Top job! Senior Communications Manager
- Full time
- £58,017 – £63,434
- Hybrid: Thistle House, Haymarket, Edinburgh
- Closing 6th April 2025
Why apply for this role?
Children’s Hearings Scotland (CHS) is undergoing an exciting period of reform designed to make a step change in improving the outcomes for infants, children and young people who need us most. As our Senior Communications Manager, you will lead a high performing communications team to deliver an outstanding approach to communications.
This is a key strategic role contributing to CHS’s vision to drive transformation and deliver positive outcomes for the children of Scotland. The postholder is responsible for establishing and maintaining the highest levels of internal and external communications. They will work with the Senior Leadership Team, board members and colleagues across directorates bringing a strategic approach to communications and engagement activities and proactively seek opportunities to build our brand and exercise influence across the sector.
You will be ensuring our executive and senior leadership teams are supported to the highest standards. Most importantly, as an invaluable enabler of strategic communications, you will help our leaders to deliver on our strategic priorities.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic communications; understanding, and helping others to understand, the critical role it plays in helping CHS to achieve its vision.
- Support continuous improvement in our approach to communications, building our brand and expanding our reach
- Developing the use of digital communications platforms, harnessing technologies to achieve our communication goals
- Provide independent advice and support to the senior leadership team and the Board on the communications strategy
- Responsible for utilizing the power of communication for CHS volunteer recruitment campaigns to support the delivery of our tribunal and fulfil our statutory functions.
Life at CHS
At Children’s Hearings Scotland, our highly trained Panel Members make decisions for Scotland’s unique Children’s Hearings System that upholds and promotes the rights of infants, children and young people. Our 2,500 volunteer Panel Members take part in children’s hearings in their local areas, making decisions with and for infants, children and young people. Our organisation also supports a network of Area Support Teams throughout Scotland who support Panel Members in their local communities.
As an organisation that works within the Children’s Hearings System, we are passionate about making a positive contribution to improving outcomes for Scotland’s infants, children and young people.
You can read more about our core values on our website as well as view an introductory video to our organisation. We also offer a generous benefits package from hybrid working to flexi hours and a fantastic pension scheme – check out our full benefits summary.
Diversity and Inclusion
CHS is an equal opportunities employer. We encourage diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We actively encourage applicants from all protected characteristics and commit to providing any reasonable adjustments required during application and assessment process, and upon joining CHS.
Procurement and Contract Management Officer
- Full time
- £38,142 – £41,889
- Hybrid: Edinburgh
- Closing 17th April 2025
Why apply for this role?
Deliver a professional, flexible and inclusive procurement service in line with CHS’s Procurement Policy, to both internal managers and external suppliers. The post holder will ensure that CHS receives best value for money in the procurement of all goods, services and works to deliver an effective and efficient service. They will also be responsible for implementing and overseeing a contract management system across CHS.
The post holder will ensure full compliance with all relevant Public Sector regulations giving due regard to CHS’s operational needs and requirements to ensure operational effectiveness is maximised and ensure CHS’s procurement practices continually evolve to reflect new developments and best practice. The role will support the delivery of CHS’s strategic aims, objectives and values, whilst ensuring compliance with national policies and will contribute to CHS’s net zero targets and the Scottish Government’s objective for sustainable economic growth and achievement of relevant National Outcomes.
Please find instructions on how to apply at the bottom of the page.
Key Responsibilities
- Delegated Purchasing Authority – Individual Contracts up to £50k
- Managing and influencing Procurement Spend of c. £2 million per annum
- Following effective competition, commit CHS to contracts
- Approval of Non-Competitive Actions – up to £10k per contract
- Excellent organisational and administrative abilities
- Good project management and negotiation skills
- Initiative and ability to work with minimal direct supervision
- The ability to foster and contribute to collaborative working
- Driven towards continuous improvement
- Ability to handle difficult or challenging situations
- To support National and Regional team colleagues as required.
OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTABILITIES
- Qualification in relevant discipline or equivalent experience
- Monitor, register and manage all commercial arrangements throughout CHS including keeping a register of all contractual engagement across CHS
- Knowledge of the application of Public Sector and National Legislation and experience of conducting complex procurement exercises
- Significant experience of purchasing and procurement in the public sector
Our Finance Team
Our finance team will comprise of you as the Procurement and Contract Management Officer, Finance Officers and the Finance Manager. The role of the team together, with our shared service finance team SCRA, is to support our National Team consisting of just under 100 colleagues. The team is passionate about delivering a high quality financial, procurement and contract management service to support CHS’ wider strategy. You will be part of this small and dynamic team while collaborating with other departments and teams across the wider organisation.
Life at CHS
Our 2,500 volunteer Panel Members take part in children’s hearings in their local areas, making decisions with and for infants, children and young people. Our organisation also supports a network of Area Support Teams made up of volunteers who support Panel Members in their local communities.
As an organisation that works within the children’s hearings system, we are passionate about making a positive contribution to improving outcomes for Scotland’s infants, children and young people.
You can read more about our core values HERE as well as view an introductory video to our organisation. We also offer a generous benefits package from hybrid working, flexi hours and a fantastic pension scheme - you check out our full benefits summary HERE.
Diversity and Inclusion
CHS is an equal opportunities employer. We encourage diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We actively encourage applicants from all protected characteristics and are committed to providing any reasonable adjustments required during application and assessment process, and upon joining us.
Why apply for this role?
Children’s Hearings Scotland (CHS) is undergoing an exciting period of reform, designed to make a step change in improving the outcomes for infants, children and young people who need us most. Children’s Hearings Tribunal Members play a vital role in Scotland’s society. They listen and make legal decisions for infants, children and young people. They ensure that the young person is at the heart of every decision taken – because every decision, no matter how big or small, has an impact.
As the Finance Officer, you will be taking on a support role across a diverse range of financial services and supporting the delivery of our business plan.
This is an exciting time to join the CHS finance team as the organisation continues to evolve in line with the delivery of ‘The Promise’ and wider transformation. Your insight will be crucial in development of our financial systems and procedures within the context of a growth organisation.
Please find instructions on how to apply at the bottom of the page.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide administrative support for procurement activity – publishing and co-ordinating tender specifications and responses, collating and recording contract awards and reporting on procurement activity.
- Manage CHS’ invoicing process using manual, electronic processes, and multiple e- mailboxes ensuring system controls, error detection and resolution in line with Shared Services Provider’s timetable.
- Manage and report on the performance of supplier payments in line with key performance indicators.
- Monitor finance/payroll mailboxes, respond to enquiries where possible, and escalate to appropriate National team colleague when required.
Our Finance Team
Our finance team will comprise of Finance Officers and the Finance Manager. The role of the team together, with our shared service finance team SCRA, is to support our National Team consisting of just under 100 colleagues. The team is passionate about delivering a high-quality financial service to support CHS’ wider strategy. You will be a key member of this small and dynamic team while collaborating with other departments and teams across the wider organisation.
Life at CHS
Our 2,500 volunteer Panel Members take part in children’s hearings in their local areas, making decisions with and for infants, children and young people. Our organisation also supports a network of Area Support Teams made up of volunteers who support Panel Members in their local communities.
As an organisation that works within the children’s hearings system, we are passionate about making a positive contribution to improving outcomes for Scotland’s infants, children and young people.
You can read more about our core values HERE as well as view an introductory video to our organisation. We also offer a generous benefits package from hybrid working, flexi hours and a fantastic pension scheme - you check out our full benefits summary HERE.
Diversity and Inclusion
CHS is an equal opportunities employer. We encourage diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We actively encourage applicants from all protected characteristics and are committed to providing any reasonable adjustments required during application and assessment process, and upon joining us.