Charity registered in Scotland SC047892
Policy and Engagement Officer
- Full time
- £31,500
- Edinburgh office base, with potential for hybrid working
- Closing 4th December 2023
Can you help us achieve our vision: ‘a Scotland where all parents and families are valued and supported to give children the best possible start in life’?
This is an exciting opportunity to join a small yet powerful charity dedicated to influencing policy and practice for parents, children, and families.
Parenting across Scotland (PAS) is seeking to employ a skilled Policy and Engagement Officer to support our work and ensure what we do has an impact.
PAS is an important influencer in supporting and improving the lives of children and families. A small organisation, our reach is considerable because of our members and partnerships with other organisations in the third and public sectors that are working with and for parents. Since forming in 2004, we have had considerable success in promoting the voices of parents and caregivers in order to shape national policy.
The Policy and Engagement Officer will work with members, the Board of Trustees and other stakeholders to share the voices and experiences of parents and those in a parenting role. You will work closely with the Chief Executive and Board of Trustees to meet PAS’ strategic aims and objectives. Together you will ensure that as an organisation PAS is run effectively and efficiently.
Can you help us achieve our vision: ‘a Scotland where all parents and families are valued and supported to give children the best possible start in life’?
This an exciting opportunity to join a small yet powerful charity dedicated to influencing policy and practice for parents, children, and families.
Background
Parenting Across Scotland (PAS) is a membership organisation that supports parents and families. We find out what matters to parents and families and what they need, and we raise this with policymakers including politicians. We also share research, policy and good practice with people who work with families. We support the development of innovative national test solutions such as the recent Open Kindergarten model of support to parents and caregivers. The charity has made a significant difference since setting up in 2008, and has contributed to important changes in public policy for parents and caregivers.
Our members are major charities that work with children and families: Aberlour, Children in Scotland, Contact Scotland, Families Affected by Drugs and Alcohol, Families Outside, Home-Start, One Parent Families Scotland, Relationships Scotland, and Scottish Adoption. Their diversity allows us to bring depth and resonance when we advocate on behalf of parents.
We are entering a new phase.
We have refined our strategy in recent months and are recruiting a new chief executive to put it into action. Elements of our strategy include diversifying our sources of income and bringing sharper focus to our work programme. We want PAS to contribute significantly to improving families’ lives and the longer-term outcomes for children and young people.
What we are looking for
We are recruiting new members to our board of trustees to help us achieve our vision and strategy. This an exciting opportunity to join a small yet powerful charity dedicated to influencing policy and practice for parents, children and families. New trustees will have the chance to develop their own skills and interests while working with fellow trustees to guide and support the new chief executive. You will receive any training you need to carry out this valued role.
We are looking for new members with a variety of experience and skills, and from all walks of life. We would particularly welcome individuals with a background in:
· generating income
· developing policy
· business development
· finance
· research around parenting/parents/children and families
Top job! Chief Executive
- Full time
- £42,000
- Edinburgh office base, with potential for remote working
- Closing 5th June 2023
Can you help us achieve our vision: ‘a Scotland where all parents and families are valued and supported to give children the best possible start in life’?
This an exciting opportunity to lead a small yet powerful charity dedicated to influencing policy and practice for parents, children, and families.
Parenting across Scotland (PAS) is offering an exciting opportunity for someone with senior leadership skills and vision to lead the organisation and to put our new strategy into action.
You will work alongside a supportive board to lead and to motivate PAS to realise its vision: a Scotland where all parents and families are valued and supported to give children the best possible start in life.
PAS is an important influencer in supporting and improving the lives of children and families. A small organisation, our reach is considerable because of our members and partnerships with other organisations in the third and public sectors that are working with and for parents. Since forming in 2004, we have had considerable success in promoting the voices of parents and caregivers in order to shape national policy.
This appointment comes at a time when the PAS board has been working on refreshing its strategy and needs a committed and experienced chief executive to finalise the key priorities and to lead the strategy.
This post will give you the chance to be a visible leader, to make your mark and to put your own stamp on an organisation which is held in high regard across the sector. You will have the scope to develop relationships with member organisations, the parenting sector, academia and statutory sector stakeholders. You will be able to build your own network to inform and support the work. You’ll have a unique opportunity to strengthen and apply your skills in strategic thinking and in generating income to enable PAS to flourish.
You should already be a senior leader, although not necessarily a chief executive. You should know about the parenting/children/families sector; how to promote the concerns of parents; and how to engage with, critique and contribute to policy development. You need to have the necessary skills and attributes to influence and persuade with authenticity, diplomacy, and commitment. You need to be a ‘horizon scanner’, able to navigate the many and complex issues facing both the sector itself and parenting policy and practice. You should have demonstrable experience in building strong partnerships and be able to generate grant and charitable income.
You will need to use your skills to manage PAS and its interests now and as the organisation develops. As well as having experience and knowledge of charitable governance, strategy, financial management and people management, you should be adept at engaging at various levels and with different interests such as those of local and national government, colleagues, partners, and parents/families.