Service Manager, (Rights and Quality Improvement)

Location: Any Children First Base (Scotland)/Hybrid

Salary: £44,087 - £50,726 per annum (Subject to ratification of the Pay and Reward Review)

Post Type: Permanent, Full-time (35 hours per week)

Closing Date: 29th July 2026

Interview Date: Provisionally 20th August 2026

Help shape a national service that protects children's rights. Every child deserves to have their voice heard and their rights upheld. At Children First, we stand up for Scotland's children by protecting them from harm, helping them recover from trauma and ensuring they have the opportunity to thrive.

This is a unique opportunity to influence practice at a national level while leading quality improvement, children's rights and accountability across one of Scotland's most important child protection services.

About the role

Working alongside the Assistant Director and two other Service Managers, you will help lead the National Safeguarders Panel on behalf of the Scottish Government. You'll take the lead on complaints and concerns relating to Safeguarders, ensuring these are managed fairly, consistently and in line with legislation and best practice. You'll champion children's rights throughout our work, drive continuous quality improvement and help shape learning and development for Safeguarders across Scotland. You'll also build strong partnerships with Scottish Government, Children's Hearings Scotland, the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration and other key stakeholders to ensure children remain at the heart of everything we do.

This is a strategic leadership role where you'll combine operational management, quality assurance, relationship building and service development to make a lasting difference for children and young people.

What you'll bring

• Significant leadership experience within children's services or a related environment.
• Experience of managing investigations, complaints or quality assurance processes.
• Strong knowledge of Scotland's Children's Hearings System and children's rights.
• The ability to build effective relationships across complex partnerships.
• Experience leading teams, managing resources and delivering service improvement.
• Excellent judgement, communication and decision-making skills.
• A collaborative leadership style that reflects our values.
• A Social Work qualification or another relevant professional qualification at SCQF Level 9 (or equivalent) is essential.

Why join Children First?

By joining us you'll be helping to shape services that protect children's rights across Scotland while working alongside passionate colleagues who share your commitment to making a difference.

We offer:

• A workplace with values of With love, With purpose and With strength
• 40 days annual leave (inclusive of bank holidays)
• Flexible and hybrid working
• Pension scheme
• Westfield Health wellbeing support
• Blue Light Card discounts
• Learning and development opportunities
• A Fair Work accredited workplace

Our values

Everything we do is guided by our values. With love, we put children first. With purpose, we transform children's lives together. With strength, we do whatever it takes to protect Scotland's children.

If you're an experienced leader who shares our commitment to children's rights and wants to influence practice on a national scale, we'd love to hear from you.

FULL JOB DESCRIPTION:

Service Profile

Under arrangements made through the Children's Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011, Children First manages the National Safeguarders Panel on behalf of the Scottish Government. The service is responsible for:

• Managing the day-to-day operation of the National Safeguarders Panel.
• Recruiting, training and supporting Safeguarders.
• Administering Safeguarder appointments, fees and expenses.
• Managing complaints and performance processes.
• Supporting quality assurance and continuous improvement.
• Working alongside Scottish Government and key partners to improve outcomes for children involved in the Children's Hearings and Court systems.

Role Summary

The Service Manager (Rights and Quality Improvement) plays a key leadership role in delivering the National Safeguarders Panel contract on behalf of the Scottish Government. Working alongside two other Service Managers and the Assistant Director, the postholder helps ensure the Panel operates effectively, delivers high-quality services and promotes positive outcomes for children. The role has lead responsibility for managing complaints and concerns relating to Safeguarders, promoting children's rights throughout policy and practice, and driving continuous quality improvement across the service. Through collaboration with Safeguarders, children, families, Scottish Government and partner organisations, the role supports learning, accountability and service development. As a senior leader, the postholder is responsible for leading colleagues, managing resources, maintaining effective partnerships and ensuring contractual, regulatory and organisational standards are consistently met.

Key Results Areas

• Deliver high-quality, rights-based services
• Lead quality assurance and continuous improvement activity across the National Safeguarders Panel, ensuring complaints, concerns and performance processes are managed fairly, consistently and in line with legislation, contractual requirements and organisational standards.
• Promote children's rights
• Champion children's rights across all aspects of the service, ensuring the voices of children and young people influence policy, practice, learning and service development.
• Lead service improvement
• Identify opportunities to strengthen practice through learning, feedback, research and evaluation. Lead the development of learning resources, surveys and improvement initiatives that enhance Safeguarder practice and service quality.
• Build effective partnerships
• Develop productive relationships with Scottish Government, Children's Hearings Scotland, the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration, Safeguarders and other partners to support the ongoing development of the National Safeguarders Panel.
• Lead people and resources
• Provide effective leadership, supervision and support to colleagues, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, learning and continuous improvement whilst ensuring effective use of financial and organisational resources.
• Deliver contractual and organisational outcomes
• Ensure the National Safeguarders Panel contract is delivered effectively, meeting agreed performance measures, governance requirements and Children First strategic objectives.

Corporate Responsibility

• Be committed and adhere to Children First vision, mission and values.
• Comply with Children First Safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Comply with Children First Code of Conduct and any relevant professional standards relating to the role.
• Actively consider the involvement of children, young people and families with whom we work, in all areas of practice and to implement the Children First Participation Standards.
• Actively consider the involvement of volunteers in all areas of our work and to implement the Children First Volunteer Development Policy.
• Observe all health and safety requirements.
• Work within and promote policies in relation to Diversity Equity and Inclusion and anti-discriminatory practices.
• Undertake any other reasonably required duties as instructed by line manager or someone acting on their behalf, in addition to the role specific responsibilities detailed below.

What We’re Looking For

• Significant leadership experience within children's services or a related environment.
• Strong knowledge of Scotland's Children's Hearings System and child protection.
• Experience managing investigations, complaints or quality assurance processes.
• The ability to build trusted relationships across complex partnerships.
• Experience leading teams, managing budgets and driving continuous improvement.
• A strong commitment to children's rights and participation.
• Excellent judgement, communication and decision-making skills.
• A collaborative leadership style that reflects Children First's values.
• Relevant professional qualifications in Social Work or an equivalent discipline, together with substantial experience, are essential.

Need to Have

• Degree or Diploma in Social Work, or another relevant professional qualification at SCQF Level 9 (or equivalent).
• Significant experience working within children's services, safeguarding or a related practice area.
• Experience managing investigations, complaints or quality assurance processes.
• Experience involving children, young people and families in shaping or improving services.
• Experience leading and managing teams, including supervision, performance management and staff development.
• Experience managing budgets and financial resources.
• Experience working collaboratively across multi-agency partnerships.
• Ability to lead and motivate teams to deliver high-quality services.
• Ability to build effective relationships, including with children and their families, and influence a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to gather, analyse and assess complex information to make balanced, evidence-based decisions.
• Ability to lead investigations and manage sensitive or complex situations with professionalism and integrity.
• Ability to drive continuous improvement and lead service development.
• Strong planning, organisational and prioritisation skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage budgets and resources effectively.
• Confident use of digital systems and technology to support service delivery.

Children's rights and participation. Child protection and safeguarding legislation and practice. Scotland's Children's Hearings System and relevant legislation. e.g. The Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011. The role of Safeguarders and the National Safeguarders Panel. Quality assurance, governance and continuous improvement approaches. Outcome-focused service planning and evaluation. Budget management and financial accountability. Relevant professional standards and developments in children's services. Passionate about improving outcomes for children, young people and families. Committed to Children First's vision, values and relational approach. Collaborative, approachable and inclusive in how you work with others. Resilient, adaptable and able to lead positively through change. Professional, accountable and able to demonstrate sound judgement. Committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. Willing to travel across Scotland where required. Flexible in responding to the needs of the service.

About us

Children First is Scotland’s national children’s charity. We stand up for every child because all children should have a safe childhood. We protect children from harm and support them to recover from trauma and abuse through our national and local services. We help children, their families and the people that care for them by offering emotional, practical, and financial support. We give children hope and a safer, brighter future. Our core values guide how each one of us works in our individual day to day job: • With love, we put children first. • With purpose, we transform children’s lives together. • With strength, we do whatever it takes to protect Scotland’s children. These values are reflected in everything we do. If you share our vision and values and would like to join our team then we would love to hear from you.