Make a lasting difference for families across Ayrshire

CEIS Ayrshire is seeking an experienced and values-driven Programme Manager to lead the delivery of Family Forward Ayrshire, an ambitious whole-family support programme funded through the Scottish Government's Whole Family Support Third Sector Delivery Fund.

Working with a partnership of five organisations, Family Forward Ayrshire will support over 430 families across North, East and South Ayrshire, helping families increase income, improve wellbeing, overcome barriers and progress towards employment and learning opportunities.

This is a unique opportunity to lead a large-scale collaborative programme that places families at the centre of service design and delivery.

About the role

As Programme Manager, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for the programme, ensuring delivery against targets, managing partnerships, maintaining funder relationships and creating an environment where innovative, trauma-informed and family-led practice can flourish.

You will oversee programme performance, contractual compliance, budget management, evaluation activity and the development of long-term sustainability plans. Working closely with partner organisations, local authorities, the Scottish Government and other stakeholders, you will play a key role in shaping the future of whole-family support across Ayrshire.

We are looking for someone who has:

• Significant experience managing complex multi-agency or partnership programmes
• A successful track record of delivering funded projects and achieving contracted outcomes
• Strong people leadership and staff management skills
• Experience managing substantial budgets and reporting to funders
• Excellent partnership-building and stakeholder management abilities
• Understanding of child poverty, family support and employability services
• Commitment to trauma-informed, person-centred and strengths-based approaches

Why join us?

You will have the opportunity to:

• Lead an innovative and high-profile programme
• Influence policy and practice across Ayrshire
• Work alongside passionate and experienced partners
• Help tackle poverty and inequality through whole-family support
• Be part of an organisation committed to social impact and community regeneration
• Company Pension scheme through Scottish Widows 6% staff contribution, 10% company
• 37 days annual leave per annum, including public holidays
• Flexible and supportive working arrangements

Equality and Inclusion

We are committed to building a diverse workforce and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Applications from people with lived experience of poverty, caring responsibilities or barriers to employment are encouraged.

CEIS Ayrshire are a Living Wage and Living Hours employer.

CEIS Ayrshire and TACT are recruiting jointly as part of this programme, view the TACT posts here.

Be the one person families can rely on

Family Forward Ayrshire is recruiting Family Navigators to provide holistic, relationship-based support to families across Ayrshire.

This is not a traditional key worker role. We are looking for people who understand that meaningful change starts with trust and that families are experts in their own lives.

As a Family Navigator, you will walk alongside families through periods of challenge, helping them identify goals, access support and build lasting positive change.

About the role

You will be the main point of contact for a caseload of families, working with them to understand their strengths, challenges and aspirations. Together, you will create a whole-family plan that reflects what matters most to them.

You will coordinate support across a range of specialist services, advocate on behalf of families when needed and help remove practical barriers through access to the programme's Family Support Fund.

This role involves home visits, collaborative working with partners and a commitment to flexible, responsive and trauma-informed practice.

We are looking for people who:

• Build trust quickly and maintain positive relationships
• Have experience supporting families, individuals or communities facing disadvantage
• Can work creatively and flexibly to meet individual needs
• Are confident coordinating support from multiple agencies
• Have sound safeguarding awareness and judgement
• Are organised and able to manage a varied caseload
• Share our commitment to voluntary, strengths-based and trauma-informed approaches

We particularly welcome applications from people who:

• Have lived experience of navigating support services
• Have worked in family support, health, housing, community development, welfare rights or related fields
• Have strong connections within Ayrshire communities

Why join us?

• Make a genuine difference to families' lives
• Work within an innovative whole-family model
• Receive training and ongoing professional development
• Join a supportive and collaborative team
• Be part of a programme focused on long-term outcomes, not short-term targets
• Company Pension scheme
• Flexible and supportive working arrangements
• Disability Confident Employer

Equality and Inclusion

We are committed to building a diverse workforce and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Applications from people with lived experience of poverty, caring responsibilities or barriers to employment are encouraged.

CEIS Ayrshire is a Living Wage and Living Hours employer.

CEIS Ayrshire and TACT are recruiting jointly as part of this programme, view the TACT posts here.

Stranraer Development Trust is looking for an experienced Development Officer to help deliver projects linked to the Stranraer Place Plan and Borderlands Town Investment Plan. This role will involve working with partners, the community, and local organisations to support town centre regeneration, develop new opportunities, and help the Trust grow in a sustainable way.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic delivery and project development

• Help lead delivery of the Borderlands Town Investment Plan, working closely with key partners and using relevant local, regional, and national plans.

• Work with Dumfries and Galloway Council to plan and deliver key outcomes from the Stranraer Place Plan.

• Support consultants with the information needed to prepare business cases for projects.

• Work with the Town Team and project leads to develop project ideas and move regeneration opportunities forward.

Community engagement and partnerships

• Make sure the local community and partner organisations are involved in shaping projects.

• Plan and manage community engagement, participation, and consultation activities.

• Oversee communication and participation plans so people are kept informed and involved.

Governance, funding, and reporting

• Support the Stranraer Development Trust board with good governance, planning, and decision-making.

• Work with Dumfries and Galloway Council on funding arrangements.

• Identify and secure match funding to support BTIP projects.

• Manage project funding for 2026/27 in line with the Borderlands Growth Deal award.

• Follow relevant Health and Safety policies.

TACT is looking for one exceptional and experienced individual to become a member of the new Family Forward Ayrshire team.

The Role:

The Community Engagement Worker will make sure there is “no wrong door” into Family Forward Ayrshire for families who may be least likely to self-refer or engage with formal services.

The role will build and maintain trusted relationships with community organisations and local networks across all three Ayrshire areas, creating accessible and credible routes into the programme. The post will work particularly with communities experiencing poverty, exclusion or barriers to accessing services, ensuring that the programme reaches families who might otherwise remain unseen.

The Community Engagement Worker will act as a trusted local presence for the programme, working alongside community organisations, schools, minority ethnic communities, peer networks and voluntary groups. The role will support families to take their first steps into the programme, gather intelligence about what communities are experiencing, and ensure that the programme remains responsive to local needs.

The role is therefore central to achieving the programme's ambition to increase referral volume while ensuring that at least 60% of engagement is with identified priority groups.

Role Philosophy

The Community Engagement Worker will help ensure that Family Forward Ayrshire goes to the places and relationships where families already feel safe and trusted, rather than expecting families to find their way to the service.

The role is about building bridges between communities and the programme: developing trust, creating informal opportunities to engage, reducing barriers and ensuring that families who are least likely to self-refer are not left behind.

The Community Engagement Worker will be the programme's human face in the community, creating the trusted local routes through which families can take their first step towards sustained support.

Equality and Inclusion

We are committed to building a diverse workforce and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Applications from people with lived experience of poverty, caring responsibilities or barriers to employment are encouraged.

About TACT:

The Ayrshire Community Trust (TACT) is a charity based in North Ayrshire that provides programmes and projects that make a difference to people’s lives by encouraging, supporting and promoting community action.

TACT are a Living Wage and Living Hours employer.

TACT and CEIS Ayrshireare recruiting jointly as part of this programme, view the CEIS posts here.