At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and develop services that support individuals in need across Orkney.
- Company: Join a 200-year-old charity dedicated to helping people build safe homes.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous leave, pension contributions, and wellness support.
- Other info: Flexible working hours with opportunities for professional development.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in people's lives while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in service management and a passion for supporting others.
The predicted salary is between 35709 - 38896 £ per year.
About The Role
Are you an experienced service leader who wants to help people build a safe and supportive place to call home?
Join Right There as our Service Manager in Orkney and lead services that put people’s strengths, aspirations and relationships at the heart of their support.
You’ll oversee supported accommodation, young people and family support, counselling and mentoring across Orkney.
Working alongside colleagues and local partners, you’ll combine day-to-day leadership with service development, helping ensure people receive the right support at the right time.
Right There has spent 200 years standing alongside people in Scotland.
We provide tailored support at home and in the community for people living with the effects of homelessness, poverty, addiction or family breakdown.
We meet people where they are, without judgement, building trusting relationships and walking alongside them to help prevent homelessness and separation from the people they love.
Your role
- Lead, coach and develop staff and volunteers through supportive supervision, reflective practice and individual development plans.
- Ensure high-quality, person-centred support that recognises each person’s strengths, choices and aspirations.
- Embed a People First approach and Psychologically Informed Environment (PIE) principles in service delivery.
- Involve the people we support in shaping services, listening to feedback and resolving complaints.
- Maintain safe accommodation and ensure services meet contractual, regulatory and health and safety requirements.
- Build strong working relationships with commissioners, local authorities and partner agencies.
- Manage budgets and resources, use service data to guide improvements, and oversee Care Inspectorate and local authority reporting.
- Contribute to programme development, identify local funding opportunities and take part in the shared locality management on-call rota.
- What you’ll bring
You’ll bring experience of managing a service and supporting people to do their best work.
You’ll be comfortable taking responsibility, making thoughtful decisions and building respectful relationships with colleagues, partners and the people we support.
- Experience of coaching, people management, recruitment and team development.
- A track record in service planning, performance management and quality assurance.
- The ability to manage budgets effectively and analyse data to support decisions.
- Strong organisation, prioritisation and communication skills, including writing comprehensive reports.
- Professional integrity, clear boundaries and the ability to build effective working partnerships.
- Flexibility around working patterns, the ability to travel within the agreed geographical area and to respond to crisis situations at short notice.
Essential qualifications
You must hold SVQ 3 in Social Services and Health Care at SCQF Level 7 or an HNC in Social Services.
You must also hold, or be willing to work towards, SVQ 4 Social Services and Healthcare at SCQF Level 9, and be willing to work towards either a management award at or above SCQF Level 9 with a minimum of 60 credits, mapped against the
- National
- Occupational
Standards: Leadership and Management for Care Services at SCQF Level 10, or SVQ Care Services Leadership and Management at SCQF Level 10.
Experience in a similar environment, third-sector management experience in housing, social care or support services, an understanding of PIE principles and experience of social care management information tools would be helpful.
- Our offer
- A permanent, full‑time role with a salary of £35,709–£38,896 per annum.
- Annual leave of 210 hours, equivalent to six weeks, rising to 280 hours, equivalent to eight weeks, from your second year, including public holidays, with the option to buy or sell five days.
- People’s Pension from day one if eligible, with employer and employee contributions of 5% each.
- Life insurance at four times your salary through the YMCA scheme.
- Enhanced family leave and paid compassionate leave.
- 24‑hour Employee Assistance Programme support, a Wellbeing Hub and self‑care resources.
- Mentoring, People First trauma‑informed training and an annual role‑relevant development plan, with funded SVQ qualifications for appropriate roles.
- A Health Shield monthly plan, including GP Anytime and support towards dental care, glasses, massage and physiotherapy.
- Working arrangements
Your core place of work will be Glaitness Farmhouse, Glaitness Road, Kirkwall, KW15 1TN, reporting to the Locality Manager.
Your usual hours will be Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm, with a one‑hour unpaid break.
Flexibility is required for evenings and weekends according to service needs, alongside participation in the shared on‑call rota.
Working arrangements will be agreed with your line manager around programme needs.
About Us
We are a charity that recently celebrated 200 years of standing alongside people in Scotland.
Last year we supported almost 4,000 people to stay in their homes and stay connected to the people they love.
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Service Manager in Kirkwall employer: Right There
Right There is an exceptional employer dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the lives of young people experiencing homelessness. With a strong focus on employee growth, we offer comprehensive training and development opportunities, alongside a supportive work culture that values compassion and collaboration. Located in Ayr, our team enjoys flexible working arrangements, generous annual leave, and a range of wellbeing benefits, all while contributing to a mission that has positively influenced thousands of lives over the past 200 years.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Service Manager in Kirkwall
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at Right There.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from Right There!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like Right There, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at Right There or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Service Manager in Kirkwall
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to Right There:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Right There! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Right There
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
