Service Manager with the Scottish Borders Area
About the Service Manager role:
The Service Manager has overall responsibility for the safe and effective delivery of the Dementia Support Service across the Scottish Borders, including regular travel and hands-on delivery of activity and support groups for people living with dementia and their carers. The service currently operates four weekly groups and one monthly group across locations including Eyemouth, Hawick, Galashiels and Jedburgh, with a new monthly group to be established in an area where there is identified demand. You will manage staff, recruit, train and support volunteers, process referrals, build relationships with key local stakeholders and ensure the service is delivered in line with funding agreements, RVS policies and processes. You will also support the continued development of the service and work towards agreed performance targets in line with Royal Voluntary Service’s vision and core values.
Location: Home based with regular travel within the Scottish Borders area.
Hours: 35 hours per week, Monday - Friday.
What you'll bring as our Service Manager:
What you’ll bring is the ability to set up, coordinate and facilitate weekly Support Groups and/or Activity Groups for people living with dementia and their carers, ensuring activities are engaging, inclusive and delivered with clear outcomes. You will develop and deliver a range of activities that respond to the interests and wishes of attendees, which may include Cognitive Stimulation Therapy, Move It or Lose It, drop-in advice and activity sessions, and carer support. You will build and maintain positive relationships with key local stakeholders to raise awareness of and promote our group provision. You will have strong people management skills, including line managing staff and recruiting, coordinating and supporting volunteers to ensure the effective running of the groups. You will also ensure that appropriate Food Safety processes and registration guidelines are followed in relation to meals provided at each group.
Responsibilities
Job Responsibilities
Planning and Organising: Plan activities and resources in advance, taking key stages, requirements and timescales into account, and monitor progress to ensure effective delivery.
Creativity: Produce creative and original ideas and solutions, exploring new ways of working and considering alternative options.
Delivers Objectives: Consistently deliver objectives and meet deadlines, taking a thorough and methodical approach and seeing tasks through to completion.
Written and Oral Communication: Communicate confidently with groups and individuals and write clearly and concisely, using appropriate language and style for the audience.
Team Working: Work collaboratively with others, providing support and being willing to cooperate and compromise to achieve shared objectives.
Enable Volunteers: Take responsibility for supporting the volunteer experience, working with the Volunteering Team and implementing improvements to enhance volunteer engagement.
Service Delivery Focussed: Identify and respond to individual needs, delivering a professional, high-quality service while keeping people safe from harm.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion: Promote equality, diversity and inclusion by treating everyone fairly, with dignity and respect, and valuing individual difference.
Requirements
This is what we're looking for:
Please note to be considered for this position you will need a Full UK driving licence and access to own vehicle with Business use insurance and/or the ability to travel across a defined geographical area.
Knowledge
•GCSE Maths and English grade A-C or Scottish Higher qualification in English.
•A knowledge and/or experience of dementia
•An understanding of the value of group activities for people living with dementia
Skills
•Good organisation and facilitation skills
•Good communication and listening skills
•Ability to proficiently use standard IT systems
Experience
•Experience of networking with key stakeholders
•Experience of delivering activities within a group setting
•Experience of managing a budget and allocating resources effectively
Benefits
This is all the other great stuff you'll be getting:
- Salary of £14.69 per hour (FTE £26,749 per annum).
- 26 days’ holiday (pro rata) plus paid statutory Bank Holidays (pro rata)
- Up to 2 days paid volunteer leave a year, through our employer supported volunteer scheme
- Ten weeks’ company sick pay following successful completion of probation
- A great pension scheme
- 2 x Salary Death in Service Benefit, subject to qualification
- Enhanced Family Leave schemes
- An employee benefits package that gives access to an exclusive rewards website to get discounts and cashback online
- A 24-hour doctor line, financial support with dental/optical and other therapies
- A free and confidential employee assistance programme with up to six face-to-face counselling sessions included
- Extensive online and on the job training to ensure you will succeed in your role
- Opportunities to discuss flexible working
- Opportunities to develop new skills and progress your career
- The chance to make a positive, lasting impact that changes lives, communities and society
If you feel have the skills and experience to become our Service Manager please click ‘apply’ today, we’d love to hear from you!
Please note that you will be subject to a PVG check if you are successful being offer the role of Service Manager.
This is the latest you'll be able to apply, providing we do not close to applicants early:
The closing date for this role is 21 September 2026. However, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early should sufficient applications be received. Please do not delay your application we often get a lot!
At Royal Voluntary Service our goal is to welcome everyone and build inclusive and diverse teams. We celebrate difference and encourage everyone to join us and be themselves at work. To find out more about our commitment to EDI, visit our website.
Join Royal Voluntary Service and together we can change lives, change communities and change society.
Other organisations may call this role Deputy Community Manager, Activity Manager, Deputy Community Engagement Manager, or Deputy Events Manager.