Jobs in Fort William and Ardnamurchan, Highland

Based in Fort William

Aberlour Sycamore Services- Fort William, is a residential care home for children and young people between the ages of 12 years and 18 years old, helping them to live and grow in a community setting. We work using a Dyadic Developmental Practice model which means that we ensure that the child and their behaviour is understood and the child feels as safe as possible at home, in school and in social activities.

‘Staff have a warm and friendly approach with the young people and there are plenty of organised activities for the young people to take part in’-Child Care professional working with Sycamore Fort William.

What we are looking for....

You will contribute to the leadership, management and development of services for children, young people and families in line with planned objectives and assist with service review and evaluation. You will play an important role in the overall management function of the service.

There will be an expectation that you work part of your hours on a shift rota, that will be Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm with the exception of one back shift per week (2pm to 10pm) and one day of a weekend monthly and be part of the on call rota including every 5th weekend.

You will have relevant experience of working with children and young people with a in a residential or community setting and understand the impact of trauma on social inclusion. You are required to meet the qualifications requirement for this post which is at SCQF Level 8 (eg. HNC, SVQ Level 4). This post requires you to register with the Scottish Social Services Council as a Residential Child Care Worker with Supervisory Responsibilities.

At Aberlour we want to make sure every child and young person has the love, support and opportunity they need to reach their potential. If you share the same vision, we want you to join our team. To have a look at our values to understand more about what we are looking for from our employees click here.

What we offer...

As well as a supportive team and excellent training opportunities, we want all our employees to feel valued and rewarded for the vital work they do. When you work with us, we'll recognise your efforts with generous annual leave, an excellent employer pension scheme and a range of deals and discounts across various retailers. Find out more about our Employee Benefits here and our commitment to Equality and Diversity here.

Please also read our recruitment privacy notice - Aberlour | Privacy notice

Ewen’s Room is a grassroots charity based in Lochaber and the Western Isles. We believe that preventing suicide starts early, by giving people the practical skills to look after their own mental health and providing kind, non-judgmental support before things get too much.

Central to our approach is our education provision, designed to build personal resilience and active peer support from an early age. In primary schools, our WellBeing Heroes programme uses a play-based approach, therapeutic stories and practical tool to help young children understand their own mental fitness, backed by resources for parents and teachers. In secondary schools, our WellBeing Champions programme equips teenagers with the knowledge to safeguard their wellbeing and lead supervised, weekly peer-support drop-in sessions. From early years through to youth clubs, we normalise mental health conversations across all age groups.

Beyond the classroom, our dedicated team provides a warm, accessible lifeline for adults across Lochaber. We offer safe spaces to connect through our community "Open Doors" drop-in sessions, alongside confidential, professional one-to one and smallgroup therapy designed to guide individuals through times of emotional distress.

We are growing to meet a rising mental health crisis in our area. Our goal is to make our support safe, high-quality, and accessible in every corner of Lochaber, while launching our own small businesses to fund our work independently.

Ewen’s Room is a grassroots charity based in Lochaber and the Western Isles. We believe that preventing suicide starts early, by giving people the practical skills to look after their own mental health and providing kind, non-judgmental support before things get too much.

Central to our approach is our education provision, designed to build personal resilience and active peer support from an early age. In primary schools, our WellBeing Heroes programme uses a play-based approach, therapeutic stories and practical tool to help young children understand their own mental fitness, backed by resources for parents and teachers. In secondary schools, our WellBeing Champions programme equips teenagers with the knowledge to safeguard their wellbeing and lead supervised, weekly peer-support drop-in sessions. From early years through to youth clubs, we normalise mental health conversations across all age groups.

Beyond the classroom, our dedicated team provides a warm, accessible lifeline for adults across Lochaber. We offer safe spaces to connect through our community "Open Doors" drop-in sessions, alongside confidential, professional one-to one and smallgroup therapy designed to guide individuals through times of emotional distress.

We are growing to meet a rising mental health crisis in our area. Our goal is to make our support safe, high-quality, and accessible in every corner of Lochaber, while launching our own small businesses to fund our work independently.

Role Purpose

The Income & Enterprise Manager is a strategic and entrepreneurial business development role within Ewen’s Room. Reporting directly to the Chief Officer, you will drive the charity’s financial sustainability and diversification as we expand across Lochaber and the Western Highlands.

You will combine sharp bid-writing skills with a proactive, self-starting approach, leading on grant applications, building strong funder relationships, designing a high impact corporate giving strategy, and energising local community fundraising events (such as Ewen's Run). Crucially, you will spearhead our social enterprise ambitions: identifying commercial opportunities to monetise our existing skills and service portfolio, writing robust business plans, and securing start-up funding to build long term earned income streams.

Ewen’s Room is a grassroots charity based in Lochaber and the Western Isles. We believe that preventing suicide starts early, by giving people the practical skills to look after their own mental health and providing kind, non-judgmental support before things get too much.

Central to our approach is our education provision, designed to build personal resilience and active peer support from an early age. In primary schools, our WellBeing Heroes programme uses a play-based approach, therapeutic stories and practical tool to help young children understand their own mental fitness, backed by resources for

parents and teachers. In secondary schools, our WellBeing Champions programme equips teenagers with the knowledge to safeguard their wellbeing and lead supervised, weekly peer-support drop-in sessions. From early years through to youth clubs, we normalise mental health conversations across all age groups.

Beyond the classroom, our dedicated team provides a warm, accessible lifeline for adults across Lochaber. We offer safe spaces to connect through our community "Open Doors" drop-in sessions, alongside confidential, professional one-to one and smallgroup therapy designed to guide individuals through times of emotional distress.

We are growing to meet a rising mental health crisis in our area. Our goal is to make our support safe, high-quality, and accessible in every corner of Lochaber, while launching our own small businesses to fund our work independently.

Role Purpose

The Locality Education Practitioner is the face of Ewen’s Room in local schools, responsible for the direct delivery, growth, and embedding of our Wellbeing Education Pathway. This role bridges education and early intervention, ensuring mental health support is a normal, high-quality feature of growing up in Lochaber. Operating within a specific locality cluster, you will work closely with school leadership, teachers, and Support Assistants to deliver tailored wellbeing modules across both primary and secondary age groups, helping young people build practical resilience and self management skills.

Join Aberlour – Make a Real Difference in Children’s Lives

Are you a dedicated and compassionate leader looking for a role where you can truly make an impact? Aberlour Children’s Charity is seeking a House Manager to lead our Fort William residential service, providing support to vulnerable young people in a nurturing, safe, and inspiring environment.

Our Fort William service, one of our Sycamore services, offers residential care and support for children and young people. With the stunning backdrop of Ben Nevis and access to an active outdoor lifestyle, this is a unique opportunity to grow professionally while enjoying a fantastic quality of life in the Scottish Highlands.

Why Join Aberlour?

• Be part of Scotland’s largest solely Scottish children’s charity, recently recognised as a Top 100 Employer by The Sunday Times.
• Lead a highly motivated and supportive team, making a real difference in children’s lives every day.
• Enjoy a healthy work-life balance in a spectacular location with a strong sense of community.
• Enjoy up to 40 days annual leave, an enhanced pension scheme, life assurance, family-friendly policies and if needed, relocation support.

The Role

As House Manager, you will:

• Provide leadership and direction to staff, ensuring the highest standard of care for young people.
• Promote a nurturing and supportive environment where children feel safe and empowered.
• Oversee the day-to-day management of the house, ensuring compliance with national standards.
• Support staff development, fostering a culture of teamwork and professional growth.
• Build strong partnerships with local agencies, families, and community groups.

About You

We are looking for someone with:

• A relevant professional qualification at SCQF level 9 or above and a management qualification at SCQF level 8 or above (or willingness to work towards)
• Experience in residential childcare and team leadership
• A passion for supporting vulnerable children and families
• Strong communication and organisational skills
• A commitment to Aberlour’s values of respect, integrity, innovation, and challenge.

Life in Fort William

Fort William is a vibrant town with a strong community spirit, excellent local amenities, and an outdoor lifestyle like no other. Whether you enjoy hiking, cycling, or simply immersing yourself in the beauty of the Highlands, this is an incredible place to live and work.