Support Line Service Manager (Part Time)

Edinburgh

Part-time

Permanent employee

21,250 - 24,250 £ per year

The Role

Job Title: Support Line Service Manager
Reference number: CF26 -58
Salary: £42,500 - £48,900 per annum pro rate (£21,250 - £24,250)
Division: Children and Families
Responsible to: Head of Support Line
Post Type: Permanent – Part time (17.5 hours)
Closing Date : 11 October 2026
Interview Date: Week Commencing 19 October 2026

Do you want to create a safer, brighter future for all children in Scotland?

Children First, Scotland’s national children’s charity, is seeking to appoint a part-time (17.5 hours) Support line Service Manager. By joining our team, you will help us stand up for children, keep them safe and support them to recover from trauma and abuse through our national and local services.

The Role

Based in Edinburgh, with hybrid working an option, the role involves leading on the day-to-day implementation, management, development and growth of our free confidential support line for families, carers and professionals in Scotland.

Today’s generation are facing unprecedented challenges. From mental health, money worries and online harm, to struggles at school, our support line can offer emotional, practical and financial support to any family in Scotland. We also offer advice to anyone who is concerned about a child’s wellbeing.

Taking a child-centred approach, you will work to ensure the safety of children and young people by protecting and promoting their rights.

What we are looking for

You will be an inspiring leader and will possess a degree or diploma in social work, or equivalent professional qualification at SCQF level 9, in addition to recent significant experience in a relevant practice area relating to young people. Experience working in mental health, emotional wellbeing or trauma-informed support services is desirable.

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.

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.

How to apply

We believe all children should have hopes, dreams and opportunities. But for many they don’t exist. This has to stop. We must put children first.

We welcome and encourage applications from potential colleagues from all backgrounds, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, belief, disability who share our values.

Do you have what it takes to join our team and help us protect children and keep them safe? We would love to hear from you.

Closing date: 11 October 2026. It is anticipated that interviews will be held around 19 October 2026.

If you would like to discuss any aspect of the role before applying, please contact:

Laura.Stenhouse@childrenfirst.org.uk

Together, we can help alleviate crisis, prevent harm and build brighter futures for children and families across Scotland.

Please visit the following link to learn about our recruitment events to meet our team, hear about our plans and apply to work with us.
https://issuu.com/children_first/docs/children_first_support_line_recruitment_pack

Job Description

Role Summary

To lead on the day-to-day implementation, management, development and growth of our free confidential helpline for children and families in Scotland, their families and carers.
To shape and develop services in line with agreed objectives, respond to review of needs, gaps, and trends ensuring involvement of the individuals who use our service, and to oversee support services to those individuals in line with service delivery requirements.
The role requires an element of practitioner hours and continuous professional development and therefore a minimum of 6 hours per week of telephone advice will be required on an ongoing basis.
To participate in a range of external networks for the benefit of and with the participation of children, young people and families, and to negotiate effectively with external funding partners to secure funding for service consolidation and development.
Living our values, you will manage the helpline with integrity, while involving, inspiring and empowering your team, so together we can create better outcomes for families in Scotland.

Key Results Areas

Call Room

Real time management of call queues
Ensure both inbound and outbound call activity follows a blended approach with appropriate resource maximisation
Ensure effective rotas are in place to cover any eventuality within workload fluctuations
Efficiently allocate workloads
Monitor call levels and call trends providing feedback on customer insights Complaint and objection handling
A point of escalation for complaints and complex issues
Build strong networks with any outsource support as required

Relationships with Children, Young People and Families

Work to ensure the safety of Children and young people by protecting and promoting their rights
To create effective plans for children and young people based on clear outcomes, ensuring a high degree of responsiveness to stakeholders and individuals who use our service.
To develop a Service that enhances the safety and wellbeing of Children with a focus on key topics impacting on children for example online harm
To ensure effective service delivery with a specific focus on outcomes for children/young people engaged with the service.
To contribute to the impact and influence of Children First or the benefit of and with the participation of children, young people and families.

Operational Requirements

To develop, implement and review on a regular basis, a quality improvement system that seeks to develop the support available to families and builds on our ability to meet children and families needs through our support line.
To develop, implement and review a system of reporting on service performance, achievement, outputs and outcomes to meet organisational and external requirements.
To determine the strategic direction of the Service in response to internal and external drivers in Scotland, and to develop opportunities which are in line with the remit of the service.
To manage a complex budget and ensure expenditure is in line with service plan.
To maintain and develop income streams for the service, through statutory or other sources, working in partnership with the Fundraising department as appropriate.
To contribute to research and practice and policy development to inform social policy initiatives relating to Children First strategic aims.
To take a lead role in promoting the use of Information Technology and ensure compliance with Children First recording systems and standards
Ensure quality assurance is visible and service work is appropriately monitored and there is compliance with Children First internal standards, relevant legislation/external standards, and registration requirements.
To maintain responsibility for Health and Safety and to comply with Children First Health and Safety Policy and Procedures.

Relationships with others

To contribute to the establishment of appropriate networks and communication channels and disseminate information on the service as appropriate, taking a lead role in promoting the service and Children First locally, regionally and nationally.
To contribute to external planning and communication networks through membership of local planning and policy groups (e.g. social work, health and education).
To actively participate in and contribute to management, locality and organisational service development groups.
To support staff working in a multi agency partnerships to secure the best outcomes for the individuals we are supporting.
To take a lead role in Children First influencing strategy, supporting corporate colleagues as appropriate.
To take a lead role in ensuring staff, volunteers, children and young people, carers and stakeholders are enabled to contribute.
To lead and manage a large, possibly dispersed, group of multi disciplinary staff undertaking complex work, across Local Authorities and Health Board areas.
To lead and support staff effectiveness through the process of supervision, appraisal and implementation of professional development plans.
To take a lead role in helping to promote a culture of continuous learning and development and provide advice, guidance, training and consultation services to colleagues across the charity, and to staff working in partner agencies.

Person Specification

Need to Have

Need to Show (Skills)

Need to Know

Need to Be

Degree or Diploma in Social Work, or equivalent professional qualification at SCQF level 9.
Recent significant experience in a relevant practice area relating to young people
Managerial/supervisory experience to include direct staff/student/volunteer supervision, recruitment, learning and development, performance management and quality assurance.
Experience of managing complex systems and management information.
Experience of managing complex budgets including securing external funding.
Experience of involving Children, young people and their families in planning/designing and implementing services.
Experience working in mental health, emotional wellbeing or trauma-informed support services is desirable.

Ability to work strategically within a multi-agency network and development of service in response to external drivers.
Ability to represent Children First and the voluntary sector at a strategic level.
Ability to influence service delivery and quality for children and young people.
Enthusiastic approach to the use of IT and willingness to undertake the training in order to ensure the competency level essential for the role.
Ability to shape and influence external influences, with proven ability to adapt services and diversify appropriately.
Budget management and financial skills.
Ability to lead and manage change.

An in-depth knowledge and understanding of best practice and regulatory requirements in the field of childcare and young people’s services.
Knowledge of funding streams/arrangements to support children and young people.
Knowledge of Safeguarding Children and Young People and Protection of Vulnerable Adults
Understanding of outcome focused service planning and evaluation.
Developments in professional practice.

Flexible in approach to work
Committed to and understand the principles of working with volunteers.
Able and willing to travel as required to services and offices across the region.
Committed to Children First approach and the relational nature of our work.
Confident and able to form effective and credible relationships with all levels of staff
Aware of personal responsibility in relation to corporate responsibilities.

About us

Children First is Scotland’s national children’s charity. We stand up for every child because all children should have a safe childhood. We protect children from harm and support them to recover from trauma and abuse through our national and local services. We help children, their families and the people that care for them by offering emotional, practical, and financial support. We give children hope and a safer, brighter future. Our core values guide how each one of us works in our individual day to day job:

• With love, we put children first.
• With purpose, we transform children’s lives together.
• With strength, we do whatever it takes to protect Scotland’s children.

These values are reflected in everything we do. If you share our vision and values and would like to join our team then we would love to hear from you.