Early Years Scotland has an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and motivated Project Manager to lead and
support the delivery of Rise & Shine, an innovative whole-family wellbeing programme delivered through a
collaborative, multi-agency approach.
Early Years Scotland is a registered charity and Scotland’s leading national specialist organisation dedicated to
supporting our youngest children, from pre-birth to age five. With nearly sixty years of experience as an expert
Third Sector organisation, we take immense pride in our long-standing commitment to those who work for and on
behalf of Scotland’s youngest children.
The Project Manager will provide strategic and operational leadership for Rise & Shine, ensuring the effective
delivery, quality, sustainability and ongoing development of the service.
The postholder will oversee a relationship-based Stay, Play and Learn model supporting children from birth to five
and their families through early learning, family engagement, attachment-focused practice and community-based
support. Working closely with local authority, health and third sector partners, the Project Manager will drive
positive outcomes for children and families, strengthen partnerships, evidence impact and support future growth
and innovation.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the strategic development and day-to-day management of Rise & Shine.
- Ensure delivery aligns
with key national policies and frameworks, including GIRFEC, The Promise, Realising the Ambition, the Infant
Pledge and Whole Family Wellbeing.
- Drive continuous improvement through evaluation, family feedback and
emerging best practice.
- Manage programme budgets, resources, performance targets and reporting
requirements.
- Ensure compliance with safeguarding, health and safety, GDPR and organisational
policies.
- Line management and support of Family Engagement Practitioners, Parent Connectors and project
staff.
- Promote a culture of reflective practice, professional development and staff
wellbeing.
- Champion high-quality early years practice, attachment-informed approaches and children’s
rights.
- Support inclusive pathways for children and families, including those with additional support
needs.
- Build and maintain strong partnerships with local authorities, health services, community
organisations and funders.
- Develop effective referral pathways and integrated approaches to family
support.
- Represent Rise & Shine at strategic meetings, partnership forums and stakeholder
events.
- Lead monitoring, evaluation and impact reporting, including the use of outcome measurement tools
such as Family Star Plus.
- Produce high-quality reports and evidence of impact for funders, partners and
senior leaders.
- Support the development of the Parent Connector model and promote pathways into
volunteering, training and employment.
- Ensure the voices and lived experiences of children, parents and
communities inform service delivery and development.
- Identify opportunities for service growth,
sustainability and expansion.
This role offers an exciting opportunity to lead a highly impactful early years and family support programme that is
improving outcomes for children, strengthening families and building resilient communities.
What We’re Looking For
- Experience of leading and managing early years, family support, community development or wellbeing
services.
- Experience of managing staff, volunteers or multidisciplinary teams, with a commitment to
coaching, support and professional development.
- A strong understanding of child development, attachment
theory, parental engagement and relationship-based practice.
- Knowledge of current Scottish policy and
legislation impacting children and families, including GIRFEC, The Promise, UNCRC, Realising the Ambition and
Whole Family Wellbeing approaches.
- Experience of developing and maintaining effective partnerships with
local authorities, health services, third sector organisations and community groups.
- Demonstrable
experience of project management, including budget management, performance monitoring and reporting against
outcomes.
- Experience of monitoring, evaluation and impact measurement, using data and evidence to inform
service improvement and demonstrate outcomes.
- Strong leadership and organisational skills, with the
ability to manage multiple priorities, services and stakeholders effectively.
- Excellent communication
and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence, build relationships and represent the service at a
strategic level.
- Confidence in producing high-quality reports, presentations and funding updates for a
range of audiences.
- Understanding of safeguarding, child protection and risk management within services
for children and families.
- A commitment to children’s rights, participation and ensuring the voices of
children, families and communities shape service delivery.
- Experience of supporting families facing
poverty, inequality, trauma, social isolation or additional barriers to engagement.
- A collaborative and
solution-focused approach, with the ability to work closely with colleagues, partners, funders and local
communities.
- A passion for improving outcomes for children and families and a commitment to Early Years
Scotland’s values
What Early Years Scotland will offer
- Competitive salary and generous annual leave
- Family-friendly policies that support work-life
balance
- 5% employer pension contribution after 3 months
- Access to our Employee Assistance
Programme
- Ongoing professional learning and development opportunities
- A supportive,
collaborative team culture where your contribution is valued
- The opportunity to build a genuinely new
function for the organisation, with lasting impact for children and families across Scotland beyond the funded
period
Qualifications
Applicants’ qualifications should be consistent with those required to register as a Manager with SSSC (e.g., BA
Childhood Practice, PDA Level 9). Membership of the PVG Scheme will also be required.
How to Apply
If you're passionate about making a meaningful difference for Scotland's youngest children and their
families, we'd love to hear from you!
Please return a completed application form to recruitment@earlyyearsscotland.org by Monday 31
August 2026.
Full details of this post and the application pack can be found at Job Vacancies | Early Years Scotland