Programme and policy manager jobs

Chief Nurse

Location: Rachel House, Kinross or Robin House, Balloch

Salary: £87,400 – £93,685 per annum (aligned to NHS Band 8C)

Contract Type: Permanent; Full-Time; 37.5 hours per week

Closing Date: 26/02/2026 at 23:59

The Vacancy

This is a rare opportunity for a dynamic, compassionate and person-centred Nurse Leader to deliver real impact for children and families.

In Scotland, three children die from a life-shortening condition every week. CHAS provides unwavering care for children who may die young, and their families. Our team includes Nurses, Doctors, AHPs, Social Workers and Family Support Specialists. They work across two children’s hospices, in community settings and in hospitals in deep partnership with NHS staff.

We are seeking a Chief Nurse to lead the delivery of our nursing services across all these settings. Reporting to the Director of Nursing and Family Support, you will lead a team of approximately 180 nursing staff working in all parts of Scotland.

You will inspire Nurses to deliver exceptional care every day. You will work closely and collaboratively with NHS Boards, HSCP’s and other organisations to plan seamless wrap-around care, which helps some of the most vulnerable families in Scotland.

Following a planned retirement and organisational restructure, this is a new role in a new structure. It offers a chance to join CHAS in a senior nursing role, set to shape the future of paediatric palliative care across Scotland.

About You

You will be an experienced Nurse Leader with a track record of delivering positive change across health care systems. Your experience will include:

• Having significant experience leading nursing teams.
• Strong knowledge of Clinical Governance and Regulation, workforce planning, safe staffing and quality improvement.
• Proven ability to deliver on organisational targets.
• Excellent communication, influencing, and partnership skills.
• Commitment to staff wellbeing, compassionate leadership, and clinical supervision.
• The ability to lead multidisciplinary teams with courage and compassion.

We are particularly interested in hearing from Children’s Nurse Leaders, but this role is open to Nurse Leaders from all backgrounds.

Why CHAS?

For families we support, time is precious. This is an opportunity to lead a team that makes extraordinary things happen every day.

In 2024, CHAS launched our 2024 – 2028 Strategic Plan, setting out our vision to provide unwavering care to children who may die young, and to their families, at every step of their journey. Our work is grounded in three core fields of care:

• Learning that your child is seriously ill and may die young.
• Living well.
• Dying well and bereavement.

As Chief Nurse, you will play a pivotal leadership role in bringing this strategy to life – shaping practice, developing people, and ensuring the highest standards of safe, compassionate and effective care.

• Broad and impactful role: Representing CHAS nationally as an expert Nurse Leader, building strategic partnerships to influence policy, promote best practice, and enhance CHAS’s impact.
• Flexibility: Your primary base will be either Rachel House in Kinross or Robin House in Balloch, with regular travel between both hospices. CHAS provides care and support to children and families across Scotland with staff bases in Aberdeen and Inverness. This role will require travel to all CHAS sites, including clinical settings and office locations, as well as attendance at external events. Flexibility is essential, and business mileage expenses will be reimbursed. As a family friendly organisation, we recognise that flexibility works both ways, and we will support a balanced and adaptable approach to working hours and locations wherever possible.
• Professional growth: You will work with Healthcare Leaders in a visible role where you will be encouraged and supported to excel and develop your skills.
• Holidays: 35 days annual leave, increasing progressively to 40 days after five years’ service. For applicants coming from an existing NHS post, your current service-based enhanced annual leave entitlement will be honoured, up to 40 days (CHAS maximum entitlement).
• Pension: Continued membership of the NHS Scotland Pension Scheme or the opportunity to join the Local Government Pension Scheme for Scotland, administered by Lothian Pension Fund.
• Comprehensive benefits: Including generous annual leave and pension, incremental salary progression, life assurance, employee assistance programme, access to Blue Light and Perkbox discount schemes, health and wellbeing support.

Further Information and How to Apply

Click apply now and you will be redirected to our careers website where you can access more information and submit your application.

Young People Support Worker

We are seeking a Young People Support Worker to join a very tight-knit and supportive team that works tirelessly to ensure some of the most vulnerable individuals in the borough are well-cared for.

Location: Durham

Salary: £24,136

Closing Date: 01 March, 2026

Employment Type: Permanent

Hours per week: 37.5

About the Role

You’ll play a vital part in delivering our mission: tackling homelessness, widening opportunity and championing fairness. Whatever your specialism, you’ll help create a safe, inclusive and empowering environment where people can thrive and move forward with confidence. 

As a Young People Support Worker at our service in Durham, you’ll empower residents in supported accommodation to develop key life skills, strengthen resilience, and move forward with confidence in education, training, employment, and wellbeing. Using an assets‑based, psychologically informed approach, you’ll create SMART support plans, complete risk and needs assessments, and ensure every young person receives personalised, meaningful support. 

As part of the team, you’ll respond to incidents, safeguard vulnerable clients and help new residents settle into the service. Working proactively with colleagues and external agencies, you’ll use clear communication, strong boundaries and steady problem‑solving to maintain safety and wellbeing throughout the night.

Please note that access to transport is essential due to location of the projects and lack of public transport links.

 In this role, you will:

• Provide safe, supportive accommodation and champion the wellbeing of every client.

• Deliver personalised support plans that empower individuals to achieve independence.

• Build positive, respectful relationships with colleagues, partners and the people we support.

• Encourage participation in education, training, employment, and volunteering opportunities.

• Contribute to a positive team culture and maintain a safe, welcoming environment.

• Commit to continuous learning and uphold Depaul’s values of respect, inclusion, and action.

About You

You believe in people — their strengths, their rights and their potential. You bring empathy, energy and a solution‑focused mindset to your work. You communicate clearly, stay organised and adapt well in a fast‑moving environment. You’re committed to inclusion, fairness and continuous learning, and you turn values into meaningful action, whatever your role.

What You’ll Receive

• Tailored training and development

• Flexible working options where suitable

• 26 days annual leave, rising with service

• Family‑friendly leave policies

• Pension scheme with employer contributions up to 7%

• Employee Assistance Programme with 24/7 GP access

• Discounts across retail, travel, food, fitness and more

• Cash health plan for you and your family

• Death‑in‑service benefit

• Access to legal and practical support

Safer Recruitment

Depaul UK is committed to fair and inclusive recruitment, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. If a role requires it under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975, we will carry out the appropriate Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check. We only look at information that is relevant to the role, and a criminal record will never be treated as an automatic barrier to employment. All DBS information is handled sensitively, confidentially and in line with the DBS Code of Practice, and we encourage applicants to discuss any concerns with us openly.

About Depaul UK

In the 1980s, high unemployment and steep inflation was contributing to a shocking rise in youth homelessness across London. Thousands of young people were sleeping rough every night, with many areas notoriously dubbed “cardboard cities” due to the visible rise in street homelessness. Appalled by the scenes playing out across the capital, a group of people came together to tackle the challenge head on. Led by Cardinal Basil Hume and Mark McGreevy OBE, in 1989 Depaul UK was born.

What began as a single housing project in North London soon expanded across London, Greater Manchester and the North East of England. Today, Depaul UK provides accommodation, prevention and support services to thousands of marginalised young people across the UK each year.

As our name suggests, the work of Depaul UK has been inspired by St. Vincent de Paul – a man who devoted his life to helping vast numbers of people throughout the 17th century. St. Vincent de Paul’s belief in the intrinsic worth of all people and his commitment to taking bold action remain central to our values today. Depaul UK now forms part of a family of Depaul charities around the world. We each focus on the specific challenges in our own countries, but we’re united by our shared values and mission to end homelessness.