Recruiting New Members of the Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland (AROS) Strategic Advisory Board

Scotland is taking a vital step in tackling systemic racism with the establishment of the Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland (AROS).

AROS has been made possible thanks to years of work by communities and experts, and has been established to support community-led efforts to tackle racism in the public sector.

To support and guide AROS through its incubation period to December 2027, a Strategic Advisory Board (SAB) has been established to provide strong, transparent external oversight. We are now recruiting two new Board members with specific skills to join this body.

We are looking for candidates who bring knowledge, skills and experience in anti-racism in the Scottish context, alongside the qualities needed to steer, provide oversight and govern the work of the Observatory. The Board specifically requires a Board member with legal expertise.

AROS is committed to ensuring its Board reflects the communities it serves and would strongly encourage applications from all racialised communities and those with lived experience of racialisation. Previous applicants are warmly encouraged to reapply.

AROS (the Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland) is a bold, community-rooted initiative dedicated to challenging systemic racism in government and the public sector and holding power to account. Community outreach and participation play a vital role in AROS’s work with communities adversely impacted by racism.

The postholder will identify, reach out to, and build relationships with adversely racialised communities, grassroots groups and organisations across Scotland. The role will also entail designing, planning and delivering programmes of community engagement activities, using co-production and other community development approaches. The postholder will assist with the recruitment of lived experience panel members and provide ongoing administrative support, including organising panel meetings, preparing materials and facilitating participation.

This role will involve travel across Scotland and entails out-of-hours working.

Hosted by the University of Strathclyde in partnership with the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER) and funded by the Scottish Government, AROS is in a critical transition period, working towards full independence in December 2027.

Enquiries about the post can be directed to aros-communities@strath.ac.uk.