We are looking for a motivated and hardworking individual to join our team as a Network Services Administrator. The primary purpose of this role is to provide administrative support to the Network Services team, including taking minutes at the Network Services Committee meetings. In addition there will be elements of data collection and data entry, with the gathering of client information forms from our 20 member services.

This is a new post funded through the Whole Family Support Third Sector Delivery Fund and Weave Partnership. We are in this partnership with One Parent Families Scotland, Families Outside, and Fife Gingerbread. The Scottish Poverty and Inequality Research Unit (SPIRU) will be the learning and evaluation partner.

The post has been funded until 31st March 2027 in the first instance, with the intention set by Scottish Government that this funding will be extended to 31st March 2029.

This post will be office based at 18 York Place, Edinburgh. All staff work on Tuesdays, however there is flexibility in when the other hours are worked between Monday-Thursday.

Children First Support Line

Could you play a vital role within our national Support Line, helping deliver Scotland's mission to eradicate child poverty?

Join Children First and be part of a once in a generation transformation in how families access help to alleviate crisis, prevent harm and build long-term stability to break the cycle of child poverty. Funded by the Scottish Government, we are doubling the size of our Support Line with the aim of supporting 7,500 more families across Scotland in the first year.

We've been preventing harm, supporting recovery and driving change since 1884 and our ambitious plans for the Support Line build on our experience of delivering cash-first, short, medium and long-term holistic support to families living in, or at risk of, poverty.

This is an exciting opportunity to join our growing multidisciplinary team and help ensure every family in Scotland has somewhere to turn when they need help.

About the Role

You will play a vital role in the expansion and delivery of our national support line service, which offers practical, financial and emotional support to families through phone calls, webchats, advice and information on our website and in their homes and communities across Scotland.

This role plays a key role in supporting the effective day-to-day running of Children First services. The postholder provides operational, administrative and systems support to ensure services run safely, efficiently and in line with organisational requirements.

This role is central to enabling high-quality support for children, young people and families. The postholder will support the effective operation of the national Support Line by coordinating service administration across telephone, webchat and digital channels, ensuring accurate records, efficient service access and high-quality information to support performance monitoring and reporting.

By coordinating key processes such as data management, finance administration, service access and local operations, the Service Operations Administrator allows Support Line Coordinators, volunteers team leaders and managers to focus on delivering impactful support.

The role operates with a high level of autonomy and responsibility, often acting as the first point of contact for operational matters within a service. It requires strong organisational skills, initiative, and the ability to respond flexibly to changing service needs.

What You'll Be Doing

1. Service Operations and Coordination

Services are well-organised, responsive and able to operate effectively, with administrative and operational processes running smoothly and consistently.

2. Systems and Data Management

Accurate and timely data is maintained across systems (including Dynamics, Advice Pro and our Call Handling System), supporting service delivery, reporting and organisational insight.

3. Finance and Resource Management

Service-level financial processes are managed accurately and in line with organisational procedures.

4. Facilities, Health & Safety and Local Operations

Service environments are safe, compliant and well-maintained, with appropriate coordination of property, facilities and health & safety activities.

5. Team and Service Support

Practitioners and managers are effectively supported through coordination of meetings, diaries, resources and operational requirements.

Core Responsibilities

• Provide administrative and operational support to ensure effective service delivery
• Maintain accurate records and data within organisational systems (including Dynamics)
• Support financial processes including invoices, purchasing and petty cash
• Act as a key point of contact for enquiries, supporting service access and communication
• Coordinate meetings, diaries, resources and general service organisation
• Support compliance with organisational policies and procedures
• Support the administration of Support Line activity including contact volumes, service schedules and rotas, referrals, practitioner workflows and performance reporting
• Contribute to a positive, collaborative team environment

Service-Specific Responsibilities

· Health & Safety coordination and local compliance tasks

· Property and facilities management

· Reception / front of house responsibilities

· Supporting local funding, resources or community activity

· Event coordination or service-specific administration

· Additional systems or reporting requirements

· Support the administration of telephone, webchat and digital support channels.

· Assist with service performance reporting, data quality checks, case closures and monitoring against contract requirements.

· Support referral pathways, financial support administration and onward connections to local and national services.

· Coordinate practitioner rotas, meetings, training records and operational communications.

· Contribute to the oversight of the budget

What We're Looking For

We're looking for someone who is passionate about supporting children and families and who can build trust quickly through empathy, compassion and kindness.

· Strong organisational and coordination skills

· Ability to manage competing priorities and work independently

· Confidence using systems and managing data accurately

· Strong communication and interpersonal skills

· A proactive and flexible approach

· Alignment with Children First values

Our Values

Everything we do is guided by our values:

With Love

We put children first with compassion and kindness.

With Purpose

We work alongside families and partners to transform children's lives together.

With Strength

We do whatever it takes to protect Scotland's children.

What You'll Get From Us

At Children First, you'll be part of a values-led organisation committed to developing and supporting our people.

We offer:

• 40 days annual leave including public holidays.

• Contributory pension scheme.

• Flexible and hybrid working opportunities.

• Wellbeing support and health benefits.

• Blue Light Card discounts.

• Learning, training and career development opportunities.

• The opportunity to help shape an ambitious national service supporting thousands of families across Scotland.

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of our Edinburgh Family Wellbeing Service, to positively impact on the lives of children, young people and their families. This innovative service works alongside children and their families across Edinburgh from our office in Whitehouse Loan, where this role would be based.

Children First along with our partners share a determination to act upon the recommendations from The Independent Care Review and deliver The Promise to children and young people. We are also determined that the full incorporation of the UNCRC means that children will have their rights respected in all areas of their lives and will have a real say in the way they are supported.

We’d love to hear from you if you have:

• will possess excellent administrative, IT and financial skills to support the work of Children First

• provide a first point of contact to telephone enquiries about support, answering questions and responding to queries using own initiative as appropriate to ensure a relational and responsive service is provided

• ability to maintain diaries, schedule and coordinate meetings and appointments

• a cool head and clear minded at times of pressure

• thinks it’s a privilege to work for and on behalf of children and families and

• is kind and will bring their whole selves to the job: heart and mind

Above all else, the most important thing to us is that you are someone that will support the teams who are doing the right thing for children and their families at every turn.

What we offer:

• A workplace with values of with love, with purpose and with strength

• 40 days annual leave, inclusive of bank holidays

• Pension scheme and wellbeing support

• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements

• Access to Westfield Health, giving colleagues and their families confidential counselling support, wellbeing resources, and access to health and lifestyle benefits to support physical and mental wellbeing.

• Blue Light card discount

• A Fair Work accredited workplace

Base

You will be based in our Edinburgh office in Whitehouse Loan. Due to the needs of the service, this is an office-based role.

Our Values

Living our values, you will help create a workplace where our people can thrive, ensuring we deliver the best possible support to children and families.

With love, we put children first.

With purpose, we transform lives together.

With strength, we do whatever it takes to protect Scotland’s children.

Help shape brighter futures for children and families across Scotland

At Children First, we believe every child should be safe, loved and able to enjoy a happy childhood. As Scotland's national children's charity, we work alongside children, families and communities to protect children from harm, support recovery from trauma and abuse and create lasting change.

We are looking for a compassionate, skilled and motivated Community Partnership & Participation Worker to join our team and help strengthen the support available to children and families across Scotland.

In this exciting role, you will build trusted relationships with communities, services and partner organisations, helping families access the support they need while ensuring children's and families' voices influence how services are developed and improved.

This is an opportunity to make a meaningful difference by connecting people, strengthening local networks and helping shape services that respond to what matters most to children and families.

What you'll do

Working as part of our Support Line service, you will:

• Develop strong partnerships with community organisations, schools, health services, local authorities and third sector partners.
• Improve access to support for families experiencing poverty, inequality, kinship care challenges or concerns about a child's safety.
• Increase awareness of Children First Support Line and the range of help available to families across Scotland.
• Ensure children, young people and families have meaningful opportunities to share their experiences and help shape service development.
• Support participation, engagement and co-production activities, including events, consultations and focus groups.
• Build local knowledge of community resources and identify gaps, barriers and opportunities for support.
• Gather learning and insights that help us improve services and influence positive change for children and families.

What we're looking for

• You'll bring experience of community engagement, partnership working or participation practice, along with a genuine commitment to improving outcomes for children and families.

You'll also have:

• Experience working with children, young people, families or communities.
• Strong relationship-building and partnership skills.
• Excellent communication and facilitation abilities.
• An understanding of poverty, inequality and the barriers families can face when seeking support.
• Knowledge of children's rights and participation approaches.
• Experience of trauma-informed, strengths-based and relationship-based practice.
• The ability to work independently, manage competing priorities and maintain accurate records.
• Confidence using Microsoft Office and digital communication tools.

Who you are

We're looking for someone who:

• Believes in the power of children's voices.
• Values inclusion, participation and co-production.
• Builds trust quickly and works collaboratively with others.
• Is passionate about reducing inequality and improving children's lives.
• Brings warmth, curiosity and compassion to their work.
• Shares our commitment to safeguarding and promoting children's rights.

Why join Children First?

At Children First, our values guide everything we do:

With Love

We put children first, listening with compassion and kindness and standing alongside families when they need support most.

With Purpose

We work together with families, communities and partners to create lasting change and better outcomes for children.

With Strength

We do whatever it takes to protect Scotland's children and champion their rights.

You'll join a supportive organisation that values learning, innovation and collaboration, where your work will directly contribute to helping children and families thrive.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

We are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive and anti-racist organisation where everyone experiences a sense of belonging. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and lived experiences and particularly encourage applications from groups currently under-represented within our workforce.

Join us

If you're passionate about building stronger communities, amplifying children's voices and helping families access the support they need, we'd love to hear from you.

Together, with love, purpose and strength, we can help Scotland's children and families thrive.