Stirling Carers Centre is a well-regarded and successful charity/organisation providing tailored information, advice, emotional and practical support to young people and adults who look after a relative or friend who, due to illness, disability, mental health conditions or addiction, could not manage without their help.

We are seeking a creative, entrepreneurial individual with a successful track record as a senior leader, ideally as a CEO/Manager, to achieve our ambitions as the leading organisation supporting Unpaid Carers throughout Stirling Council and the wider area.

You will be a person with enthusiasm, determination, vision and superb interpersonal and team building skills. You will be able to provide a strong visible presence to statutory partners as well as all stakeholders, engendering trust and confidence and giving clarity to our vision and mission.

As our CEO you must be passionate about improving the lives of Unpaid Carers and have a proven record in strategic leadership as well as the ability to meet the challenges of attracting and managing resources in an uncertain environment. It is critical that the person appointed has the ability to lead and develop staff to provide excellent and agile services.

The successful candidate should be able to demonstrate the flair to initiate innovative projects as well as manage and develop our existing range of services, including those in which we take a leading role with partners. Knowledge and experience in the Health & Social Care Sector and the voluntary sector is essential.

We would particularly like to hear from you if you have three years’ leadership experience as CEO or at a senior level and proven ability to motivate, develop, delegate and lead a team.

The House of Hope will exist to help people in Edinburgh and the surrounding areas. The centre will be a haven away from the outside world where those who are impacted by breast cancer can be who they need to be in a safe space, whilst offering connectivity, support, and friendship.

Cancer is hard and takes its toll on you and those around you. We aim to nurture, improve the quality of life, and enrich the emotional wellbeing of our users by offering sanctuary and support within a home-like environment at a time when they need it most.

You are more than a diagnosis. The service will be designed to be person centred with the voice of the patients and their families at the heart of The House.

The Role:

This is an exciting opportunity to be responsible for leading the launch, growth and development of professional, effective and accessible breast cancer support services for The House of Hope Scotland.

We have an experienced and passionate board of trustees, working alongside an active network of volunteers. You will report to the Chief Executive Officer and will work closely with our trustees and patient volunteers.

This dynamic role requires an individual who displays strong interpersonal skills and the ability to manage a multi-disciplinary team. The successful candidate must be proactive, adaptive and responsive to the changeable demands of working in a person-centred environment.

You will be the first point of contact for operations within The House of Hope. You will with the board and CEO to develop the launch operational strategy and programme, overseeing the refurbishment of the building and begin to carve out relationships with service providers and stakeholders.

We need a self-starter who is passionate about supporting those impacted by breast cancer - no two days will be the same.

Signposting and working in partnership with organisations across Scotland who can provide services of benefit to our user group will play another key part in this role. You will support the CEO and trustees with building relationships both across the Scottish cancer network and with potential service providers. We also want to work to increase our networks with health professionals, to help them support their patients.

Within the House of Hope itself and digitally we will provide information and support for those with breast cancer via a direct patient support service. You will help to establish and sustain support groups for breast cancer patients and their families, providing patient information about breast cancer to patients and major centres of breast cancer treatment, and running events (both online and face to face).

This is a unique and exciting role that will allow you to use your skillset to work with us to develop and open The House of Hope Scotland. The CEO, trustees, founders and wider voluntary team will support you at every stage.

This is an exciting time to join Stirling Council as we work to enhance our leadership capacity and drive improvement activities that make a difference for people in Stirling.

Are you ready to lead and innovate in relation to improving the lives of children, families and justice in Stirling? Are you committed to leading on and promoting the value and contribution of our social work professionals and practice, including child protection, adult protection and practice learning and development for across our workforce? The role of Chief Social Worker is critical to supporting the development, promotion and value of our social work profession and professionals whilst leading and managing our Children, Family and Justice services that put the child and/or person at the heart of every decision.

In Stirling, our children, young people, parents and carers have a vision of a Stirling that is safe, inclusive and nurturing and where all children and young people are able to thrive. We have a vision of Stirling as a place where every child grows up feeling loved, safe, and respected, so that they can realise their full potential. We work together putting children and families at the centre. Children and young people want services which promote and defend their rights as children, and which involve them in the decisions that affect them.

Requirements

You will be a highly effective communicator and team player, a strategic thinker and experienced senior manager, who has used your record of success in delivering effective services to champion and embed opportunities for all children, young people and care leavers, within Council and partnership systems and arrangements.

Analytical skills and astute political awareness and understanding are needed, together with a commitment to customer-focused public services. Working with our communities and public, private and third sector organisations, as well as colleagues and teams across the organisation, you will build and develop relationships to deliver improvements for the benefit of all our citizens.

Responsibilities

Children and Family and Justice Services

There are currently 18,194 children and young people aged 0-18 years in Stirling, comprising 19.5% of the total population, with almost twice as many residents living within a rural area (33.4%) than the Scottish average (17.2%). When looking at Stirling’s outcomes for children and young people, the majority are improving. Comparatively Stirling is the same or better than Scotland as whole. This overall picture, however, masks deep inequalities, with outcomes for some children and young people being significantly poorer than others.

In Children and Family Services, our work to deliver on The Promise and our commitment to the revised guidance on Getting It Right for Every Child are changing the way we work to protect those who are most vulnerable and ensure the voice and rights of the child are at the heart of all we do.

In relation to our Justice services, the Children’s Care and Justice Bill and processes around places of safety will have a significant impact on delivery of services for those young people who come into conflict with the law. Similarly, for those working in adult justice, guidance around electronic court submissions, alongside the newly introduced Community Justice Strategy and Hate Crime Strategy are changing the way we deliver services as well.

Clackmannanshire and Stirling Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) (Adult) Service

At the heart of this is our commitment to strengthen our Health, Social Work and Social Care Services, and deliver a service to our communities that is defined by quality, inclusive practices, innovation, accountability and achieving effective and positive outcomes which will change lives for the better.

As Chief Social Work Officer in Stirling, you will contribute to HSCP strategic priorities while maintaining productive and co-operative working relationships with Elected Members, NHS Non-Executives, Heads of Service, senior officers and stakeholders across partner organisations whilst operating as a non-voting member of the Integration Joint Board (IJB) and any other appropriate national and or local bodies.

You will also manage the day to day delivery and strategic direction of the following specific functions: Child Protection, Adult Protection and Practice Learning & Professional Social Work Practice Development.Working with us, you can expect to enjoy a varied, challenging and rewarding career, the chance to make a real difference for people and communities. With your ongoing commitment we can continue to offer invaluable support for adults, families and children when they need it most.

We are passionate about our people and how we deliver services to our community in Stirling. That’s why we encourage a culture that puts children, families and people at the heart of everything we do - by empowering our people to work together to find solutions, be open, honest, and respectful, take responsibility and listen and learn. If you value these behaviours too, we’d love to hear from you

The Individual

About Stirling

Stirling is a vibrant and cosmopolitan city set within a world-class historic built environment and is a hub of contemporary culture.

The area is popular with tourists, attracting millions of visitors every year thanks to the region's rich history and stunning countryside, including Scotland's first National Park. Add to this theatres, cinemas, galleries, great restaurants, sporting facilities and easily accessible shopping, and it's easy to see why life in Stirling is hard to beat. Equidistant to both Glasgow and Edinburgh, Stirling is ideally situated for business, as well as to live, work, study and visit. Stirling's population is approximately 94,210 and is projected to rise significantly in the coming years. The Stirling Council area benefits from a vast mix of urban and rural communities, covering 2,187 square kilometres in total and includes areas as far south as Strathblane and as far North as Killin

Benefits of Working for Stirling Council

• Fair pay including pensions
• Flexibility (ability to negotiate working from home/office hybrid model, core hours, enhance work life balance)
• Health and Wellbeing Support and Resources
• Benefits including salary sacrifice and discount schemes
• An inclusive workplace culture allowing all employees to fulfil their potential and other reasonable adjustments for those with a disability or those with caring responsibilities
• Clear expectation of role and measurable goals
• Learning and Development Opportunities for career progression included course funding for accredited Chief Social Work Officer qualification

If this sounds like the challenge for you, please apply with your CV and covering letter by midnight on 11th August 2024. For an informal chat please contact Lisa Dunlop at dunlopli@stirling.gov.uk

About us

The Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland (QNIS) is a small charity making a big difference. QNIS supports, develops and inspires Scotland’s community nurses and midwives to be agents for health improvement and catalysts for social change. We help them develop their wellbeing and commitment to self-care so they can drive positive action to build a healthier, kinder, fairer, greener Scotland.

About the role

The current post holder has been leading QNIS for 10 years and is moving on to take up a new role. For the right person this is a great opportunity to shape the evolution of the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland as it enters a new chapter. As Chief Executive and Nurse Director, you will have the chance to lead the strategic direction of the charity. Working with a group of expert and committed trustees, the postholder will be responsible for the development of a small charitable organisation with a large reputation.

As Chief Executive, the postholder is accountable for the running of the charity, providing leadership and management to the team of 10 staff (6.5 WTE) and the delivery of programmes. They will lead on strategy, vision and values creating a compelling narrative to support income generation. They will nurture and manage relationships with funders and potential funders to enable a sustainable future.

As Nurse Director, the role requires representing the Institute and community nursing/midwifery in strategic forums, bringing professional expertise, good evidence and wisdom to high level discussion.

The post holder is accountable to the Board of Trustees (QNIS Council). They have regular meetings with the Chair and an annual appraisal. The post is full time (37.5 hours), based in our office in central Edinburgh, with scope for flexible working from home. We are offering a salary of £84-90k depending on experience. There is 10% employers’ contribution to a group pension scheme, life cover and 28 days annual leave plus 10 bank holidays and an additional birthday leave day.

About you

A nurse, or midwife, you will be an experienced leader and manager. You will be highly numerate, able to set, monitor and manage financial plans including fundraising. You will be experienced in and knowledgeable about governance, particularly managing risk.

To support and supervise the team, you will be an experienced programme manager; familiar with designing and managing processes, budgets, evaluation and reporting on impact. You will be a highly skilled facilitator of learning and improvement, experienced in creating safe spaces for development. You will bring a range of creative, methodologies for improvement and change.

With a broad and deep knowledge of the health and social care policy landscape of Scotland, you will have a nuanced understanding of the range of issues affecting community nurses and midwives and Scotland’s public health challenges.

You will be highly self-aware and committed to wellbeing and self-care of yourself and others, bringing your own compassionate and creative leadership to setting a healthful workplace culture for the team at QNIS.

For more information about the role and the organisation, please download the Excellence Profile and visit the QNIS website.