Do you believe in the power of data to improve people’s lives and know that working with the public is vital to our mission? Research Data Scotland needs you!

We have an exciting opportunity to work in a multifaceted Business Management role to support the delivery of exemplary governance and operational excellence. This role works with stakeholders at every level in our organisation and as such we are looking to appoint a highly motivated and conscientious individual.

About us

Research Data Scotland (RDS) is a charity set up by the Scottish public sector and leading universities. We help researchers find and make use of data that can improve the lives of people in Scotland. Working in partnership, we do this by widening the range of data available, creating new data assets and providing a single point of contact for safe, secure and effective access to public data in a trustworthy manner.

Data is often locked away in lots of individual systems, across many different organisations, and isn’t in a format that makes access or integration easy. We can help researchers to unlock the potential of this data by giving them information and advice that speeds up and simplifies their work.

RDS aims to provide a step change in the service to researchers, whilst maintaining the high standards of information governance and data security already in place. We aim to work as openly as possible, maintaining standards in transparency and ethics. Our focus is on providing a streamlined service for researchers, as well as extending the range of data available through the service, particularly in the areas of Covid-19, NHS imaging, geospatial data, children and justice services.

Our partners include: Scottish Government, Public Health Scotland, National Records of Scotland (NRS), and the Universities of Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow. We work closely with the national and regional safe havens. And we are in contact with other organisations in Scotland and across the UK in the data research sector, including public sector, research and commercial bodies.

About the job

The Business Manager will work closely with the Chair, CEO and Operations Director to manage, coordinate and schedule the regular cycle of our governance and business activities. This will include coordinating board meetings as well as maintaining our internal registers and ensuring our reporting mechanisms are top-notch! This post will be highly varied and vital to the successful delivery of our Business and Delivery plans.

There is a strong focus on developmental projects, operational risk, records management, governance, improving our performance and delivering our day-to-day charity operations. You’ll be an important member of our Operations Team, sharing your expertise with colleagues and board members, as well as independently leading on activities.

Reports to Operations Director

About you

You are a self-starter, with experience of working with stakeholders at every level. You’ll understand the importance of engaging well with board members, senior leaders and your colleagues to get their input into your work and support great governance. You are highly organised and thrive on managing multiple projects with different deadlines. You are keen to deliver, with an eye for detail and the pragmatism to understand our context and environment.

Life at RDS

We are a small friendly and highly engaged team of people. We promote continuous learning and work hard to build an inclusive and supportive workplace culture. We live our values of; integrity, transparency, courage, collaboration and humility.

Our people typically work a 35-hour week, with hybrid working on offer from day one. You can choose to work flexibly from home or use one of our desks in the Bayes Centre in central Edinburgh. The whole RDS team meets one day per month in-person in Edinburgh or at an off-site away day in the Central Belt. Individual teams organise their own in-person days to collaborate, develop and socialise together.

We offer 33 days’ annual leave (including public holidays) and have no set closure days. We have a generous pension and enhanced pay for parental/adoption leave. This list of benefits is being added to as the organisation develops, and you can help shape it as part of the team. Our Culture Group helps us seek feedback from colleagues across the organisation to make RDS an even better place to work.

Are you…

• An experienced manager who can think strategically and lead operationally?
• Passionate about the benefits of positive health and wellbeing
• Keen to use relationship-based ways of working to build resilience and reduce social isolation?

Do you want to play a lead role at the heart of an organisation which makes a real difference to people’s lives?

If you’d love to lead an innovative and varied range of services which all promote health & wellbeing, then this could be the job for you! Our Health & Wellbeing pillar provides Preventative and Early Intervention services which support people to build community connections and promote positive health and wellbeing, thereby reducing the risk of homelessness. We know the power of food and greenspace in bringing people together and building community connections.

About the role

The Health & Wellbeing pillar is full of knowledgeable, experienced, dedicated staff, and this role leads them to deliver the following services:

• Reset
• Food Education
• Golden Years
• OPAL (West Lothian and Borders)

You’ll be responsible for leading the pillar’s strategic and operational activities. This includes planning, budgeting, funding, partnerships, quality assurance and risk management.

About you

You will have a knack for translating strategic aims into operational reality. You will be a role model of Cyrenians’ values-led, relationships-based approach, with experience in managing, developing and supporting services and people. You’ll be keen to use your excellent management skills to support your teams, build connections and share learning across the Health & Wellbeing pillar and beyond.

You’ll bring knowledge of health and social inequalities, their impact on people today, alongside excellent partnership-working and contract management skills. You’ll have experience in building, developing and evaluating services. As this is a busy, complex role, you’ll benefit from being organised and skilled in managing expectations and competing priorities.

We welcome applications from people with lived experience of the issues Cyrenians works on.

How we’ll support you

You’ll be supported by an experienced Director of Services, and join a collaborative, knowledgeable senior management team, who will support you to develop and grow in your role. You’ll also have access to wider Cyrenians’ support, including our learning programme, and staff wellbeing services.

About Cyrenians

At Cyrenians we tackle the causes and consequences of homelessness by taking a Public Health Approach to Homelessness Prevention. We take a values-led and relationships-based approach to delivering all our services. You can find out more about our organisation and our impact online.

Our values

Compassion | Respect | Integrity | Innovation

Reporting Relationship

The Director of Operations reports to the CEO, and attends all Board meetings.

Overall Purpose

The Director of Operations is responsible for governance and operations for Edinburgh City Mission. With specific oversight of finance, fundraising, IT, HR, communications, building management and governance; including Data Protection; Safeguarding and Health & Safety. As such, they lead & line manage the Operations team and will regularly report to the Board on all aspects of their role.

Hours of Employment

35 hours a week, worked flexibly with at least 4 days a week in the office. Hours will vary due to occasional staff meetings, training, events, etc.

Occupational requirement

Edinburgh City Mission is committed to sharing the Christian gospel with the people of Edinburgh. It is essential that every member of the team personally own, communicate and implement the aims and objectives of the Mission, sharing the Mission’s core beliefs and values to the public. Therefore there is a requirement for the post-holder to be an evangelical Christian.

Way of working: you are expected to:

• Actively participate in the life of the Edinburgh City Mission team.
• Act in a professional manner at all times.
• Work in accordance with the Aims and Values of Edinburgh City Mission.

Job Details

Operations, IT and Communications:

• Line manage the Operations team (currently 4 FTE)
• Responsible for assessing Edinburgh City Mission’s IT and other technology needs and sourcing these as required.
• Provide ongoing management of technology needs.
• Provide strategic direction of communications channels (content to be shaped by CEO)

Health & safety and building management:

• Manage the office facilities at Washington Lane
• Responsible for negotiating and managing business contracts, services and leases of equipment.
• As Health and Safety Officer, develop, maintain and report on health and safety policies and procedures for both the office and the outreach teams.
• Manage and report any health and safety incidents appropriately.
• Oversee investment property

Fundraising & finance:

• Oversee the day to day finance operation of the charity.
• In liaison with the Finance Trustee, draft and manage the budget and accounts for auditing.
• Oversee the payment of bills, invoices, expense claims, payroll processing etc.
• Oversee the reconciliation of the accounts and tracking of income & expenditure of funds (using Xero)
• Oversee the implementation of the fundraising strategy & manage the fundraising team
• Oversee organisation wide event management

Governance:

• As safeguarding officer, you are responsible for developing, implementing and reviewing the organisation’s safeguarding policies and procedures to ensure they reflect the most recent laws and regulations.
• Respond to safeguarding issues, providing advice and support to staff and liaising where appropriate with the Local Authority and other relevant agencies.
• Named contact for the VSDS Disclosure Scotland scheme, overseeing the PVG scheme for all relevant staff and volunteers involved in regulated work.
• As data protection officer you will ensure all personal data within Edinburgh City Mission is gathered, stored and processed in line with current legislation.
• Manage and report on key risks within the organisation.
• Keep up to date with charitable governance requirements, informing the Board of any changes before they are implemented.

HR

• Oversee the HR function
• Ensure strategic alignment between overall vision, finance and people plans

Changes to the above may be made by the Board, with prior notice, in discussion with the post-holder.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

The successful post holder will have evidence of these characteristics:

Essential:

• Knowledge of Scottish charitable governance
• Experience of working in the charitable sector
• Team management experience
• Able to develop and implement strategic plans but also respond to rapidly changing situations
• Able to work collaboratively, understanding the complex needs of a range of stakeholders
• Experience of reporting to a Board of Trustees
• Evangelical Christian and actively involved in a church
• Enthusiastic about the aims of Edinburgh City Mission

Preferred:

• Professional level qualification in one of Finance, IT, HR or other operational area