sparqs is a charity funded by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), working with Scotland's university and college sectors. Our purpose is to ensure students are partners in shaping the quality of learning, making positive change to their own and others’ experience, however and wherever they learn. It aims to foster a culture of partnership between students and staff which enables the Scottish education sector to respond to challenges and realize its ambitions to provide the best possible experience for each and every student.

Volunteer Chair of Trustee Board

We are looking for a chair of Trustees who will lead our Board with integrity, insight and enthusiasm. This is an opportunity to guide a highly-regarded charity into its next exciting chapter.

As our new Chair you will have:

• Experience of being a strategic leader, including experience of working with a board either as a CEO/Director reporting to board, or as a board member/chair.
• Commitment and enthusiasm to the work of sparqs in terms of a student-led approach, role of student engagement in quality enhancement and value of partnership approaches.
• Ability to represent and promote the organisation publicly, acting as an ambassador and networker to further the attainment of organisational aims.
• Ability to influence, at a senior level, partner, and other stakeholder organisations particularly in the Scottish post-16 education sector.
• Commitment to the positive value of diversity, promoting equality and challenging discrimination and willingness to play an active role in creating an environment that promotes these values.

If you believe you have the experience and qualities we are seeking to contribute to this important organisation, we very much look forward to hearing from you. Working in a diverse sector and with diverse students, we are keen to receive applications from people of all backgrounds and with all different kinds of life experiences.

Partners in Advocacy has established itself as one of Scotland’s leading providers of independent advocacy, delivering exceptional advocacy services since 1998.

We are thrilled to present a wonderful opportunity within our supportive and welcoming Edinburgh team. As an independent advocacy worker, you will have the privilege of providing one-on-one independent advocacy to individuals aged 16 and above with learning or physical disabilities, autism as well as older people. Through this role, you will ensure that their voices and wishes are heard, enabling them to make informed choices, protect their rights and have a meaningful impact on decisions that affect their lives.

We strongly encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds to apply. If you believe your skills, experience, and expertise align with the criteria outlined in the person specification, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please complete the application form, ensuring that you provide examples of how your knowledge and experience fulfil each aspect of the person specification.

Partners in Advocacy takes pride in being a Disability Confident Employer, fully committed to creating an inclusive and accessible work environment.

Action Against Stalking (AAS), founded in 2014 by Dr Ann Moulds, is Scotland’s only charity dedicated solely to supporting people affected by stalking. We amplify the voices of victims, deliver free specialist support, and work with communities to raise awareness of the profound impact stalking can have on people’s lives.

This is a particularly exciting moment to join AAS. With newly secured funding, we are expanding our reach and ensuring our information, advice, and services are accessible to everyone across Scotland’s diverse communities.

We are looking for a highly motivated individual who is passionate about our mission and shares our commitment to championing the rights and wellbeing of all victims of stalking. You will bring experience working with vibrant, diverse communities and a strong track record of promoting equality, equity, diversity, and inclusion in your work. Fluency in a community language would be a valuable asset.

Built Environment Forum Scotland (BEFS) seeks to appoint a Net Zero Lead.

This new role within BEFS Team involves leading on BEFS co-ordinated and strategic approach to delivering Net Zero through its own work, and – crucially – connecting existing sector work and research; building Member and sector capacity and coordinating a robust, collaborative and data driven approach, ensuring that the historic environment is recognised as a valuable asset and key player in Scotland’s journey to Net Zero, and in tackling the Climate Emergency.

We envisage that this role will evolve and respond to a changing political climate as needed, engaging with the legislative process and working towards ensuring that the sector is equipped to respond to the Climate Emergency in the long term.

Key responsibilities include:

• Work with BEFS Team to map and coordinate all existing Net Zero work, across all business BEFS areas
• Undertake sector (and beyond) mapping of Net Zero activity
• Advocate for Net Zero solutions presented by the existing and historic built environment, through sector coordination, cross sector, and portfolio working
• Align with and support OPOF delivery priorities, working closely with BEFS Director and Team on developing a Route Map to Net Zero
• Connect and amplify existing research and data, identifying skills, research and data gaps
• Drive and coordinate the use of existing data and research as well as commissioning new where required; working collaboratively to present a coherent evidence base
• Undertake and enable research and strategy including looking at international good practice
• Stakeholder working and relationship building; enable innovative and collaborative approaches
• Undertake regular horizon-scanning through contact with Government and key stakeholders; support BEFS work to convey the current context, challenges and opportunities across sector back to Scottish Government
• Project development and fundraising: identify, develop and shape projects (from initial idea to project brief) which will inform/evidence advocacy and delivery activity
• Participate actively as part of a small and busy team, supporting and working with colleagues across all of BEFS work

Person specification

Essential

1. Ability to demonstrate breadth of sector knowledge and the wider policy landscape relating to Net Zero and the historic and existing built environment
2. Demonstrable technical knowledge relating to the Climate Emergency and Net Zero in relation to the historic and existing built environment
3. Strong analytical skills, with an ability to distil information and stakeholder opinions, across a broad range of topics/disciplines in the built environment sphere
4. Knowledge and experience of the historic and wider built environment sector, including key stakeholders and lead organisations
5. Experience of working in a public facing role and the ability to connect with stakeholders and build consensus, seeking opportunities for collaboration and joined up working
6. Experience of project management and delivery
7. The ability to think and work strategically
8. Highly self-motivated, able to work flexibly, balancing priorities as necessary
9. High attention to detail, with strong written and verbal communication skills, including facilitation experience
10. Advanced use of IT packages including Office 365 and Adobe etc.

Desirable

1. Degree or post-graduate qualification (or equivalent experience) in built environment-related discipline (e.g. planning, conservation, surveying, archaeology, architecture) or public affairs.
2. Experience of stakeholder engagement/facilitation skills.
3. Confidence with online/remote working technologies and programmes such as Teams, Zoom. Knowledge/familiarity of other programmes such as Miro, Eventbrite, SurveyMonkey, WordPress and MailChimp are also an advantage.

BEFS expects all applicants to support the values, ethos and objectives of BEFS, demonstrating credibility and integrity, and proactively committed to championing equality, diversity and inclusion.

What we offer:

• Salary: £38,000 FTE
• 30hrs per week (4 days); permanent role, subject to organisational funding
• Home working with irregular meetings in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
• Benefits package including pension, flexible leave, and more.