Head of Volunteer Operations - St Andrew's First Aid

Overview

St Andrew’s First Aid is Scotland’s leading first aid charity, dedicated to saving lives and strengthening community resilience through high-quality training and volunteer-led services. With a proud history spanning over 140 years. The organisation provides first aid cover at thousands of events each year and plays a vital role in national and emergency response and public safety across the country. Through a nationwide network of committed volunteers and professional staff, St Andrew’s First Aid delivers first aid training to individuals, communities and workplaces, while supporting major public events by providing surge capacity during national events and emergencies.

Head of Volunteer Operations

Salary: circa £50,000

Location:

Glasgow (Hybrid)

Contract:

Full Time, Permanent

Reporting to the Executive Director of Operations and Business Development and working closely with the Chief Executive and Executive Management Team, the Head of Volunteer Operations will provide strategic and operational leadership for St Andrew’s First Aid’s volunteer-led services across Scotland.

• Lead and develop a resilient, inclusive and high-performing volunteer workforce that is recruited, trained, deployed and supported to deliver safe, high-quality first aid services at events, in communities and during major incidents.
• Oversee the full volunteer lifecycle, including operational planning, rostering, safeguarding, clinical governance alignment, logistics and partnership working with key stakeholders (including event organisers, local authorities and emergency services).
• Collaborate with the Head of Commercial Training and work collegiately across the organisation to strengthen volunteer infrastructure and operational readiness.
• Drive service improvement initiatives, embed strong systems and performance frameworks, and oversee budgets for volunteer operations.
• Develop robust risk management and business continuity plans and champion digital solutions that enhance efficiency and the volunteer experience.
• Lead dispersed teams of staff and volunteers, influence senior stakeholders and partners, and operate at Executive and Board levels.

• Experience as an operational leader with a background in volunteer services or comparable safety-critical environments (e.g., charities, emergency services, healthcare or major events).
• Strong strategic and operational planning skills, with a sound understanding of safeguarding, governance and service quality.
• Ability to lead dispersed teams and influence senior stakeholders; combine operational experience with emotional intelligence and strong values.
• Calm under pressure and committed to creating an inclusive and supportive culture where volunteers can thrive.

This role requires building and strengthening the volunteer infrastructure, modernising systems that support service delivery across Scotland, and preparing for peak demand and emergency response.

Please email us at recrui to request an information pack and job description. Please get in touch well in advance of the closing date to allow time to consider applications.

Friday 20th February

W/C Monday 2nd March

This search is being conducted exclusively for St Andrews First Aid by BTA (Bruce Tait Associates). Our leadership team have all worked extensively in and with the voluntary sector and academia and we use this experience to match organisations and individuals to create great appointments.