sparqs is a charity, funded by the Scottish Funding Council to work with Scotland's university and college sectors. Our mission is to foster a culture of partnership between students and staff which enables the Scottish education sector to respond to challenges and realise its ambitions to provide the best possible experience for each and every student.

We are seeking an enthusiastic and dedicated person to deliver a range of activities including training, consultancy support and research and development projects. Some of our current projects include supporting the development of student partnership within a new tertiary quality enhancement framework, supporting equality, diversity, and inclusion in learning and teaching, and supporting effective learner journeys. We would welcome applicants with experience (or similar) in these areas. The role involves regular travel throughout Scotland and may also involve occasional international travel.

You will have a commitment to supporting the role of students in delivering improvements to college and university life and a good range of key skills including excellent interpersonal skills, written communication skills and experience of delivering training or facilitating workshops.

sparqs recognises the positive value of diversity, promotes equality, and challenges discrimination. We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds and with diverse kinds of life experiences.

Why apply for this role?

Children’s Hearings Scotland (CHS) is undergoing an exciting period of reform designed to make a step change in improving the outcomes for infants, children and young people who need us most. As our Corporate Governance Manager, you will work closely with our Board and Senior Leadership team to support key functions within CHS which enable us to deliver on those improvements.

This is a key strategic role contributing to CHS’s vision to drive transformation and deliver operational excellence. The postholder is responsible for establishing and maintaining the highest levels of corporate governance across the organisation. They will work with the Senior Leadership Team, board members and colleagues across directorates bringing a strategic approach to corporate governance, establishing and managing procedures for effective and impactful corporate governance and pro- actively seek opportunities to build resilience into processes and protocols. The postholder will have in their portfolio, responsibility for strategic risk management, including business continuity, business planning and performance management, information governance and management information and overall responsibility for the secretariat functions.

You will be based at our office in Haymarket, Edinburgh, ensuring our executive and senior leadership teams are supported to the highest standards. Most importantly, as an invaluable enabler of corporate governance, you will help our leaders to deliver on our strategic priorities.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic corporate governance; understanding, and helping others to understand, the critical role it plays in helping CHS to achieve its corporate plan and strategic outlook.

• Support continuous improvement in our Corporate Governance system, driving forward best practice in governance

• Ensure the statutory annual returns, including the annual report and accounts are prepared in accordance with prescribed timescales.

• Lead the organisational approach to information governance and data protection, setting out expectations and ensuring these are delivered to the highest standard

• Oversight of secretariat function, the governance and business operations function

• Provide independent advice and support to the Director of Business and Finance and the Chief Executive on all matters relating to statutory and legislative compliance and interpretation

• Provide the senior leadership team and the Board with the information, resources, governance, communications and secretariat it needs to run the organisation.

• Responsible for risk management and business continuity

Life at CHS

As an organisation that works within the children’s hearings system, we are passionate about making a positive contribution to improving outcomes for Scotland’s infants, children and young people. Our values are at the very heart of what we do every day. By working with us, you’ll be joining a diverse community of colleagues and volunteers. At CHS we are proud to celebrate difference. We all have different skills, experience and backgrounds and we strive to have a friendly and inclusive culture where you can be yourself. We offer an excellent benefits package, from health and wellness to finances and family. including: generous annual leave, flexible working and other leave policies, fantastic pension, Employee Assistance Programme, development opportunities and wider employee wellbeing initiatives.

Diversity and Inclusion

CHS is an equal opportunities employer. We encourage diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We actively encourage applicants from all protected characteristics and commit to providing any reasonable adjustments required during application and assessment process, and upon joining CHS.

Are you ready to lead transformational change at CHAS by harnessing the power of authentic and inspiring storytelling?

About Us:

At CHAS, we provide unwavering care for children who may die young and their families, at every step on this hardest of journeys. We make sure that no family in Scotland has to face the death of their child alone. Since launching our new Strategic Plan in April this year, we’re embarking on our most ambitious journey yet - one that will transform the experience of children’s palliative care across Scotland for dying children and their families. Joining CHAS now is more than just a job; it’s about making a profound, lasting difference for generations to come.

The Role:

We’re seeking a visionary and dynamic Interim Head of Marketing and Communications (maternity cover) to lead our efforts in bringing this ambitious vision to life, at the cusp of an exciting period of growth and change for CHAS. You’ll be a key member of the organisation’s leadership team, responsible for leading your team to develop and execute comprehensive marketing and communications strategies that will raise awareness of CHAS, drive action in time, money and voice, and support an outstanding experience for all of our stakeholders and audiences.

About You:

• You’ll have an excellent track record of leading successful marketing and communications teams, particularly through periods of change and growth.

• You can see the big picture and are adept at translating vision into actionable plans that deliver measurable results.

• You’re creative and have a knack for excellent storytelling.

• You’re a natural leader who can motivate and empower others to achieve their best and bring others along with you to support your vision.

• You have excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling narratives that resonate with diverse audiences.

• You are well-versed in the latest digital marketing trends and tools, with a keen understanding of how to harness their power for good.

• You possess strong PR skills, with experience in media relations, reputation management, and crisis communications.

• Above all, you’re driven by a deep commitment to making a difference every single day.

Why join us?

This is more than a job—it’s an opportunity to be at the forefront of a transformational journey that will have a profound impact on children with life-shortening conditions and their families, all across Scotland. You will have the chance to work with a passionate, dedicated team who are committed to achieving our ambition. Together, we will create the conditions for success, not just meeting our goals but surpassing them.

If you’re ready to embrace this challenge and lead with passion, we want to hear from you.

We offer

• Flexible Working: our teams work flexibly and in a hybrid manner with time split between at home and onsite an any of our sites across Scotland. CHAS offers flexible and family friendly working, and are happy to discuss working arrangements that work for you.

• Professional Growth: Work with industry leaders in a high-performing team where you will be encouraged and supported to excel and develop your skills.

• Comprehensive Benefits: Including generous annual leave and pension, incremental salary progression, access to Blue Light discounts, and health and wellbeing support.

We are looking to recruit a suitably experienced finance professional to support the charity’s operational activity and strategy.

Reporting to the Chief Executive, with overall responsibility for Into Work’s finances, investments and resources.

The Business & Finance Manager will ensure effective and efficient management of Finance and business support functions, in the areas of Governance, Finance, HR, IT, Data, Office management and administration, ensuring that these are delivered to fixed deadlines.

The Business & Finance Manager will line manage a Finance Officer and an HR & Office Management Officer to ensure effective delivery of support services to the Employee team and the Board of Directors.

The Business & Finance Manager is a member of the Senior Leadership Team.

Excellent Excel and IT skills are vital, as are strong communication skills, attention to detail, and the ability to prioritise and manage multiple tasks to meet deadlines. The Business & Finance Manager will have experience in a similar or related role, with extensive experience of all aspects of financial management.

The remuneration package will include a competitive salary, 34 days annual leave (inclusive of public holidays, pro rata), flexible and hybrid working opportunities, and a generous contributory pension scheme with life insurance policy.

Organisational Profile

For over 30 years, Into Work has been helping disabled people, neurodivergent people and people with long-term health conditions find, build and maintain great jobs. We work towards a world where disabled people have equity to take up employment and receive fair treatment in work.