“Discovering life skills through the horse and its environment”

Stable Life is a successful, highly respected charity based in the Scottish Borders. Our mission is to provide a safe, nurturing and empowering environment where disadvantaged young people can grow in confidence, develop essential life skills, and realise their full potential through Equine Facilitated Wellness.

We are now seeking a dedicated and motivated:

Service Manager

In this key role, you will lead the operational management of Stable Life’s charitable services and commercial activities, helping us deliver meaningful outcomes and positively transform the lives of young people.

It is essential that candidates: have proven experience of leading and managing a team, strong background working with disadvantaged young people and their families, practical experience of working with horses, excellent communication and organisational skills, ability to manage projects effectively and work proactively on your own initiative.

Essential qualifications include HND and/or SVQ Level 4 or above in Social Care or other related discipline such as Social Work, Occupational Therapy, Education or other relevant Health Care Practice.

In return we can offer comprehensive training and ongoing professional development, opportunities for career progression, generous annual leave and a company pension.

The Senior Development Officer will work as part of a team to support the delivery of the No Knives Better Lives initiative at a local and national level, ensuring youth work plays a key role in violence prevention. They will also be responsible for managing the delivery of the Thrive financial literacy programme

The post holder will be expected to have a clear understanding of Scotland’s educational landscape and the range of statutory and voluntary sector organisations working with young people.

This post will be funded until the end of March 2027 in the first instance and is based at YouthLink Scotland’s offices in Edinburgh. YouthLink Scotland operates a hybrid working policy. Secondments will be considered.

Please note that within the normal duties of this post you will be required to carry out regulated work with children and will therefore be required to become a member of the PVG Scheme.

We help young people to build life-long belief in themselves, supporting them to take on their own challenges, follow their own passions and discover talents they never knew they had. Because when you prove yourself that you’re ready for anything nothing can hold you back.

Do you want to be part of that?

The Operations Manager is responsible for managing a team of geographically dispersed Operations Officers to support the operational delivery and development of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) across Scotland.

Operations Officers directly support a variety of Licensed Organisations (LOs) comprising mainly of schools, but they also work with other organisations including colleges, local authorities, charities, pupil referral units, youth groups and young offender institutions. The Operations Manager role involves managing, coaching, and supporting Operations Officers to undertake their role and building strong partnerships to increase DofE’s engagement across communities in Scotland.

As a DofE country team, our focus is on building capacity within our licensed organisations to support more young people to engage with DofE and on identifying and stewarding strong partnerships within local communities to increase engagement with DofE, particularly within those communities who face barriers to participation. Line managed by the Senior Operations Manager, the Operations Manager is an active and engaged member of the Scotland Team, which is chaired by the Scotland Director. The Operations Management team is responsible for delivering on the Scotland business plan and strategic goals in line with UK wide national strategy.

The role will be field-based and when not attending meetings, employees will work from home. You will need to have an appropriate home office set up and live within or near the portfolio area.

What we are looking for:

We are looking to recruit a dynamic, proactive, and effective team player with extensive people management experience to join the Scotland team. You will report to the Senior Operations Manager and will be responsible for the day-to-day management of your Operations team and delivery of the DofE Scotland business plan. The role will also involve contributing to national working groups to support our charity wide strategic goals.

You will be a passionate advocate for the work of the DofE and be driven to realise the charity’s strategic ambition.

Benefits

We offer excellent staff benefits including a generous pension contribution, an employee assistance programme, healthcare cash plan and volunteer leave. Also, 25 days holiday, plus Bank Holidays and an additional 3 days paid leave between Christmas and the New Year. Buy additional annual leave, benefits discount website, death in service benefit 4 x salary, incapacity benefit, generous family leave and sick leave.

The DofE are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people. All successful applicants will be required to undergo an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check. (e.g. DBS/PVG or similar), including references covering any gaps of employment/education, confirm eligibility to work in the UK and complete a health check.

**The geographical allowance is based on a member of staff having a home or office-based postcode within 30 miles (as the crow flies) from Charing Cross, WC2N 5HS. The allowance is 7% capped at £4,000 per annum.

About The Duke of Edinburgh's Award

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a renowned charity that empowers young people by offering life-changing programs. With a vision of Youth Without Limits, their aim is to provide over a million young individuals, particularly those facing marginalisation, the opportunity to participate in their transformative initiatives within the next five years. By supporting young people in acquiring new skills, overcoming obstacles, and building confidence and resilience, they promote personal growth and development.

The organisation operates by licensing and supporting various institutions like schools, colleges, youth groups, and hospitals to run their programs. They prioritise the safety of participants and have taken necessary measures to ensure it. Additionally, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award has an Executive Leadership Team that works together to expand their provision and a team of Trustees who set the strategic direction for the charity.

With an international reach in over 130 countries and territories, the DofE is part of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation, which aims to provide opportunities to young people globally. The history of the DofE traces back to 1956 when it was initially launched for boys. Over the years, it has evolved and now offers programs for young people aged 14 to 24, focusing on four key sections: Volunteering, Physical, Skills, and Expedition. The impact of the DofE has been astounding, with millions of young people benefiting from the program. Even during challenging times like the coronavirus pandemic, the dedication and contributions of DofE participants have been remarkable.

As the UK recovers, the DofE continues to support and empower young people, playing a vital role in the national effort. With a rich history and a commitment to youth development, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award remains a beacon of opportunity and growth for young individuals across the globe.

We are delighted to announce that the Board of YouthLink Scotland is recruiting a new independent Chair to succeed Angela Leitch CBE, who stepped down in November 2025 after three years in post. Find out more and nominate a suitable candidate by 1st March.

At our AGM on 26th November 2025, Bill Stevenson was appointed as Interim Chairperson replacing Angela and we are thankful that he has taken on this extra responsibility on the board during this period of recruitment.

A sub-group of the Board has met to review the recruitment process for a new Chair, in line with our Memorandum and Articles of Association. We are now seeking your support to nominate an independent Chair. This person will be someone not currently employed within the youth work sector, but who brings the skills, experience and strategic fit needed to lead the organisation into its next chapter.

This is an important appointment for YouthLink Scotland and our members, as we continue our role as the national intermediary for youth work. We will also be seeking to co-opt one or two additional Board members during this period, and it is therefore vital that we attract people with a strong track record, high standing, an appropriate public profile, and a genuine commitment to our mission.

As a national charity this role is not remunerated, but expenses incurred in supporting the role will be covered.