Service Manager (early learning and childcare)

Job title: Service Manager - Early Learning and Childcare

Salary: £35,730 (£71,460 FTE)

Hours: Part-time (10 days per 4-week period)

Location: Flexible (Any Care Inspectorate office)

Contract: Temporary for 18 months (with the possibility of further extension)

About us

We are the national regulator and scrutiny body responsible for providing assurance and protection for people who experience care services, their families, carers and the wider public, as well as supporting delivery partners to improve the quality of care for people in Scotland. Our vision is that people across Scotland experience high quality care that meets their needs, rights and choices.

We are a scrutiny body that supports improvement. We inspect individual care services and we also work with other scrutiny bodies to inspect the social care and social work services people are experiencing in their local areas.

Our desire is to achieve an effective and balanced way of working, that enables us to meet organisational needs and achieve a work-life balance that promotes wellbeing and collaboration opportunities. We are moving towards an expectation that all staff will work collaboratively, within and across teams, in person, for approximately 40% of their working week.

About the role

Due to flexible retirement, we are looking to recruit a temporary part-time Service Manager to join our Early Learning & Childcare Team.

This role will oversee the work of Team Managers, who manage Inspectors to carry out scrutiny activity of early learning and childcare services including shared inspections with Education Scotland. Team Managers and Inspectors also play an important role in supporting quality assuring care services and providing professional advice to assist in developing the quality of service delivery. Acting as relationship managers, they provide support and challenge to local authorities, and providers of multiple services with the aim of supporting continuous improvement.

The successful candidate will manage projects and support the work of the directorate including overseeing the quality assurance of our scrutiny work. The role also involves liaison with external stakeholders, promoting the work of the organisation and contributing to national initiatives.

The role holder will be expected to support the Scrutiny and Assurance Directorate to ensure that the Care Inspectorate meets its responsibilities as defined by the Public Services Reform Act 2010 and other relevant legislation.

This senior role works with other leaders and colleagues to support significant cultural change, consolidate excellence in the Care Inspectorate’s activities and continue to invest in our competent, confident workforce in a way that puts collaboration at the core of our work.

About you

You will have significant experience in services for early learning and childcare and experience of scrutiny and assurance activity. You must be able to work well with colleagues to achieve shared aims, support innovation and make best use of resources. You will demonstrate the ability to provide leadership and direction to a diverse, multi-disciplinary team of professional staff and be highly effective in working creatively and collaboratively across organisational and professional boundaries.

Adept at challenging traditional thinking in a positive and constructive way, you will be an articulate and positive communicator, both verbally and in written form, with the ability to engage, influence and lead the development of a wide range of key stakeholder relationships, both internally and externally.

You will also be politically astute and demonstrate a broad knowledge of trends and relevant issues within health, social care, and education.

  • You will be educated to SCQF level 9 (e.g. degree, graduate diploma/certificate, etc.)
  • You will have a secondary Authorised Officer qualification - either PDA (Professional Development Award), RoCA (Regulation of Care Award), EFQM (European Foundation for Quality Management) or PSIF (Public Sector Improvement Framework)

We are looking for someone who has:

  • Proven track record of effective management and leadership of staff in the area of health, social care, or education.
  • Demonstrable experience of strategic planning and delivery of services and supporting and embedding sustainable business and transformational change.
  • Extensive experience of collaborative and values-based leadership including working with partners.

Next steps

You’ll find more information in the job profile and person specification.

If you would like more information or an informal chat about the role please contact the recruitment team in the first instance - please include a contact telephone number and times that would be best to reach you in your email.

If you believe that you are a suitable candidate for this post, please download and complete an application form and submit it by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 08:00 on Monday 23 September 2024.

It is anticipated that interviews will be held in the week commencing Monday 7 October.

Professional Registration Information

As a Service Manager you will support the Scrutiny & Assurance and Strategy & Improvement directorates to ensure that the Care Inspectorate meets its responsibilities as defined by the Public Services Reform Act 2010 and other relevant legislation.

The successful applicant must be registered with a professional body (this can be NMC, GTCS, NMC, HCPC or the SSSC).

For SSSC registration, there is a specific registration category for Care Inspectorate Authorised Officers (AO). There will be two levels of AO registration (Primary AO and Secondary AO), and identification of types of work undertaken (Social Care and Children & Young People).

If you are a SSSC registrant, on appointment as a Service Manager you will be required to register with SSSC as a secondary AO under both types of work (Social Care and Children & Young People) or be registered with another appropriate registration body (NMC, GTCS, HCPC).

We would expect non-SSSC staff to hold or gain the appropriate AO qualification (in this case EFQM would be the minimum qualification).


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Person specification

Job title: Customer Support Adviser

Attributes 

Experience

Essential:

  • Demonstrate a successful track record within a similar role.

Desirable:

  • Experience of working with external/internal contacts at all levels. 
  • Experience of working within the social care sector.

Education, qualifications and training

Essential:

Desirable:

  • NVQ/SVQ level 2 or 3 in Customer Service or Call Handling.

Skills and knowledge

Essential:

  • Excellent communication skills.
  • Excellent verbal communication techniques in order to draw out and gather correct information and gain confidence from caller.
  • Knowledge of customer service principles and practice.
  • Listening skills.
  • Problem solving skills.
  • Good data entry/keyboard skills
  • Ability to work on own initiative and prioritisation of workload.
  • Ability to meet deadlines.
  • Ability to use own judgement within identified boundaries.
  • Ability to remain professional even when dealing with difficult or confrontational callers.

Key performance outcomes

Effective communication:

  • Portrays a positive image of the Care Inspectorate when communicating both inside the organisation and externally.
  • Selects appropriate communication, style and methods depending on the needs and abilities of the audience.
  • Listens actively to people, questions and checks understanding.

Planning and organising:

  • Uses a systematic approach to make efficient use of time and manage workload. 
  • Recognises the need to be flexible in order to meet changing priorities.
  • Prioritises work effectively to meet deadlines and objectives.

Flexibility:

  • Demonstrates a flexible, positive approach to work.
  • Listens to feedback and ideas from people and will take appropriate and considered action.
  • Adapts well to change, adjusting priorities as required.
  • Is able to work confidently within a changing environment.

Team working:

  • Remains tolerant and fair towards others, values diversity and is non-discriminatory in their actions.
  • Values and makes use of the skills, knowledge and experience of others.
  • Works co-operatively and supportively with others.

Personal accountability and responsibility:

  • Takes responsibility for decisions and actions taken.
  • Maintains a high standard of work and actively seeks out continuous improvement.
  • Demonstrates initiative within own area of expertise.
  • Takes responsibility for identifying and addressing areas of personal and professional development.

Please note – these are key performance outcomes to be used to recruit into the role.  


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Person specification

Job title: Improvement Adviser (digital social care)

Attributes

Experience

Essential:

  • Track record of involvement in quality improvement (QI) project/ programmes across health and social care.
  • Experience of leading innovation across health and social care.
  • Experience of developing and delivering learning and development to a variety of staff groups and care providers.
  • Experience of working creatively with partners to develop ideas and solutions to deliver change and improvement.

Desirable:

  • Experience of scrutiny and regulatory process.
  • Experience of implementing digital solutions in social care settings.

Education, qualifications and training

Essential:

  • Educated to SCQF level 9 (for example, Bachelors/Ordinary Degree, Graduate Diploma, Graduate Certificate, Graduate or Technical Apprenticeship, SVQ, etc) or have relevant skills and experience relevant to the post.
  • Hold or be willing to work towards a recognised qualification in quality improvement.
  • Commitment to own CPD.

Desirable:

  • NES Scottish Improvement Leader (ScIL) or equivalent

Skills and knowledge

Essential:

  • The ability to communicate with a diverse range of professional staff across the sector.
  • Excellent negotiating, facilitating, influencing, and coaching skills.
  • Able to think creatively to maximise the use of digital technology to improve outcomes for people.
  • Knowledge and understanding of QI theory and its practical application in health and social care settings.
  • Ability to set up systems to monitor improvement, analyse data and develop improvement solutions.
  • Ability to develop and maintain extensive internal and external communication systems.
  • Ability to work autonomously and collaborate with key stakeholders including Scottish Government, HSCPs, LAs, Health Boards and service providers in the statutory, independent, and voluntary sector.
  • Excellent communicator both verbal and written, with the ability to translate plans into actions.
  • IT literate, using the most effective methods to communicate and manage information.

Desirable:

  • Knowledge and understanding of health/social care practice, theory, policy, and research.
  • Appreciation of technology, its use and development in relation to the care sector.
  • Knowledge of regulation, scrutiny, and improvement landscape. 

Key performance outcomes

Quality improvement focus

Essential:

  • Have a proven track record in leading QI projects/programmes and evaluating their impact.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of national QI work across Scotland.

Desirable:

  • Policy development
  • Research activity

Planning and organising 

Essential:

  • Ability to prioritise effectively and achieve deadlines.
  • Ability to react to changing priorities and to prioritise conflicting demands.
  • Demonstrates analytical and systematic approach to problem solving.
  • Demonstrates initiative, drive and determination to complete tasks and achieve objectives.
  • Work is self-generated, planned, and prioritised, identifying key issues, anticipating problems, and initiating appropriate action to resolve them.
  • Able to work autonomously and independently.

Impact and influence

Essential:

  • Demonstrates ability to influence at all levels.
  • Ability to achieve results through personal power, negotiation, persuasion, and influence.
  • Ability to give credible and realistic advice, based on relevant, up to date and verifiable information.
  • Demonstrates experience of being part of positive cultural change.

Effective communication

Essential:

  • Excellent oral, public speaking / presentation, and written communication skills.
  • Ability to draft detailed reports and guidance documents.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills with the emphasis on negotiation, influence, and diplomacy.
  • Experience in devising and delivering development sessions

Working in partnership

Essential:

  • Work nationally and locally with a range of stakeholders.
  • Ability to lead or participate in multi-disciplinary and multi-agency working groups.

Please note – these are tkey performance outcomes to be used to recruit into the role.


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Job profile

Job title: Customer Support Adviser

Job location: Any Care Inspectorate office    

Responsible to: Customer Support Officer

Principal working contacts

  • Transactions Manager
  • Customer Support Officer
  • Business Improvement Manager
  • Lead Tester & Release Manager
  • ICT Development Team
  • Managers and employees of the Care Inspectorate
  • External agencies/service providers/service users and carers
  • Members of the public

Job purpose

To answer incoming calls to the organisation, respond to enquiries and questions, pass callers on to appropriate colleagues when necessary, provide information and undertake general administrative duties, in accordance with the Care Inspectorate’s policies and procedures.

Key responsibilities

  • To answer all incoming telephone calls and deal with by either responding to query, appropriate transfer, taking a message or follow-up and return call.
  • To take complaints from members of the public and log them in our Complaints application.
  • Research requiring information using available resources.
  • Provide callers with information as appropriate, within own remit of responsibility.
  • Identify and escalate priority issues.
  • Record call information accurately and appropriately.
  • Produce call reports and/or information as requested.
  • Attend meetings as required.
  • Distribute information within the Care Inspectorate and to service users, carers, service providers and other external agencies as required.
  • Carry out your duties in accordance with our Health and Safety policies, procedures, guidance, practices and legislative requirements, taking reasonable care for your safety and that of others who may be affected by what you do or fail to do while at work

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Job profile

Job title: Improvement Adviser (digital social care)

Reporting to: Senior Improvement adviser (digital social care)

Principal working contacts

Internal:

  • Senior Improvement adviser (Digital social care)
  • Quality Improvement Manager
  • Quality Improvement Support Team
  • Health and Social Care Improvement Team
  • Involvement and Equalities Team
  • Scrutiny and Assurance Directorate
  • External / Internal Communication Teams
  • OWD team

 External:

  • Portfolio director, Scottish Government digital health and care directorate
  • Care providers, care service staff and those experiencing care and their carers
  • Other regulatory, scrutiny and improvement bodies
  • NHS boards, staff and agencies, local authorities, Health and Social Care partnerships, and integrated joint boards
  • Other sector organisations including Scottish Care, CCPS, SSSC, SHFA, SWA, COSLA, Digital Office and others
  • Members of the public and other stakeholders

Job purpose

The post holder will work alongside the Senior Improvement Adviser (Digital social care), as part of the Scottish Government’s digital social care programme. The role also forms part of the Care Inspectorate’s Quality Improvement Support Team (QIST).

The post holder will use quality improvement (QI) methodology and develop the improvement support role in line with the Care Inspectorates Improvement Strategy and the national Digital Health and Care Strategy and Delivery Plan.

Key responsibilities

  • To work alongside the senior improvement adviser (Digital) on a range of activities as agreed with the Care Inspectorate and Scottish Government’s digital health and care directorate.
  • To contribute to the generation of knowledge and shared learning on technology and digital in social care through publications, networks, and engagement activities.
  • To collaborate with other sector-based digital leads on projects that support the delivery of the social care portfolio within the digital heath and care directorate.
  • Leadership and representation of the Care Inspectorate externally in the area of technology and digital in social care.
  • Working internally with the Care Inspectorate to support embedding of technology and digital solutions for social care.
  • Improve the use of digital in social care through a programme which supports the Care Inspectorate’s scrutiny and inspection processes.
  • Input and support to the deliverables of the social care programme within the Scottish Government’s digital health and care directorate.
  • Leadership and support on key areas related to technology in social care through publication, organisation and attendance at key relevant events. 
  • Identification of key priorities for technology and digital for the social care sector through engagement and network activities with colleagues and stakeholders.
  • Partnerships and collaborative opportunities to further embed and enhance the contribution of the technology and digital in social care at local and national level.

Quality improvement

  • Support the implementation of the Care Inspectorate’s improvement Strategy, the and the Scottish Governments Digital Health and Care Strategy and Delivery Plan.
  • Lead and advise on quality improvement methodology and tools, design, and delivery of quality improvement projects / programmes.
  • Supporting internal/external stakeholders with data collection, analysis, and interpretation to ensure a measurement framework is in place to support successful implementation and demonstrate reliable, sustainable improvements.
  • Sharing good and effective practice in the use of technology across health and social care and establish mechanisms to spread and sustain improvement.
  • Provide advice and guidance to internal and external stakeholders on quality improvement including leading or participating in groups related to the work of the Care Inspectorate and the digital social care programme.
  • Provide leadership and direction to develop quality improvement support resources for use by sector colleagues and care services.
  • Provide leadership, direction and support on developing quality improvement pathways in relation to the use of digital technologies to support personalised care.
  • Further expand opportunities ongoing training and development on quality improvement methodology and continue to build the capacity and capability of the Care sector workforce through a strategic approach with partners.

Relationship management

  • Working in partnership with the Senior Improvement Adviser (Digital Social Care) and the Scottish Government’s digital social care portfolio team on a range of projects aimed at improving outcomes for people through the use of technology.
  • Cross collaboration with a range of key sector organisations.
  • Advise, support and work alongside the Senior Improvement Adviser (Digital social care) and the Scottish Government digital social care portfolio lead to identify and commission specialist support for quality improvement in care services.
  • Work with Care inspectorate colleagues, social care staff and technology professionals to test, measure and report on the impact of technology solutions in social care.
  • Engage with key partners to identify themes and trends which will direct future improvement support in digital social care.
  • Advise and support the Improvement Support section, digital social care team and colleagues to improve practice directly with providers and partnerships, through sharing evidence from research, quality improvement methods and expert advice to update practice and improve care.
  • Monitor, evaluate and report on all key areas and tasks advising on progress and challenges regularly.
  • Work with the Senior Improvement Adviser (Digital social care), Quality Improvement Support Team and Scottish Government’s digital social care team to facilitate a comprehensive approach to relationship management between the Care Inspectorate and various parts of the health and social care sector.

Other duties

This job profile is a broad picture of the post at the date of preparation. It is not an exhaustive list of all possible duties, and it is recognised that jobs change and evolve over time. Consequently, the post holder will be required to carry out any other duties to the equivalent level that are necessary to fulfil the purpose of the job, and to respond positively to changing business needs.


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