Advertised from 26 March 2026

Role

Are you an ambitious, values driven leader with a health and social care background who's ready to grow in a senior role and make a real impact? If so, this could be the opportunity that shapes the next chapter of your career.

We are looking for a forward thinking leader to join us as Associate Director on a full time, permanent basis. This is a key role within our Senior Leadership Team.

Leading our services and colleagues across Ayrshire and West Dunbartonshire. you'll ensure excellence in service delivery, regulatory compliance, financial viability and sustainable growth across your geographical area.

This is a hybrid working role, with an expectation of regular, meaningful engagement across our offices and services. You will therefore ideally be located within reasonable reach of one of our key hubs in Irvine or Dumbarton.

This is an exciting time to join Cornerstone as we deliver our new strategic plan, Improving Lives Together, built around the following organisational priorities:

The Foundation – Digital innovation: empowering everything we do

• Pillar 1 – Voices of the people we support at the heart of all decisions
• Pillar 2 – People: leadership, workforce and culture
• Pillar 3 – Financial sustainability: building for the future
• Pillar 4 – Partnership working: collaboration for greater impact
• The Roof – Quality: evidence based improvement

Purpose of the role

As a key member of our Senior Leadership Team, you will be accountable for delivering and growing high quality person-centred services across your geographical area (Ayrshire and West Dunbartonshire). You will also play a key part in setting direction, leading transformation and ensuring the long-term success of the organisation.

Your leadership will reflect Cornerstone's values through authentic communication, local partnership building and disciplined operational management.

What you will bring

• Significant experience in an operational leadership role within health, social care or third sector settings
• Demonstrable knowledge of social care legislation, commissioning and regulatory frameworks
• Proven ability to lead teams, manage performance and foster psychologically safe cultures
• Strong skills in communication, influencing, analysis and problem solving
• Demonstrated experience in compliance, contractual delivery and regulatory standards
• Proven capability in budget management and financial discipline
• A good understanding of coaching, mentoring, reflective practise and values-led leadership
• Confidence in the use of digital tools, systems and data to support decision making

We are ideally looking for someone who has held a role at this level, but if you're reading this and wondering if you're quite ready, we'd still love to hear from you. Potential matters as much as expertise and you'll be supported by an experienced Senior Leadership team and given space to develop, stretch and succeed.

Application notes

Please apply with your CV and cover letter, uploaded via the ‘Supporting Documents’ section of our online application process.

For an informal discussion or further information, you are welcome to contact Nikki O'Brien at nicola.o'brien@cornerstone.org.uk.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an in person interview on 13th or 14th April 2026 at our Glasgow office.

The successful candidate will be required to undertake a Level 2 Disclosure check through Disclosure Scotland.

Please note: if you have spent more than 12 months outside the UK (excluding France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania or Spain) within the last 10 years while over the age of 18, you will need to provide a criminal record certificate from the relevant authority as part of our pre employment checks.