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

Museums Galleries Scotland (MGS) is the National Development Body for Scotland’s museums and galleries sector – this includes 440 museums and galleries of all sizes and organisational types. We strive to be an inclusive, agile and forward-looking organisation that seeks to lead and support positive change in the sector.

MGS is recruiting an Executive Assistant to play a key role in supporting effective corporate governance. This post provides essential administrative, organisational, and strategic support to the Board, CEO and Executive team, with responsibility for ensuring appropriate corporate governance controls and systems are in place. A manager-level position, the Executive Assistant plays an important role in information flow between the Executive and wider team and liaises with stakeholders and partners, including the Scottish Government.

You will have significant administrative experience working with a senior manager or chief executive and providing comprehensive support to a Board or large committee, with strong minute taking skills. With knowledge of corporate governance and company and charity law practices, you will be an experienced, resourceful professional with strong organisational and communication skills and an adaptable style and approach. The successful candidate will manifest MGS’s core values: collaboration, integrity, passion for museums, and courageousness.

This is a part time role, 21 hours a week. Our preference would be for these hours to be worked across 4-5 days however we are open to discussion with the successful candidate.

We have a hybrid working approach and are happy to talk flexible working.

We believe that our work will be stronger with greater diversity. MGS welcomes applications from all sections of the community and is an equal opportunities employer. We are a Disability Confident Employer and hold Living Wage and Gold Investors in People accreditation. MGS is striving to be an anti-racist organisation and more information on our commitment to this is here. Our commitment to climate action can be found here.

The Wyllieum (George Wyllie Foundation 2019) is looking for Trustees to join our Board.

The Wyllieum, based in Ocean Terminal, Greenock, is a charity focussed on displaying the artworks of Scottish artist George Wyllie MBE alongside significant delivery around education and outreach, and community engagement. We are here to celebrate the life and legacy of this pioneering Scottish artist and to contribute to the culture and socio-economics of Inverclyde.

The Wyllieum will play a vital role in bringing communities together through exhibitions, events, workshops, and other creative programmes.

We are looking for a further five Trustees with a passionate interest in art and arts education and all it can deliver; and drive for fostering lifelong creativity in the local community. Our aim is to help move to help move the charity forwards at an exciting time in its evolution.

We are very keen to ensure we have a wide range of trustees and give our wonderful communities a voice representing diversity and work with their opinions, experiences and ideas.

We would be most welcoming of applications from the following groups:

• Global majority
• Anyone who identifies as female
• LGBTQIA+
• Disabled
• Neurodivergent
• Young people - anyone aged 18-40
• Those in the region of Inverclyde

All Trustees are required to attend quarterly board meetings, either at The Wyllieum or via Zoom. In addition, we ask Trustees to attend our annual board development day, important meetings with stakeholders and some events and projects, where possible.

The George Wyllie Foundation 2019 is committed to being reflective of the diverse communities we aim to serve. You do not need to have previous trustee experience, we value lived experience, your characteristics and life outside of work – as well as your expertise and career history. We believe that diversity of experience, skills and personality make us a stronger organisation.

Please note that this is a voluntary role.

Trustees do not receive any remuneration, however, reasonable travel expenses incurred in carrying out board duties can be fully reimbursed.

If you are interested in joining the Board of The George Wyllie Foundation 2019, and helping us grow, then we look forward to hearing from you. More information can be found on our website.