Service Manager
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 Service Manager within our Aberdeen Family Wellbeing Service. 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.
If you're someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment, loves working with people, and wants to make a real difference in the lives of children and families - this might just be the role for you.
At Children First, we’re not just filling a vacancy. We’re looking for a leader. Someone who can bring heart, energy and vision to our Whole Family Wellbeing Service in Aberdeen. This is a role where no two days are the same, and where your leadership can shape brighter futures.
The Role
As a Service Manager, you’ll be leading a dynamic, community-based service that supports children and families across Aberdeen. You’ll lead a team working across three community spaces—Northfield, Bridge of Don, and Kincorth—delivering early and preventative trauma-informed support through the Fit Like Family Wellbeing collaborative. Our service is recognised for its systemic approach to whole family wellbeing. We bring creativity and innovation to the collaborative and ensure that supports remain responsive to the needs of children and families by keeping participation and voices of children and families at the heart of all that we do.
The Service Manager will be responsible for managing day-to-day operations and service development, leading a skilled, multidisciplinary team, building and maintaining strong partnerships across sectors and securing and managing funding to sustain and grow the service.
And yes, you’ll also be juggling budgets, reporting on outcomes, and contributing to strategic planning—but always with the goal of improving children and families lives.
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.
You will demonstrate confidence and competence in working with complexity and risk, ensuring appropriate containment and support within the service during periods of escalating concern for children, young people, and families.
You will bring expertise that strengthens the team’s confidence and capability in key areas including safeguarding, whole-family support, and trauma recovery. Your experience will contribute to the ongoing development of a responsive, skilled workforce delivering high-quality support to children, young people, and families.
At Children First we adopt a collaborative and relational approach to leadership and therefore look for these attributes to ensure that we recruit the right people.
You’ll also need to be comfortable navigating multi-agency networks, influencing service design, and adapting to external drivers.
It’s a big role—but one with big rewards.
You will be relational in your approach and have experience of working collaboratively with partners to ensure the right support at the right time.
You will always put Children First.
What can you expect from us
“No two days are the same in this role. It is fast-paced but invites the opportunity to truly make meaningful change for children and their families.”- Service Manager, Children First
This quote sums it up perfectly. You’ll be challenged, yes - but you’ll also be inspired. You’ll see the impact of your work every day, and you’ll be part of a team that leads with love, purpose, and strength.
At Children First, we don’t stand still. We grow, we adapt, and we lead with heart. That’s why we need our next Service Manager to not just bring experience - but energy, passion, and a deep commitment to making a difference.
As well as a rewarding career and development opportunities, we offer 40 days annual leave per year pro rata, a contributory pension scheme, generous maternity/adoption and paternity leave, flexible working opportunities and wellbeing support.
With a supportive and inclusive working environment, the salary for this role is £43,223 - £49,731 per annum.
Our Values
Living our values, you will make a direct impact to the lives of children across Scotland. 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.
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.
How to apply
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: 17h October 2025. It is anticipated that interviews will be held on 27th October.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of the role before applying, please contact:
Iona.mitchell@children1st.org.uk
For further information and to apply, please visit here.
The selection process will include seeking PVG Scheme
Children First is the working name of the Royal Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Registered Charity No: SC 016092