This is a rare opportunity for a dynamic, compassionate and person-centred nurse leader to deliver real impact for children and families.

In Scotland, three children die from a life-shortening condition every week. CHAS provides unwavering care for children who may die young, and their families. Our team includes nurses, doctors, AHPs, social workers and family support specialists. They work across two children’s hospices, in community settings and in hospitals in deep partnership with NHS staff.

We are seeking a Chief Nurse to lead the delivery of our nursing services across all these settings. Reporting to the Director of Nursing and Family Support, you will lead a team of approximately 180 nursing staff working in all parts of Scotland.

You will inspire nurses to deliver exceptional care every day. You will work closely and collaboratively with NHS Boards, HSCP’s and other organisations to plan seamless wrap-around care, which helps some of the most vulnerable families in Scotland.

Following a planned retirement and organisational restructure, this is a new role in a new structure. It offers a chance to join CHAS in a senior nursing role, set to shape the future of paediatric palliative care across Scotland.

About You

You will be an experienced nurse leader with a track record of delivering positive change across health care systems. Your experience will include:

• having significant experience leading nursing teams
• strong knowledge of Clinical Governance and Regulation, workforce planning, safe staffing and quality improvement
• proven ability to deliver on organisational targets
• excellent communication, influencing, and partnership skills
• commitment to staff wellbeing, compassionate leadership, and clinical supervision
• the ability to lead multidisciplinary teams with courage and compassion

We are particularly interested in hearing from children’s nurse leaders, but this role is open to nurse leaders from all backgrounds.

Why CHAS?

For families we support time is precious. This is an opportunity to lead a team that makes extraordinary things happen every day.

In 2024, CHAS launched our 2024–2028 Strategic Plan, setting out our vision to provide unwavering care to children who may die young, and to their families, at every step of their journey. Our work is grounded in three core fields of care:

• learning that your child is seriously ill and may die young
• living well
• dying well and bereavement

As Chief Nurse, you will play a pivotal leadership role in bringing this strategy to life - shaping practice, developing people, and ensuring the highest standards of safe, compassionate and effective care.

• Broad and impactful role: Representing CHAS nationally as an expert nurse leader, building strategic partnerships to influence policy, promote best practice, and enhance CHAS’s impact
• Flexibility: Your primary base will be either Rachel House in Kinross or Robin House in Balloch, with regular travel between both hospices. CHAS provides care and support to children and families across Scotland with staff bases in Aberdeen and Inverness. This role will require travel to all CHAS sites, including clinical settings and office locations, as well as attendance at external events. Flexibility is essential, and business mileage expenses will be reimbursed. As a family friendly organisation, we recognise that flexibility works both ways, and we will support a balanced and adaptable approach to working hours and locations wherever possible.
• Professional Growth: You will work with healthcare leaders in a visible role where you will be encouraged and supported to excel and develop your skills.
• Holidays: 35 days annual leave, increasing progressively to 40 days after five years’ service. For applicants coming from an existing NHS post, your current service-based enhanced annual leave entitlement will be honoured, up to 40 days (CHAS maximum entitlement).
• Pension: Continued membership of the NHS Scotland Pension Scheme or the opportunity to join the Local Government Pension Scheme for Scotland, administered by Lothian Pension Fund.
• Comprehensive benefits: Including generous annual leave and pension, incremental salary progression, life assurance, employee assistance programme, access to Blue Light and Perkbox discount schemes, health and wellbeing support.

Lead a National Service That Changes Lives Every Day

This is a rare opportunity to take on a newly created national role at the heart of CHAS’s mission. Every week in Scotland, three children die from a life‑shortening condition. CHAS is there for them - and for their families - providing unwavering, compassionate, specialist care.

Our Family Support teams include senior social workers, child and family workers, play specialists and other experts, working hand‑in‑hand with clinical colleagues across our two hospices, in hospitals, and in homes and communities across Scotland.

We’re looking for an exceptional Head of Family Support to shape and lead the full breadth of these services - from child & family support and therapeutic activities to bereavement, spiritual care and financial wellbeing. Your leadership will ensure families receive holistic, responsive and trauma‑informed support wherever and whenever they need it.

About the Role

Reporting to the Director of Nursing and Family Support, you will:

• Provide strategic leadership across all CHAS family support services
• Lead teams across hospices, hospitals and community settings
• Act as CHAS’s Safeguarding Lead, offering expert oversight and driving safe, compassionate practice organisation-wide.
• Champion continuous improvement, helping families make the most of their precious time together
• Strengthen resilience and support families navigating life-altering adverse experiences.

About You

You will bring:

• Significant leadership experience in children’s services, operating confidently at senior level
• A professional social work qualification, with deep knowledge of GIRFEC, UNCRC and Scottish policy
• Expertise in child protection, safeguarding, and adult support and protection
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams in emotionally complex environments
• Excellent partnership skills, working across HSCPs, local authorities, NHS and the third sector
• A compassionate, values‑driven approach that supports wellbeing, reflection and professional growth
• Confidence in shaping high‑quality, impactful services
• SSSC registration

Why CHAS?

For the families we support, time is precious - and the work you lead will help families live it fully.

Our 2024–2028 Strategic Plan commits us to providing unwavering care from the moment a child is diagnosed through living well, dying well, and beyond into bereavement. As Head of Family Support, you will play a pivotal leadership role in bringing this strategy to life for our family support workforce - shaping services, developing people, and ensuring the highest standards of safe, compassionate and effective care.

We offer:

• Broad national impact: Influence practice across Scotland and contribute to sector‑wide improvement.
• Flexibility: Based at one of our central CHAS sites: Kinross, Balloch, Edinburgh or Glasgow, with frequent presence in our hospices. CHAS provides care and support to children and families across Scotland with staff bases in Aberdeen and Inverness. This role will require Scotland-wide travel, including CHAS sites, local authority and NHS settings and office locations, as well as attendance at external events. Flexibility is essential, and business mileage expenses will be reimbursed. As a family‑friendly organisation, we recognise that flexibility works both ways, and we will support a balanced and adaptable approach to working hours and locations wherever possible.
• Professional growth: A visible, national leadership role with space and support to excel.
• Generous holidays: 35 days, rising to 40 after five years.
• Pension: Opportunity to join the Local Government Pension Scheme for Scotland, administered by Lothian Pension Fund or continued membership of the NHS Scotland Pension Scheme (if applicable)
• Comprehensive benefits:Including life assurance, wellbeing support, employee assistance programme, discount schemes such as Blue Light and Perkbox, and incremental pay progression.