Scheduler

Home Instead Folkestone, Hythe & Ashford provides high-quality, relationship-led care that enables older people to remain safe, independent and comfortable in their own homes.

Our mission is to brighten the lives of our clients by giving them a sense of purpose, wellbeing and worth. Behind every successful care visit is a well-planned schedule, and our Scheduler plays an important role in ensuring clients receive safe, reliable and consistent support.

We are looking for an organised, resilient and proactive individual to join our friendly and experienced office team in Folkestone.

Job Description

As our Scheduler, you will play a central role in ensuring our clients receive reliable, consistent and well-coordinated care.

You will be responsible for creating and maintaining effective schedules for our clients and Care Professionals, taking into account individual care needs, availability, skills, location, travel time and continuity of care.

Working closely with colleagues across our care, recruitment and quality teams, you will help anticipate future scheduling needs, respond to day-to-day changes and find practical solutions when challenges arise.

This is a varied and fast-paced role that would suit someone who enjoys organising, communicating and problem-solving. You will be supported by an experienced office team while having the confidence and autonomy to manage your responsibilities effectively.

Key responsibilities include:

• Creating, maintaining and publishing accurate schedules for clients and Care Professionals within agreed timescales.
• Coordinating cover for outstanding visits and responding effectively to changes in availability.
• Planning ahead for annual leave, training, weekends and other periods where additional cover may be required.
• Matching Care Professionals with clients based on care needs, skills, compatibility, availability and location.
• Promoting continuity by providing clients with consistent Care Professionals and visit times wherever possible.
• Responding calmly and practically to sickness, cancellations and urgent scheduling changes.
• Communicating changes clearly and promptly with clients, families, Care Professionals and office colleagues.
• Arranging introductions between clients and Care Professionals when required.
• Ensuring travel time between visits is realistic and schedules are practical and achievable.
• Monitoring Care Professional availability and sharing future recruitment or capacity requirements with the wider team.
• Contributing scheduling information when new care packages or changes to existing support are being considered.
• Maintaining accurate records of scheduling changes, conversations and agreed actions.
• Identifying patterns or pressures within the schedule and working with the wider team to develop suitable solutions.
• Providing regular updates on scheduling priorities, progress and any areas requiring additional support.
• Developing positive and professional relationships with clients, families, Care Professionals and colleagues.
• Participating in the out-of-hours on-call rota and supporting the effective management of urgent issues.

This is a full-time, office-based position working Monday to Friday, 9:00am–5:00pm, with participation in the out-of-hours on-call rota.

Qualifications

Previous experience in scheduling within home care would be an advantage. We also welcome applications from candidates with relevant experience in care coordination, logistics, workforce planning or another fast-paced scheduling environment.

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Excellent organisation and prioritisation skills.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the confidence to make practical decisions.
• The ability to plan ahead while responding effectively to unexpected changes.
• A calm, resilient and positive approach.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail and a high level of accuracy.
• The ability to manage several competing demands effectively.
• Confidence using scheduling systems and other digital platforms.
• The ability to work independently while remaining a supportive and accountable member of the wider team.
• A willingness to learn from feedback and contribute to improvements.
• An understanding of confidentiality, safeguarding and professional boundaries.
• A good standard of written and spoken English.

Applicants must hold a valid UK driving licence, have access to a vehicle for work purposes and have the right to work in the UK.

Additional Information

What we offer:

• A competitive salary of £26,000–£28,000 per annum, depending on experience.
• Full-time working hours of Monday to Friday, 9:00am–5:00pm.
• Additional payment for participation in the out-of-hours on-call rota.
• Paid mileage of 45p per mile when travelling for work.
• Company pension scheme.
• Support from an experienced local and professional team.
• Refer a Friend Scheme with a £250 bonus.
• Employee benefits and discount scheme.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Comprehensive induction and ongoing professional development.
• Staff recognition awards, birthday schemes and company events.
• The opportunity to play an important part in delivering high-quality care within the local community.

Due to the nature of our work, this position is subject to an enhanced DBS disclosure.