We are recruiting an experienced and compassionate Senior Support Worker to lead our Outreach Edinburgh team. You will help deliver high-quality, person-centred support for people aged 16 and over who are moving on from homelessness into longer-term accommodation, or who are at risk of losing their home.
Our team offers practical and emotional support in people’s homes and communities—helping with wellbeing, finances, relationships, access to services and the skills needed to live independently. As Senior Support Worker, you will combine confident team leadership with hands-on practice, building trust and keeping the people we support at the centre of every decision.
Your role
- Lead, support and coach a team of Support Workers, creating a positive and reflective working culture.
- Coordinate team meetings, supervision, appraisals, development plans, rota cover and safe recruitment and induction.
- Champion person-centred, trauma-informed support and Psychologically Informed Environment principles.
- Lead case management, support planning and risk assessment, ensuring records are accurate, current and used effectively.
- Guide colleagues on housing options, welfare benefits, community resources and complex or higher-risk moves.
- Oversee referrals, service quality, safeguarding, complaints, incidents, audits, KPIs and statutory or contractual requirements.
- Build effective partnerships with local authorities, Social Work, housing providers and other agencies.
- Provide some direct support and field work, model professional boundaries and take part in the 24/7 on-call rota.
What you’ll bring
You will have an SVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care, be working towards it, or bring significant equivalent experience. You will also have experience supporting vulnerable people—ideally those affected by homelessness or housing instability—and the confidence to guide others in delivering safe, respectful and effective support.
- Knowledge of housing and homelessness legislation, welfare benefits and relevant local resources.
- A working understanding of SSSC Codes of Practice, Care Inspectorate Standards, safeguarding and confidentiality.
- Awareness of trauma, mental health, alcohol and drug use, and adolescent development.
- Strong communication, report-writing, record-keeping, time-management and caseload oversight skills.
- Confidence in de-escalating conflict, responding to concerns and maintaining professional boundaries.
- Ability to work flexibly, use Microsoft 365 and promote good practice across a team.
Experience of managing, mentoring, coaching or supervising colleagues in a similar setting—particularly in the third sector—would be an advantage. Knowledge of Psychologically Informed Environments, awareness of issues affecting young people seeking asylum in the UK, and the ability to respond to crises at short notice would also be welcome.
Our Offer
- Six weeks’ annual leave in your first year, rising to eight weeks in your second year, including public holidays.
- The option to buy or sell five days’ annual leave.
- People’s Pension enrolment from day one if eligible, with 5% employer and 5% employee contributions.
- Life insurance worth four times your salary.
- Enhanced family-friendly and compassionate leave.
- 24-hour support through our Employee Assistance Programme, Wellbeing Hub and self-care resources.
- Trauma-informed training, an annual development plan and funded SVQ qualifications for appropriate roles.
- Health Shield, Cycle to Work, Glasgow Credit Union offers, Blue Light Card access and other employee rewards.
If you are an experienced support professional who can inspire a team, strengthen practice and help people build safe, independent lives, we would love to hear from you.