The Robertson Trust are looking for a fixed term Programme and Practice Officer to help us to make a real difference to preventing and reducing poverty and trauma in Scotland. If you would like to be part of one of Scotland’s biggest independent funders, with the clear aim of tackling poverty and trauma, this role could be for you.

Over the next decade, we have committed to use all of our tools and resources to work with others to reduce poverty and trauma across four themes:

• Education pathways
• Financial security
• Nurturing relationships
• Work pathways

The Programme and Practice team work collaboratively with internal colleagues and a range of external stakeholders to drive ‘big change that lasts’ on poverty and trauma. We work to develop and deliver our proactive funding strategy within the four thematic areas above. In doing so, the team will help to shape the Trust’s influencing work and build our subject and policy expertise across our thematic areas.

Key to our approach will be building relationships with our colleagues, our grantholders and with external organisations and expertise. Crucially, this will include a commitment to placing people with experience of poverty and trauma at the heart of our work.

We are looking for one individual to join our Programme and Practice Team as a Programme and Practice Officer on fixed term maternity cover (12 months from contract start).

Key responsibilities will include:

• Helping to develop and deliver the Trust’s proactive funding plans for our long-term change awards (our Programme Awards) including learning from what we fund now to shape our plans to do so in the future
• Supporting and enabling collaboration across the Trust’s full staff team in relation to our thematic areas across our work to fund, support and influence.
• Building the Trust’s relationships and connections with diverse stakeholders in our thematic areas, placing people and families with experience of poverty and/or trauma at the heart of our work
• Helping the Trust build its subject and policy expertise in our thematic areas
• Helping to shape the Trust’s plans around influencing and delivering social change

A full job description is available on our website.

The person

We are looking for someone with relevant experience in programme development and delivery, who will embody the values of The Trust.

You should have a passion for tackling poverty and trauma, an insight into and understanding of the causes and impacts of poverty and trauma for individuals, families, and communities and ideally some understanding of one or more of our themes.

You must have high emotional intelligence to support our internal and external collaboration work and a keen interest for increasing participation and placing the voice of those with experience of poverty and trauma at the heart of the work that we do.

You should have the potential to build policy and subject expertise and a keen interest for politics to develop a strong judgement in supporting our proactive funding plans and our influencing work.

We are an Equal Opportunities employer. We want to encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds to work with us. We believe that greater diversity of experience, skills and ways of thinking will challenge our thinking and practice on poverty and trauma and broaden our collective knowledge and networks. We encourage applications from suitably qualified candidates from all parts of the community, regardless of age, disability, race, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief or socio-economic background. We also encourage applications from those with experience or knowledge of how poverty or trauma impact on people’s lives.

Benefits

• Salary £39,906 FTE
• 35 days holiday per calendar year, inclusive of public holidays, which can be taken on a flexible basis apart from the Christmas and New Yer holiday when the Trust closes.
• Pension - 10% employer contribution or 14% if employee contribution is 7%
• Additional employee benefits – an attractive benefits package on offer, which is currently under review.

The Robertson Trust is committed to hybrid and other forms of flexible working. The Trust is open to reasonable adaptations to overcome barriers. We are a Living Wage employer accredited by the Living Wage Foundation.

The Robertson Trust are looking for a 12-month fixed term Funding Officer, based in Robertson House, to assess applications to Our Funds, provide support to grantholders and collaborate on our project work. If you would like to be part of one of Scotland’s biggest independent funders, with the clear aim of tackling poverty and trauma, this role could be for you.

We want to see a Scotland where everyone is valued and able to flourish. Over the next decade, we have committed to use all our tools and resources, including our sites at Robertson House, Glasgow and The Barracks, Stirling, to work with others to reduce poverty and trauma across four themes:

• Education Pathways
• Nurturing Relationships
• Financial Security
• Work Pathways

The fixed term Funding Officer will maximise the impact and effectiveness of the Trust’s funding by ensuring we are supporting projects and activities which are closely aligned to one or more of the Trust’s four identified Primary Themes.

The key focus of the role is the assessment of applications to Our Funds, provide appropriate levels of support to grantholders during the period of funding to ensure payments are released on a timely basis, and collaborating on thematic or process related project work.

Key responsibilities:

• To undertake full and thorough assessment of funding requests to Our Funds, carrying out a range of in person and online meetings and tasks to ensure that detailed recommendations are written-up and presented for consideration within agreed lead times as defined within the annual schedule of Decision Meetings.
• To work closely with colleagues, helping to ensure that payments to current grant holders are released on a timely basis and within the context of agreed protocols and procedures.
• To assist with broader provision of information and guidance at the point of application and through attendance at funding/networking events.
• To undertake additional project work when required, to increase the Trust’s understanding of key issues in the third sector, including the preparation of relevant reports.
• To manage relationships with our Grantholders as defined by current policies and procedures. This includes working with grantholders to support them in resolving any issues raised during the period of funding.
• To attend and contribute to external events which help to remove barriers and improve access to our Funds.
• To participate in relevant Cross-Theme groups and activities, examples of which include Theme Teams, Partners in Change, EDPR and Climate.

A full job description is available on our website – therobertsontrust.org.uk.

The Person

We are looking for someone with knowledge of the Trust’s mission on poverty and trauma, the funding landscape and current challenges faced by our grantholders and the wider voluntary sector. You should understand what makes charities resilient (including their good governance) and have the ability to respond creatively to risks and opportunities, along with an understanding of the impact charities are seeking to make, diverse ways of working and the contribution an independent funder can make towards their success. You should be an excellent communicator with a wide range of audiences and stakeholders and can influence and negotiate using a range of strategies. You should be inquisitive with strong analytical and problem-solving skills, and attention to detail to be able to make good judgements and manage risks. Working effectively as part of a collaborative team environment, being adaptable to change and taking the initiative in responding to the needs of our partners and colleagues/the Trust is important in this role.

We are an Equal Opportunities employer. We want to encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds to work with us. We believe that greater diversity of experience, skills and ways of thinking will challenge our thinking and practice on poverty and trauma and broaden our collective knowledge and networks. We encourage applications from suitably qualified candidates from all parts of the community, regardless of age, disability, race, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief or socio-economic background. We also encourage applications from those with experience or knowledge of how poverty or trauma impact on people’s lives.

Benefits

• Salary £39,906 FTE
• 35 days holiday per calendar year, inclusive of public holidays, which can be taken on a flexible basis apart from the Christmas and New Yer holiday when the Trust closes.
• Pension - 10% employer contribution or 14% if employee contribution is 7%
• Additional employee benefits – an attractive benefits package on offer, which is currently under review.

The Robertson Trust is committed to hybrid and other forms of flexible working. The Trust is open to reasonable adaptations to overcome barriers. We are a Living Wage employer accredited by the Living Wage Foundation.