.
Salary: £41,910 - £46,302 (Grade 5)
Hours: 35 hours per week
Location: flexible (any Care Inspectorate office)
Contract: temporary for 6 months (secondments welcome)
Closing date: 08:00 on Tuesday 28 April 2026
About us
We are a scrutiny body that supports improvement. That means we look at the quality of care in Scotland to ensure it meets high standards. We are responsible for providing assurance and protection for people who experience care services, their families, carers and the wider public. Our vision is that people across Scotland experience high-quality care that meets their needs, rights and choices.
Our values:
- Person-centred: we put people, empathy, compassion, and kindness at the heart of everything we do
- Respect: we value everyone's dignity and are respectful in everything we do
- Equity: we embrace diversity and nurture an inclusive environment where everyone is supported to achieve equal outcomes
- Integrity: we act impartially, fairly, and consistently, upholding transparency and accountability in all our actions
- Impact: we focus on making a positive impact for everyone experiencing care in Scotland whilst ensuring our work delivers the best value to the public
Work-life balance
Our desire is to achieve an effective and balanced way of working, which enables us to meet organisational needs and achieve a work-life balance that promotes wellbeing and collaboration opportunities. Our hybrid working policy gives you the flexibility to mix working from home with attendance at your base office and other work locations, spending no more than 60% of your working time working from home, measured over a four-week period.
About the role
This role is central to fulfilling our statutory responsibilities for participation and ensuring that people who experience care and those important to them have their voices heard. You will lead our Volunteer Development Programme, lead participation development work and provide line management to our Participation Coordinators. A key part of the role is ensuring volunteers are well supported, confident in their contribution and deployed effectively and meaningfully to enhance our organisational work. You will collaborate with external partners and colleagues across assurance, improvement and wider organisational functions to ensure our participation activity is targeted, timely and aligned to organisational priorities. Your leadership will help ensure that participation is embedded across our work and that the voices of people who experience care meaningfully contribute to our everyday work. We welcome opportunities for secondments and are open to hosting individuals who wish to broaden their experience, share knowledge, and contribute to our team. If you are interested in arranging a secondment with us, we would be pleased to discuss this further. You will find more information in the job profile and person specification.
About you
You should be educated to SCQF level 9 or equivalent in social work, education, community development, health, social care, or a related discipline, or have the relevant skills and experience for this role. You should be passionate about participation, human rights, and equalities, with a strong commitment to ensuring people’s voices are heard and valued. You should have experience supporting and managing others and can confidently oversee volunteer programmes and participation in activities in an inclusive and empowering way. You will bring excellent communication and organisational skills, with the ability to build trusting relationships across diverse groups. You should be proactive, approachable, and values-driven, with a focus on creating meaningful opportunities for people to get involved and influence change.
Starting salary
New employees start at the minimum salary for the grade. However, we offer a generous benefits package.
Next steps
If you believe that your skills, experience and motivation make you a suitable candidate for this post, please complete our online application form by 08:00 on Tuesday 28 April 2026. We anticipate holding interviews during the week commencing 25 May 2026 at our Dundee office or on Microsoft Teams. Please note that choosing a Teams interview will not negatively impact your application in any way. We recognise the current challenges associated with fuel costs and travel and aim to offer flexibility to support all applicants.
Participation Adviser employer: Care Inspectorate
Contact Detail:
Care Inspectorate Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Participation Adviser
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in your field, especially those connected to the Care Inspectorate. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insights that a job description just can't.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by practising common questions related to participation and care services. We recommend role-playing with a friend or using online resources to boost your confidence and refine your answers.
✨Tip Number 3
Show your passion for participation and human rights during interviews. Share personal stories or experiences that highlight your commitment to making a positive impact in the care sector.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team and contributing to high-quality care in Scotland.
We think you need these skills to ace Participation Adviser
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: Make sure to express your passion for participation and human rights in your application. We want to see how much you care about making a positive impact for those experiencing care.
Tailor Your Application: Don’t just send a generic application! Tailor your CV and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills that align with the role of Participation Adviser. We love seeing how you connect your background to our values.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. We appreciate well-structured responses that get straight to the heart of your qualifications and experiences without unnecessary fluff.
Apply Through Our Website: Remember to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to us directly. Plus, you’ll find all the details you need to make your application shine.
How to prepare for a job interview at Care Inspectorate
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you understand the role of a Participation Adviser inside and out. Familiarise yourself with the Care Inspectorate's mission, values, and recent initiatives. This will help you demonstrate your passion for participation and human rights during the interview.
✨Showcase Your Experience
Prepare specific examples from your past work that highlight your experience in managing volunteer programmes and supporting others. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses and make them impactful.
✨Emphasise Communication Skills
As a Participation Adviser, strong communication is key. Be ready to discuss how you've built trusting relationships with diverse groups. Think of examples where your communication skills made a difference in your previous roles.
✨Ask Thoughtful Questions
At the end of the interview, have a few insightful questions prepared. This shows your genuine interest in the role and the organisation. You might ask about their current participation projects or how they measure the impact of their work on care services.