The posting
Job description
Royal Voluntary Service has an opportunity available for a Deputy Service Manager to join our team within the Berwickshire, Eildon and Teviot Areas. You will join us on a part-time, permanent basis and in return, you will receive a competitive salary of £13.22 per hour (FTE £24,070 per annum).
About the Deputy Service Manager role:
The Berwickshire, Eildon & Teviot team provide, manage and run Social Centre's throughout the Borders towns and villages for older residents aged 65 and over to boost wellbeing. Our clients are referred by statutory health providers and local partner organisations to benefit from daytime sessions focusing on social connection, nutrition, physical activity, mental stimulation and the opportunity to try new things. Clients are welcomed and supported by our staff and volunteer teams to stay as well as they can both physically and mentally and be as independent as possible in their later years.
Our support helps to reduce the impact of isolation and loneliness and enable people to be better connected with others for their ongoing wellbeing.
Location: Travel across, Berwickshire, Eildon and Teviot Areas (Village Hall, Burnmouth, Eyemouth, TD14 5SU; Katharine Elliot Centre, 3 Howdenbank, Hawick, TD9 7JT; Volunteer Hall, 11, LangtonGate, Duns Volunteer Hall, Duns, TD11 3AF and St Boswells Village Hall, Jenny Moor’s Road, St Boswells, TD6 0AA).
Hours: 30 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 6 hours per day (9:00am–3:30pm). This can be offered as one 30-hour position or split into two positions of 12 and 18 hours. The final arrangement will be confirmed at the end of the interview process.
What you'll bring as our Deputy Service Manager:
The role of the Deputy Service Manager (DSM) is to plan and deliver the weekly client facing sessions (in agreed specific towns / villages). The DSM is to work directly with the clients, volunteers and local surrounding community -responsible for supporting the management, development and delivery of their weekly service/services. The role sits within an environment of continuous improvement and with leadership from the Service Manager, the DSM will ensure that all sessions are delivered in line with RVS vision and Core Values in order to; deliver on contractual agreements and achieve key performance targets; to ensure more people are enabled to volunteer; and to ensure strong partnerships with local statutory, voluntary and community partners are built and maintained.
This is what we're looking for:
Please note to be considered for this position you will need a Full UK driving license and access to own vehicle with Business use insurance and/or the ability to travel across a defined geographical area.
Knowledge
- A good working knowledge and understanding of the Health and Social Care sector and its operating environment.
- Awareness of the principles of Safeguarding (training and ongoing support is provided)
- Understanding of the strengths and support needs of a volunteer involving organisation and volunteers.
- Ability to proficiently use standard IT systems / Email / Microsoft Teams and learn role specific databases.
Skills
- Excellent communication ability with the aptitude to lead activities, interact, relate to and get involved with people at all levels.
- Ability to act on own initiative within agreed parameters
Experience
- Demonstrable experience of working in a person-centred manner with care, compassion and sensitivity.
- Demonstrable ability to support, calm, enthuse and assess risk.
This is what you'll be doing:
- Supporting the recruitment, development, motivation and day to day line management of Volunteers supporting the service - supporting their training and ongoing wellbeing, ensuring they feel supported and valued.
- To coordinate, support and connect volunteers to ensure client interventions and activities are delivered safely, consistently and effectively.
- Welcoming clients – existing and new - to the sessions; working in a person-centered manner to promote wellbeing and ensuring personal support plans are put in place; providing the required support to reduce / mitigate risk. You will not provide care or medication support to clients.
- Daily Coordination of the service adhering to the standard operating guidance, including organising and delivering activities; organising and providing refreshments and a hot nutritious meal; taking payments from clients, including cash handling and banking; the management of the resources/equipment required for the session delivery and on-site responsibility for the health and safety of all clients and activity.
- Ensuring compliance in line with all statutory standards, policies and procedures in the delivery of the sessions and the support to clients including Health and Safety, Food Hygiene, Data Protection, Financial Controls, Safeguarding and Incident Reporting.
- Dealing with enquiries, promoting the service, supporting, developing and maintaining relationships with key local contacts (e.g. Local Authorities, Health Trusts, Suppliers, Voluntary Organisations, internal partners) as agreed with the Service Manager in order to develop the service.
- Monitoring and reporting of service activity, and service specific income and expenditure, as agreed with Service Manager.
- Undertaking general administrative duties including data entry for the RVS Management Information Systems, (Cold Harbour) general correspondence and communications and contributing information to service reports.
- Working with a commitment to continuous development in skills and behavioural competencies required for the post, or any role that the post-holder aspires to.
- Undertaking any other reasonable duties commensurate with the purpose and remit of the post and agreed with the Service Manager.
This is how you'll be doing it:
Service Delivery Focused Identifies and focuses on the individual needs and concerns of the customer or client. Engages and responds accordingly with a professional and high-quality service. Is committed to keeping people safe from harm.
Supporting & Managing Others Enjoys supporting other people by getting involved and trying to help them when they have problems. Is comfortable to contribute to joint activities and enjoys teamwork. Is approachable, collaborative and dependable.
Planning & Organising Thinks things through well in advance and maps out future activities and resources, taking the key stages, requirements and timescales into account. Likes to monitor to ensure that things are implemented and delivered effectively.
Delivers Objectives Strives to deliver what is expected or required of them and consistently meets objectives and deadlines. Is dependable and does not like abandoned tasks without seeing them through to the end. Work is often conducted in a thorough and methodical manner.
Resilience Easily bounces back from setbacks and is not discouraged for long. Doesn’t easily get hurt or upset and is generally able to manage work challenges. Can accept constructive criticism and doesn’t tend to dwell on what others may think of them. Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Values difference and sets a positive example of inclusive behaviour in all interactions and promotes practices that celebrate equality and diversity in the workplace and the communities we serve. Is an active participant and encourages others to engage effectively with charity wide inclusion activities.
Enabling Volunteers Is able to demonstrate an understanding of how their role impacts and supports volunteers and their experience within the charity. Is ready to collaborate with the Volunteering Team and is willing to accept responsibility and accountability of their volunteer’s journey and experience. Is not afraid to implement changes to their approach to volunteering.
Job benefits
This is all the other great stuff you'll be getting:
- Salary of £13.22 per hour (FTE £24,070 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 with 5% employer contributions
- 2 x Base 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
- 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 Deputy Service Manager please click ‘apply’ today, we’d love to hear from you!
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 29 October 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, Service coordinator, Activity coordinator, Deputy Community Engagement Manager, or Deputy Events Manager.
