The Citizens Advice network in Scotland is the largest independent advice service in the country. Citizens Advice Scotland is a charity within this network – we act as a national organisation supporting and representing the service as a whole and the interests of citizens. At the heart of the network there are 59 individual bureaux across Scotland, all operating as independent charities in their own right, which focus on providing support and advice directly to clients. Each of these organisations is a member of Citizens Advice Scotland. We believe that every citizen should have access to free, impartial and confidential advice that helps them make informed decisions, whenever they need it and however, they choose to access it.

Our vision is for a Fairer Scotland where everyone has the advice and information they need to realise their rights, and that the barriers to accessing those rights are effectively challenged.

In order to be a member of Citizens Advice Scotland every Citizens Advice Bureau must comply with a set of membership conditions and standards. These conditions and standards aim to ensure a bureau adheres to the principles of the Scottish Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux and provide clients with holistic, quality assured information, advice and support.

This role offers you the opportunity to work right at the heart of supporting Scotland's largest independent advice network and to make an invaluable contribution to citizen’s lives. If you are someone from either an advice, quality or learning background with an eye for improvement then this could be the role for you.

As a Learning and Standards Officer, you will be member of the Learning and Standards Team which is responsible for learning support and assessment of each Citizens Advice Bureau’s compliance with these membership conditions. This is an interesting, varied, challenging, and rewarding role.

Using a defined set of criteria and indicators you will assess the quality of advice provision across a range of topic areas and produce reports which summarise your findings. You’d work with colleagues to produce and maintain a variety of learning materials and learning opportunities for bureaux. The role also involves working with bureaux to help ensure consistency of approach to quality of advice and case checking across all Citizens Advice Bureaux in Scotland.

For more information about the role, please refer to the Job Pack.

Employee benefits

Citizens Advice Scotland offers excellent terms and conditions. We want our people to have a great work life balance and we have designed our working practices and benefits to support this. Here are some of things our employees benefit from: a 35-hour full time working week, 40 days annual leave, genuine flexibility in working hours with a flexi-time system, and hybrid working opportunities for every role. For more details of some of the other benefits on offer to our employees, please see the section on employee benefits in the job pack.

Citizens Advice Scotland is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion. We offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies and flexible working arrangements to support all our staff. We are also committed to equality of opportunity for all and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.

CAS provides options for hybrid working to allow employees to balance their time attending the office with time working from home. The number of days you will be able to work from home each week will be dependent on your job role and can be discussed as part of the recruitment process.

About the role

The Head of Policy and Communications leads the full range of SIDA’s policy work: engaging with members and external stakeholders, recognising and acting on opportunities for influence, and leading influencing and communications with key audiences. The jobholder will also be responsible for the organisation’s communications strategy with a focus on encouraging greater interaction with members and raising awareness of global citizenship with the wider public.

The jobholder works with the Chief Executive on policy development, political engagement and organisational strategy development.

They also share with the Chief Executive the role of representing the organisation in the public domain - to the media and in key forums and networks - with a particular focus on driving progress on the UN SDGs, building cross-sectoral partnerships and collaborations, and enhancing policy coherence for sustainable development, including in the context of the climate crisis and delivering a wellbeing economy.

About Scotland's International Development Alliance

Scotland’s International Development Alliance is the membership body for everyone committed to creating a fairer world, free from poverty, injustice and environmental threats.

Our work facilitates connections in global development to improve impact and effectiveness for a range of actors including public sector bodies, third sector and international NGOs, private companies, universities and charitable trusts.

Our network has a global reach, with members working in more than 100 countries with a wide range of specialisms. We exist to improve the capacity, influence and effectiveness of those working on global development connected to Scotland through providing opportunities for networking, debate, training and promotion of good practice. We help members share their skills and learn from each other’s best practice to boost effectiveness of our members and their partners

SIDA has excellent working terms including a 4 day week agreement currently in place.

Living Rent is continuing to build membership and power across Scotland. And just now, we are hiring a communications officer.

We are looking for a full-time or part-time role to support Living Rent’s capacity to deliver social change for the benefit of Living Rent members. The organiser will promote Living Rent’s work, develop and publicise the key narratives of the organisation to build the power of the organisation.

About the job: The role entails three aspects (which will be adapted for part-time). Firstly, the organiser will be responsible for supporting local communications in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Specifically, the organiser will support members, branch communication officers and staff members to effectively use communications to further the branches’ and the union’s overall goals, by developing and delivering press, communication and social media plans for local and city campaigns. Secondly, the role will support the national activities of the communications department. This will entail the creation of social media content in the form of videos and graphics and supporting with emails and keeping the website updated. Thirdly, the role will entail some support for the union to grow its recruitment capacity through communications.

Qualifications: We are looking for someone keen to work with a young organisation and passionate about member-run and diverse organisations and determined to build working-class power. Experience in communications, press relationships, training delivery, community education or campaigns is welcome; however enthusiasm, willingness to learn and commitment to social justice are more important than previous experience as training will be provided.

Reports to: Head of the Communications Department

Edinburgh Social Enterprise Network (ESEN) provides a range of networking and support services to a membership in excess of 200 social enterprises and social entrepreneurs in the city including the provision of an e-newsletter; a business support programme; regular network meetings and training events; promotion of the sector through various channels and representation of social enterprises to the public and private sector. ESEN is supported by the City of Edinburgh Council and is a partner in the Edinburgh Third Sector Interface. It is a small but very active organisation. You can find out more at esen.scot

Job purpose

The Member Engagement Officer is responsible for increasing membership of the Network, encouraging member engagement with network activities and identifying and addressing individual member’s support needs through awareness raising activities, outreach and signposting.

The post holder is required to work with colleagues and partners to design and deliver suitable events and activities reflecting member needs and to develop new member benefits.

You will be required to manage your own workload and liaise with and support the Chief Executive, management committee members, colleagues and other stakeholders as necessary to complete all tasks whilst working in a way that creates a positive and respectful environment for everyone.

You must be able to maintain professional standards of confidentiality and discretion in all areas of work and communicate effectively and professionally with all staff, volunteers, members, partners and stakeholders.