This is a unique opportunity to support the effective coordination and future development of the Coastal Communities Network, Scotland, on a 2-year fixed term basis, at 80% FTE (30hrs/ week). The Coastal Communities Network Coordinator will work alongside Fauna & Flora’s team in Scotland to ensure dedicated support to the Coastal Communities Network and its constituent members, and undertake delivery of specific actions identified by the CCN Council.

The post holder will work closely with the Programme Manager, Scotland and the CCN Council, to support CCN’s wider governance and development, coordinate communication between members, and actively recruit new members. They will also have responsibility for managing CCN’s website, organising events, administration, communications, advocacy and representation of CCN. They will be responsible for liaising with and maintaining relationships with agreed stakeholders, taking forward actions on behalf of the CCN Council and development of policy outputs for CCN.

You will have excellent organisational skills, strong communication skills and the ability to coordinate communications across a large and disparate group. You will have good knowledge of the Scottish marine environment and current biodiversity & conservation issues, and an interest in community-based conservation.

In return, the role offers the opportunity to work within a vibrant and dynamic community network at an exciting stage of its development, with opportunity to apply your skills and expertise flexibly. In addition, Fauna & Flora offers a generous pension contribution, attractive annual leave allowance and life insurance.

The Challenges Group is a long-standing provider of management and leadership training to a range of audiences globally, including through our strategic partnership with the Chartered Management Institute. We are seeking a Business Development Manager for our Scotland-based Learning & Leadership team. The Learning & Leadership team are responsible for facilitating a range of training delivery to a number of key client groups in Scotland, either within training programmes (such as the award-winning Making Work Work) or as a B2B training offer.

The Business Development Manager will work closely with the Business Development Director and the Senior Manager, Learning & Leadership. There may be opportunities to support other areas of Challenges work on finding enterprising solutions to global challenges, particularly around improving employability and skills and growing businesses in Scotland and in emerging economies.

The successful candidate will be expected to work flexibly in a hybrid pattern based out of the Challenges office in Edinburgh, where we are co-located with a number of social enterprises and social enterprise support agencies. It is a vibrant, dynamic working environment within the My Edinburgh ecosystem dedicated to social change. Some travel, for example to meet clients and develop business relationships, will be required. Challenges works according to an outputs-focused, flexible working model and the successful candidate will be expected to manage their time in accordance with their responsibilities, workload and non-work commitments in a way which supports team collaboration and achievement of common objectives.

Almond Valley Heritage Trust is a charity with a mission to promote, celebrate and preserve the extraordinary heritage and environment of West Lothian for future generations. The Trust operate the Almond Valley Heritage Centre; a popular visitor attraction and rare breeds farm based in the historic setting of Livingston Mill, and the museum of the Scottish Shale Oil Industry. The museum is recognised as being of national importance to Scotland, whilst the farm benefits from accreditation from the Rare Breeds Survival Trust for our vital work to conserve and protect rare breeds including Clydesdale horses, Tamworth pigs, North Ronaldsay sheep & Bagot goats.

Almond Valley is a staple attraction for intergenerational family audiences throughout Central Scotland and beyond, welcoming over 130,000 visitors per year. This is an exciting period for the Trust, as we look towards deepening engagement in heritage and conservation through the expansion of our events and learning & engagement programme. We have big ambitions to enrich our visitor experience through the provision of a first class, creative learning & events programme, considering fresh perspectives on our collections and heritage and exploring forward facing narratives that inspire positive action in the area of climate change.

Working cross-sector, in collaboration, we aim to foster a spirit of discovery, to explore and champion our human potential, past, present and future, building a shared understanding of the value of our heritage and inspiring the next generation of history makers.

Role of the Learning & Engagement Manager

This is a new role, reflecting our ambitions to further amplify our work in the area of public and school learning and engagement and presents an opportunity for an ambitious L&E practitioner to play a lead role in shaping our work in this area.

Building upon our success to date, the Learning & Engagement Manager will work with internal and external stakeholders to create and implement a dynamic, highly innovative and imaginative STEAM based events and learning programme aimed at visitors and our growing network of schools who regularly frequent Almond Valley Heritage Centre.

Harnessing our unique collection, rich natural and cultivated environment and illustration of sustainable and non sustainable sources of energy you will be responsible for conceiving and delivering public facing events aimed at a diverse family visitor base. In addition, you will work in collaboration with schools to enrich our school learning programme, responding to national priorities, which aligns with the Curriculum for Excellence and Learning for Sustainability.

Working across the organisation and harnessing the diverse skill set of our workforce and engaging with artists, scientists, storytellers and community and corporate leaders, you will contribute significantly towards our long term strategy and inspire the imaginators and innovators of the future.

The key responsibilities of the Learning & Engagement Manager will include:

• Lead on the design and implementation of an innovative creative events programme for children and families, bringing to life our collections and wider work of the Almond Valley Heritage Centre
• Develop a long term strategy to engage primary schools, engaging directly with schools and Learning for Sustainability leaders to devise a STEAM programme that responds to the Curriculum for Excellence
• Work across the organisation to develop and maintain high quality learning resources
• Engage artists, science communicators, storytellers and craft makers to further enrich our events and learning offer
• Carry out appropriate outreach activity with community groups to build awareness and engagement with Almond Valley Heritage Trust
• Contribute towards the interpretation and displays within the historic mill and farm buildings, and extending the public use of these spaces
• Work with the Almond Valley workforce to ensure a shared vision of success in this area and a common understanding of our learning & engagement programme
• Implement a longitudinal monitoring and evaluation framework to ensure that we are consistently measuring our performance against agreed outcomes
• Manage expense budgets for the learning and engagement programme
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with educators, scientists, community groups, and artists for the purpose of enriching our programme
• Represent Almond Valley Heritage Trust at annual conferences and other professional meetings as required
• Work with the Director on relevant grant applications or other fundraising, and in relevant matters of the Trust’s public profile
• Support the preparation of event plans, media/press briefings and marketing assets
• Perform other related duties as assigned

Essential Skills

• Minimum of 3 years of recent and progressive designing and delivering integrated creative learning and engagement events/experiences within an arts, culture or heritage setting engaging schools and young audiences and families
• Thorough and current knowledge of national education priorities including Learning for Sustainability and an understanding of theories and practices of learning
• Demonstrable experience of working with schools and communities to facilitate learning and engagement and or co created programmes
• Ability to prepare, monitor and manage budgets
• Knowledge of, and contacts in, the arts, cultural and heritage sector and experience of working collaborative to devise imaginative events and learning experiences
• Experience of supporting safeguarding procedures
• Ability to effectively manage multiple projects concurrently and effectively
• An excellent communicator; having a wonderful way with words, pictures and other media, and a broad digital competency

Desired Skills

• Project management experience and familiarity with project/event management systems
• Experience developing Risk Assessments and Methods Statements for events

Personal Qualities

• The ability to connect with, inspire and meaningfully engage with a broad range of people
• A strong commitment to Equality and Diversity
• A genuine passion for learning and discovery
• Self motivated and responsible able to lead by example and work collaboratively as part of a team
• Resourceful, practical and able to problem solve effectively
• A willingness to embrace new ideas and ways of working

The working pattern for this role is flexible though we anticipate that it will largely be Monday to Friday with occasional weekend and or event work to support our growing engagement ambition. The post will be based at Almond Valley Heritage Centre.

Holiday allocation:

• 32 days per annum including bank holidays

Pension:

• Automatically enrol team members into our workplace pension operated by Royal London

Workforce Benefits:

• Free on site car parking
• Staff Pass provides access to the site for free.
• ASVA Card Access, Team members have access to The Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions card which allows free entry to a huge range of visitor attractions throughout Scotland.
• Discount in the tearoom and gift shop

Hadeel, the shop, is owned by the charity Palcrafts UK, whose main aim is to relieve poverty in Palestine (primarily in the West Bank and Gaza), by providing a sustainable source of income for Palestinians working in fair trade organisations and social enterprises. Hadeel enables Palestinian fair trade and business development through our shop in Edinburgh, our website, other outlets, local representatives and events. We provide around 20 Palestinian producer groups with access to international customers. These groups include women's co-operatives, a school for deaf children, small family workshops and a few larger enterprises. From time to time, we make grants to these groups to support their sustainability and development. We also seek to raise awareness and support for Palestinian people disadvantaged by socio-economic and political systems, e.g.: by hosting Palestinian speakers, maintaining a small resource centre and organising occasional visits to the producer groups.

We have been based in Edinburgh for 20 years and have extensive sales networks across the UK and beyond. We have a team of dedicated staff and volunteers working in the shop and staffing stalls at external events.

Hadeel is governed by a Council which meets regularly to plan and oversee development of the charity, Palcrafts UK.

The Role

To assist the CBM or Volunteer Duty Manager in the efficient and profitable operation of the Hadeel shop.

Key Responsibilities

1. Operations

• Maintain and develop database of suppliers and key customers.
• Mainly perform digital admin tasks including but not limited to: website updating and administration (particularly uploading products), social media administration and other as advised and trained by CBM or his/her deputy.
• Complete stock-taking & updating stock.
• Maintaining good order in stock rooms & report on low stock levels.
• Process incoming and outgoing local & international shop orders and foodstuffs via courier and post.
• Produce and compile daily/ monthly sales summary and reports according to detailed instructions & per supplier.
• Pay in takings at bank as required
• Provide data as required to shop bookkeeper.
• Maintain shop records in good order. Order local supplies & foodstuffs as required.
• Maintain and assist in developing a good filing and digital storage systems,
• Assist in preparation of newsletters and events.
• Produce posters, signage and labels for store front and events.
• Attend events and manage outside events / stalls in the evening or on weekends.
• Communication with staff/volunteers and other involved parties with the Hadeel business as delegated by CBM.
• Prepare invoices for outside events on the EPOS system. Organise material and products for display. Ensure sales records, money received are recorded and unsold products are returned to the shop. Attend as required.
• Cover rotas when there is no CBM or VDM available in store.
• Ad hoc duties as required.

2. Customers

• Prepare invoices on the EPOS for customer orders.
• Update stock and sales orders.
• Maintain adequate stock levels.
• Assist with E-Commerce sites and website.
• Securely open and shut premises according to detailed instructions. Prepare shop for trading.
• Receive customers; answer questions and help with purchases; sell using the till and EPOS.
• Communicate with customers, retailers, and local representatives as appropriate.
• Administer the supply of mail orders and refunds

3. Education

• Ensure supply of promotional material for shop and external events in line with Palcrafts/Hadeel aims, vision and charity status.
• Organise the schedule/calendar of events, including liaising with organisations/contacts and volunteers.

Individuals must have MS Office experience and good computer along with financial skills.