Charity registered in Scotland SC003706
Top job! Head of Community & Connections
- Part time
- £47,962 pro-rata
- Hybrid: The Broomhouse Hub, EH11 3RH
- Closing 8th June 2026
At Space we believe that connections build communities.
Well established in South West Edinburgh for over 30 years, our team of staff and volunteers engage with our communities to design and deliver services that create environments where people feel supported, empowered and valued.
We are in the final year of our current strategy; as we head into 26/27, we will be reviewing progress and embarking on our strategy for 2027-2030.
The Role
The Head of Community and Connections is a key leadership role, taking ownership of our frontline services which includes our varied and diverse work with Children and Young People, Adults and Older People, and Community Learning and Development. More information about our services can be found on our website spacescot.org.
You’ll be line managing a team of experienced, skilled and passionate individuals, enhancing their strengths and supporting them to further develop.
Working closely with our Board, CEO and Management Team you’ll help to shape strategy, strengthen partnerships and ensure the standard of our services remain high quality, sustainable and rooted in community need.
This is a rare opportunity to step into a pivotal leadership role at a defining moment for Space.
You’ll play a central role in shaping our next strategy, influencing what our services look like over the next 3–5 years, and helping translate ambition into meaningful impact.
Alongside this, you’ll support the development of an emerging Community Health Service — building on strong foundations to create something ambitious, responsive and genuinely impactful for local communities.
If you’re someone who enjoys shaping direction, developing people and turning ideas into reality, this is a role with real scope and influence.
Day to day you be:
• Helping develop and deliver Space’s organisational strategy
• Shaping services to be impactful and responsive, spotting opportunities to grow, improve or reimagine what we do — always guided by community voice
• Representing Space confidently across networks, partnerships and collaborations
• Supporting and developing Project Managers to flourish in their role, coaching, creating space for reflection and learning, sharing learning and championing continuous improvement
• Ensuring safeguarding, compliance and HR responsibilities are understood and embedded
• Leading change thoughtfully — bringing people with you
• Overseeing service budgets and supporting managers to feel confident with finances
• Working alongside our fundraising team to identify, secure and sustain funding
• Building strong, transparent relationships with funders and partners
• Be a key leader in the Space team, building positive working relationships across the organisation
What it’s like to work at Space:
We care deeply about what we do and how we work. We work hard and get stuck in because we truly care about our community and each other.
We live our values – they’re not just words printed on letterheads.
We’re a team and work collaboratively, we support each other to succeed, we value relationships as much as results – egos are best left at the door.
We’re not a finished article, we’re still evolving, still learning and not everything is perfectly optimised (yet).
We find a way – we focus on solutions; challenges are puzzles to be worked out not excuses to give up.
We’re curious and innovative, we challenge the norm and aren’t scared to voice ideas if we think we have a better way.
The sector is demanding and unpredictable at times, priorities shift but if difficult decisions have to be made and we do it with integrity and maintain a people first ethos.
We have a pretty flexible approach to work - we know that everyone’s body clocks, responsibilities and preferred working environments differ. At the same time, we really value staying connected and collaborating with each other. From experience, our work is at its strongest when we come together, so we encourage a healthy balance with a regular presence in the office.
What you’ll bring:
• Experience of leading or overseeing frontline Health & Social Care or community based services at a senior level
• A people first mindset and strong, values led people management experience
• Good judgement – you’ll know when to stick to policy and when to exercise common sense to make balanced decisions
• A positive can do attitude, ready to roll your sleeves up and take on challenges
• Clear communication, being able to naturally connect with people on all levels across the organisation and with stakeholders, and easily build a reputation for being approachable and trustworthy
• Confidence working with budgets and financial information, able to not only understand but translate them to others. Knowledge of charity finances would be an advantage
• Experience of working with a Board of Trustees and reporting to funders
• The ability to plan well, write business cases and manage multiple complex projects at the same time
• Strong digital skills, confidence using Microsoft Office (we use Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and digital collaboration tools
• A solid understanding of health & safety practices and safeguarding
• Some flexibility with working hours to provide occasional on call telephone support to services that run out with typical office hours.
Project Worker - Youth Befriending
- Part time
- £27,048 – £30,581 pro-rata
- Hybrid: A mixture of remote working across Edinburgh, home working and office working from The Broomhouse Hub EH11 3RH
- Closing 25th May 2026
About Space
Do you want to work for an organisation that truly cares about its staff?
Would you like to use your skills to make a difference in people’s lives?
If the answer is ‘yes’, Space is the place for you!
Space is a community anchor organisation supporting people and their families in South West Edinburgh, with some of our services stretching city wide.
WE BELIEVE THAT CONNECTIONS BUILD COMMUNITIES
Space delivers 22 projects, with around 110 staff and volunteers. We deliver diverse services supporting young people, families, older people and carers amongst others.
As a dynamic organisation no two days are the same, with a wealth of learning and development opportunities for our staff and volunteers.
We are an accredited Living Wage employer and proud to share our Carer Positive accreditation, as part of our commitment to the growing number of people in the workforce who need flexibility due to their caring role.
Space is wholly committed to inclusion and diversity and to building a culture and environment where everyone is appreciated for the unique person they are.
For more information about Space and all our projects can be found on our website – spacescot.org
Space and all our projects can be found on our website – spacescot.org
The Role
Space is seeking to recruit an enthusiastic Project Worker to join our expanding Youth Befriending Team.
Our befriending service is proud to hold an excellence award from Befriending Networks UK and was awarded the King’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2024.
The Project Worker will join our existing team of three staff and a manager who coordinate our volunteer based befriending service.
We match volunteer Befrienders with young people aged 5-16 years, living across Edinburgh, who have been affected by current or historical parental substance use or harms caused through gambling. The relationship between a befriender and the young person last for a minimum of 12 months.
Befrienders meet with their matched young person on a weekly basis, spending 2-3hrs doing a range of activities that may take place at The Broomhouse Hub or at community/social venues across Edinburgh. Activities are typically arranged for after school up to 8.30pm in the evening, or on Saturday’s up to 3pm.
Key tasks in this role include:
· Managing a caseload of volunteer befriender and befriendee matches.
· Recruiting, training and supervising volunteer befrienders.
· Carrying out Initial family assessment of need and conducting regular case reviews with other relevant stakeholders.
· Identifying interests and personal attributes in befrienders and befriendees to create appropriate and fulfilling matches.
· Supporting befrienders to plan and risk assess activities the child/young person would benefit from to help them engage in additional opportunities and connect to suitable networks in their local area.
· Plan and attend group activities for children/young people and volunteers.
· Record appropriate information gained through assessment, monitoring and review in order to provide quantitative and qualitative data about the service.
· Provide On Call telephone support and supervision for befrienders/befriendees.
The successful person for this role will:
· have a minimum of two years’ experience working directly with vulnerable children, young people or families.
· have a sound understanding of the needs and challenges, faced by families affected by substance use or the harms caused through Gambling.
· be educated to HNC level in Youth Work, Community Education, Child Care or another topic relevant and beneficial to this role.
We welcome applicants from people who have historical experience of substance use and or the harms caused through Gambling, however this is not an essential criteria for the role.
You can download the full job description and person specification below.
Hours of Work*
This is a part time role of 18hrs per week which can be split over 3 days. The team meet on Tuesdays at The Broomhouse Hub so some hours must reserved for that.
Whilst the majority of working hours will take place between 9-5pm, the role requires a degree of flexibility to provide occasional on call telephone support to volunteers while activities are taking place.
What it’s like to work at Space:
· We care deeply about what we do and how we work. We work hard and get stuck in because we truly care about our community and each other.
· We live our values – they’re not just words printed on letterheads.
· We’re a team and work collaboratively, we support each other to succeed, we value relationships as much as results – egos are best left at the door.
· We’re not a finished article, we’re still evolving, still learning and not everything is perfectly optimised (yet).
· We find a way – we focus on solutions; challenges are puzzles to be worked out not excuses to give up.
· We’re curious and innovative, we challenge the norm and aren’t scared to voice ideas if we think we have a better way.
· The sector is demanding and unpredictable at times, priorities shift but if difficult decisions have to be made and we do it with integrity and maintain a people first ethos.
· We have a pretty flexible approach to work - we know that everyone’s body clocks,
responsibilities and preferred working environments differ. At the same time, we really value staying connected and collaborating with each other. From experience, our work is at its strongest when we come together, so we encourage a healthy balance with a regular presence in the office.
What to expect at the Interview
Interviews will be conducted in person at The Broomhouse Hub.
Please expect to be with us for 80-90 minutes during which you will complete a task relating to befriending matches and interview questions to explore your experience.