Team Leader (Fixed Term) - Aberdeenshire Carers Service - Adult Carers

VSA currently have an exciting opportunity available to join our Aberdeenshire Carers Service as a Team Leader working with unpaid Adult Carers across Aberdeenshire covering South and Central Aberdeenshire e.g. Portlethen Stonehaven Banchory & Aboyne. This will be a Part-Time Fixed Term contract position to cover a period of Maternity Leave for up to 12 months and in return you will receive a competitive salary and benefits.

VSAs Aberdeenshire carers service supports adults children and young people who care for someone living in Aberdeenshire.

The advantage of our information and support is that we are a local based organisation. We have an in-depth understanding of the people of Aberdeenshire and take a localised approach to all our information and carers services.

We are also network partners with the National Carers Organisations Carers Trust and Coalition of Carers which keeps us briefed with all matters relating to unpaid carers.

Hours: 21 hours per week

Status: Fixed Term (12 months)

Rate of Pay: 16.22 per hour

Location: Working from Home (however this role will include home visits to Carers as well as community engagement sessions/drop ins which will be delivered in and around the localities this role supports). A drivers license and access to your own transport is essential for this role.

Work Pattern: Working 3 days per week (Mon-Wednesday)

Locations to be Covered: South & Central Aberdeenshire - Portlethen Stonehaven Banchory & Aboyne and surrounding areas

We offer our staff fantastic benefits including:

• Company pension
• Employee assistance programme
• Generous annual leave
• Refer a friend programme - Receive 200 when you introduce a family member or friend to VSA
• Investment in your personal development and career through our learning and development programmes
• Gain recognised SCQF Qualifications
• Access to our employee discount scheme

About the role:

To co-ordinate sustain and manage appropriate high quality provision for Carers in Aberdeenshire to contribute to the development of strategies for the services growth in an inclusive way. You will make an effective contribution to the provision of appropriate information advice support guidance and access to services and social opportunities for Adult Carers in Aberdeenshire according to their changing needs working both on an individual and group work basis.

Responsibilities of our Team Leader will include:

Supervising and supporting the work of Carers Advisor and Development Workers and other staff students and volunteers working with the Service

Allocation and distribution of work monitoring workloads and developing strategies for dealing with work which cannot be allocated.

Ensuring the appropriate review of all service users responses and progress in the service

Establishing maintaining and developing an effective working environment in respect of working relationships identifying and minimising interpersonal conflict and where appropriate implementing VSA disciplinary and grievance procedures.

Facilitating all the teams professional development through supervision and support sessions as per VSA policy and procedures and ensure staff training needs are identified and known to the Training team.

Taking the lead in the development monitoring and maintenance of healthy and safe practices in the working environment and in the development of systems to manage risk to self service users and staff.

Effective communication and consultation with Service Users and when appropriate their families to ensure their involvement in decision-making about developments within the service.

Representing VSA Aberdeenshire Carers Services at meetings conferences and on working groups both locally and nationally if required.

Taking the lead for developing partnership working across all disciplines and raising the awareness of Adult Carer issues.

Contribute to the selection recruitment and retention of staff to develop a quality service.

Carrying case loads of the more complex service users as required by the service under the supervision of the Service Co-ordinator and Manager Aberdeenshire Carers Services.

Working with the Marketing Fundraising and Communications Department contributing to agency efforts to raise funds to support the projects and in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer to ensure there are appropriate monitored financial systems in place to support the project.

Developing professional knowledge and practice continuously through participation in training and development activities and taking part in appropriate training as requested.

Ensuring appropriate evaluation of Adult Carers Services and contribute to the forming of strategies to sustain and develop them in the future.

Ensuring and observing the Adult Protection Policy as per agency procedures and adhere to the Aberdeenshire Council Adult Protection Guidelines.

Ensuring and observing the Protection of Adults Policy as per agency procedures and adhere to the relevant Policy and Procedure for the Support and Protection of Adults at Risk of Harm.

Any other duties which may arise from time to time provided they are both reasonable and within the post holders capabilities

What we are looking for in our Team Leader:

Qualifications/Training/Education:
Essential:

• Diploma in Social Work
• HNC/SVQ Level III or equivalent in relevant discipline eg. Health Social Care or Community/Adult Learning

Desirable:

• Educated to Degree Level
  
• A qualification in Community Work Social Work Nursing or Teaching Relevant post qualifying training e.g. safeguarding
• Awareness and knowledge of current legislation relating to Adult Protection issues e.g. The Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 and to Disability issues e.g. the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Experience:
Essential:

• Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of Adult Carers Service
• Demonstrable experience of post qualifying work with adult carers and/or Young Carers
• Demonstrable experience of work with adults in informal and formal groups as well as individually.
  
• Demonstrable experience of partnership working
• Demonstrable experience of outreach work fieldwork community capacity building
• Experience of staff support supervision and development

Desirable:

• Working knowledge of child/adult protection issues and practice
• Experience of project management including management of budgets
• Knowledge of recent NHS and Social Services initiatives.
• Experience of monitoring and evaluation systems.
• Knowledge and/or experience of the third sector.

Key Skills/Aptitudes:

Essential:

• Proven skills and experience in assessment of Adult and/or Young Carers
• Proven skills in relation to the provision of information including welfare rights.
• Proven ability to establish and maintain networks and develop partnership working.
• Ability to provide high quality supervision to staff
• Ability to work in person-centred and inclusive ways
• Ability to communicate information and ideas both verbally and in written form.
• Ability to promote the projects at all levels
• Effective IT skills

Desirable:

• Proven skills in assessment of Adults/Children and families
• Ability to think strategically and contribute effectively at strategic level.
  

Personal Qualities:
Essential:

• Energetic hard working resilient adaptable organised assertive
• Confidence in relating to a wide range of professionals
• Confidence in relating to a wide range of people of all ages and cultural backgrounds in a non-judgemental inclusive manner
• Leadership and management skills
• Effective organizer with the ability to work on own initiative.
• Mediation negotiation and liaison skills.
• Chairing meetings.
• Ability to work constructively with stress.
• Ability to respond sensitively to heightened emotions and feelings.
• Demonstrable presentation skills.
• Ability commitment and enthusiasm to contribute to future service development.

Desirable:

• Appreciation of Community Care issues.
• Ability to think creatively
• Flexible approach

Other Job Requirements:

Essential:

• Flexible approach to working hours- availability to work evening and weekend (on a planned basis).
• To ensure the protection of children and vulnerable adults whilst adhering to current legislation and national/local policies and guidelines.
• Observe Safeguarding & Adult Protection Policy as per Agency procedures and adhere to Adults Protection guidelines.
• Observe Adult Support & Protection Policy as per Agency procedure and Aberdeenshire H&SCP Adult Support & Protection Procedures
• Full and Clean Driving License and access to a vehicle.
  
  

If our Team Leader role sounds like you then click Apply below and start your career journey with VSA today!