Top job! Chief Executive
- Full time
- £45,000
- On site: Edinburgh
- Closing 15th November 2024
- Advertised from 21st October 2024
- 35 hours/week.
Role
LEADING A STRONG NATIONAL CHARITY
Shared Parenting Scotland (SPS) is the expert voice in Scotland promoting parenting arrangements after separation that benefit children by trying to ensure that both parents remain fully involved in their lives.
Our telephone helpline and support meetings across Scotland help parents to stay involved after separation and provide information and support about all forms of dispute resolution including mediation, legal negotiation and court action. Each support meeting is attended by a family lawyer. Around a thousand parents contact these services every year or make use of our WhatsApp closed group chats which offer support 24/7.
Our training programme delivers two innovative programmes for separated parents.
New Ways For Families® helps parents to avoid high conflict behaviour, strengthens their abilities to make parenting decisions and communicate with their ex-partner and helps them rely less on experts and the courts to make decisions for them and their children. It is licensed by the High Conflict institute to SPS for delivery throughout the UK and we have recruited a team of freelance coaches.
Love, Loss and Living was developed by SPS in partnership with psychotherapist Jan Montgomery. It helps parents who are not seeing their children to understand and manage the grief and stress. It is now being delivered through a mixture of online course material and online or face-to-face group support sessions.
We also work to influence statutory and voluntary organisations to remove barriers to shared parenting and support parents to reach agreement rather than fight each other in court. We meet regularly with civil servants and MSPS across a range of departments and are the secretary to the Cross Party Group on Shared Parenting at the Scottish Parliament We publish a range of guides on different aspects of family law, courts and other shared parenting issues. Every summer we have hosted a student intern who undertakes a project supporting our work, such as a study of the views of young people on how parental separation affected them (Sharing My Parents), a review of developments in family courts in various countries (Learning from Abroad). In 2024 our student has worked on improving the accessibility of information about family court and dispute resolution processes and developed some new information sheets and videos for us.
We have built up links with other shared parenting organisations across the world and presented papers about our work at international conferences of the International Council on Shared Parenting and the Association of Family And Conciliation Courts.
BUILDING ON FIFTEEN YEARS OF GROWTH
The charity has been operating on a volunteer basis in Scotland for a long time, but was formalised as the Scottish project of Families Need Fathers when funding was obtained in 2010 to open a Scottish office. Families Need Fathers Scotland was registered as a separate charity and has operated independently of Families Need Fathers since 2012. The name of the charity was changed to Shared Parenting Scotland in 2020.
The current national manager Ian Maxwell and Policy Manager John Forsyth have both worked for the charity since 2010, during which time the staff has grown to six people. The new chief executive will take on the challenge of maintaining and developing the organisation at a time when the need to support separated parents and their families is even greater than in 2010.
Our vision is a Scotland in which the norm after separation will be equal sharing of responsibilities between parents and more support for children after separation.
This is an exciting time to join SPS and lead on the delivery of our training and support programmes.
The Chief Executive provides leadership for the SPS team, promoting our work to funders and stakeholders, working with other sector leaders, and helping shape developments in the sector and wider political environment.
While being an expert in family law or dispute resolution is not an essential requirement, we are looking for a leader who is interested in organisational learning and development and who cares about the outcomes for separated families.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL
We would like to hear from compelling communicators with excellent team leadership skills and the ability to build and maintain stakeholder relationships. Our ideal candidate will also be experienced in financial and strategic planning with the ability to identify opportunities for SPS to develop, thrive and continue to innovate in the years ahead. Direct experience of one or more of the main areas of work (helpline, training delivery and policy work) is necessary although it does not need to be directly related to co-parenting or family breakdown.
We welcome applicants from a range of backgrounds, including experienced managers who may be considering a CEO role for the first time.
Post Overview
The purpose of the job is to:
- Overall management of the charity, line management of staff and work with trustees.
- While the following points relate to oversight of the various working areas, within a small staff team the chief executive will also be required to take part in service delivery where necessary, to obtain or enhance an understanding of the issues faced by the people using our services.
- Financial oversight: manage existing grant funding and apply for additional grants and other funding. Preparation of annual accounts information for auditor and oversight of ongoing administration of charity income and expenditure.
- Policy oversight: work to advance the policy aims of the charity. These currently include involvement in implementation of parts of the 2020 Children (Scotland) Act, provision of better early support for separating parents including dispute resolution outside court, equality issues affecting separated parents and faster, cheaper and less complex family court processes.
- Training Oversight: manage the staff who are developing and delivering training programmes and the partnership/franchising arrangements with training agencies such as the High Conflict Institute.
- Helpline and Personal Support oversight: oversee the work of the Helpline and Support team members. Ensure that the published and online information produced by the charity is maintained and developed and the appropriate activity and outcome statistics and case studies are maintained.
- Promotion and Publicity oversight: oversee the work of the Digital Marketing and Communication Manager and any external consultants, including review of usage statistics.
Application notes
Application to be emailed to im@sharedparenting.scot
Closing date 15/11/24
Stage 1 online interviews: week of 18/11/24 Stage 2 face-to-face interview and meeting with staff: date to be confirmed
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Participation & Communications Officer - My Rights, My Say
- Part time
- £30,381 pro-rata
- Hybrid: Edinburgh
- Closing 13th January 2025
Children in Scotland is excited to be recruiting for the role of Participation & Communications Officer as part of the My Rights, My Say partnership. The successful candidate will be coordinating engagement opportunities for our group of Young Advisors and lead on efforts to expand the group’s reach. The successful candidate will also lead the coordination of our quality communications activities for the My Rights, My Say service.
You will become an important part of the My Rights My Say network and will liaise with internal and external partners to create opportunities for children and young people, aged 12-15, with additional support needs to share their views and experiences.
About Children in Scotland
Giving all children in Scotland an equal chance to flourish is at the heart of everything we do.
By bringing together a network of people working with and for children, alongside children and young people themselves, we offer a broad, balanced and independent voice. We create solutions, provide support and develop positive change across all areas affecting children in Scotland. We do this by listening, gathering evidence, and applying and sharing our learning, while always working to uphold children’s rights.
Our range of knowledge and expertise means we can provide trusted support on issues as diverse as the people we work with and the varied lives of children and families in Scotland.
Diversity
Children in Scotland values the contribution of all our staff, whatever their background. Our recruitment decisions are based on fair, open processes, with appointment on merit. We welcome applications from everyone.
Further information
For an informal chat about the job, please contact Marie Harrison, Service Manager, by email on mharrison@childreninscotland.org.uk
Children in Scotland is currently seeking an experienced Communications Officer to join our collaborative and driven Communications & Marketing Team.
Children in Scotland has numerous functions that support the children’s sector in Scotland - from membership services and events, to policy and participation activities, as well as delivering a number of services (Enquire, Reach, Resolve, My Rights, My Say). The Communications Officer will play an important role in raising awareness of both the organisation, and the key issues facing the sector – through content marketing activity and media engagement, and as Editor of our Insight member publication.
We are looking for a great team player who enjoys the process of collaboration to achieve creative and engaging communications. They will take a highly organised and proactive approach to their responsibilities, and have a close eye for detail.
We would love to hear from candidates with experience of editing and producing publications, and a strong understanding of digital communications. A background in journalism, or a content creation role with a similar emphasis on writing and editing skills is preferred.
The successful candidate will be ready to hit the ground running, but will be offered an excellent induction and support through the first few months. Our commitment to staff wellbeing is reflected in our flexible and hybrid working policies, our organisational wellbeing working group, regular line manager one-to-ones, and quarterly in-person all-staff away days. They will join a brilliant group of supportive staff who are passionate about making a difference to children’s lives and work hard to achieve this.
Please read our full job description for a complete outline of the responsibilities and criteria for this role. This can be found in the recruitment pack on our website.
About Children in Scotland
Giving all children in Scotland an equal chance to flourish is at the heart of everything we do.
By bringing together a network of people working with and for children, alongside children and young people themselves, we offer a broad, balanced and independent voice. We create solutions, provide support and develop positive change across all areas affecting children in Scotland. We do this by listening, gathering evidence, and applying and sharing our learning, while always working to uphold children’s rights.
Our range of knowledge and expertise means we can provide trusted support on issues as diverse as the people we work with and the varied lives of children and families in Scotland.
Diversity
Children in Scotland values the contribution of all our staff, whatever their background. Our recruitment decisions are based on fair, open processes, with appointment on merit. We welcome applications from everyone.
Further information
For an informal chat about the job, please contact Julie Thomson, Communications and Marketing Manager by email on jthomson@childreninscotland.org.uk
About Us
Kindred is a vibrant organisation supporting over 800 families of children with complex needs each year. Established in 1990 at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People Edinburgh (RHCYPE), our organisation has always been parent-led. Our core services are delivered by dedicated teams based in hospitals and through our Community team. We also provide specialised counselling services and a Parenting Programme (Early Positive Approaches to Support).
Our vision is that parents of children with complex needs in Scotland will have early access to peer-led support and information.
About The Job
As CEO, you will lead Kindred in achieving its mission of supporting families of children with complex needs. You will manage the implementation of the Strategic Plan and drive growth by enhancing the charity’s visibility while maximising the impact of our work. As an organisation we are evolving and you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Kindred. You will work closely with the Senior Management Team and maintain an expert knowledge of issues relevant to our service users (including statutory provision, benefits, charitable funding and other support available through the voluntary sector).
As CEO, you will lead Kindred with passion and dedication, ensuring our mission of supporting families of children with complex needs remains at the heart of everything we do. You will work closely with our Board of Trustees to develop and implement strategic plans, build strong partnerships, and secure sustainable funding. Your role will involve overseeing day-to-day operations, managing our talented team, and advocating for the needs of our families.
Main Areas of Responsibility
People Management: Work with the Senior Management Team to ensure effective management of Kindred’s staff team including liaising with external HR support. Develop Kindred’s team to support the delivery of Kindred’s services and strategic plan.
Fundraising: Lead on a competitive and responsive fundraising strategy, supported by our fundraising team.
Governance: Support Kindred’s Chair and trustees in providing strategic leadership and governance. Ensure Kindred’s governance processes are robust and effective.
Finance: Ensure Kindred’s finances are managed to a high standard with timely reporting.
Kindred Services: Ensure operations are supported to enable the delivery of high-quality services to our service users in line with our objectives.
Administration: Enable the smooth running of our organisation including leading on the development of online systems.
Public Profile: Represent Kindred in the charity sector and liaise with key stakeholders to support our brand and strategic impact. Maximise technology use to increase our public profile and the impact on the community.
What we are looking for
We are looking for a candidate who can hit the ground running in this role and therefore we require candidates to have:
- Senior Leadership Experience: Proven track record in senior leadership roles within an organisation.
- Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop and implement strategic plans to achieve organisational goals.
- Financial Management: Strong financial acumen and experience in budget management and financial reporting.
- People Management: Proven ability to lead and motivate teams, build strong relationships, and create a positive work culture.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Ability to engage with a diverse range of stakeholders, including funders, partners, and government officials.
- Policy and Governance: Knowledge of charity governance, regulatory frameworks, and data protection.
- Communication skills: Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience in report writing, journal writing, public speaking, and media engagement.
- Fundraising and Income Generation: Experience in securing funding and developing fundraising strategies.
- IT Proficiency: Strong IT skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
Ideally you will also have:
- Postgraduate qualification in management or a relevant field.
- Personal experience of caring for a child with complex needs.
- Understanding of practice supervision and/or qualification in counselling
- Experience of liaising with Scottish Government, local authorities and health boards
- Current driving licence
Administration & Operations Assistant
- Part time
- £23,408 – £25,750 pro-rata
- On site: Edinburgh
- Closing 10th January 2025
The successful post-holder will be expected to operate in line with our values which are:
Justice, Equity, Trust, Collaboration and Compassion.
Overview
OPFS was founded in 1940 and since then we have been at the forefront of shaping policy and services in Scotland, that support single parents and their children. Today, there are over 144,000 single parent families in Scotland, 25% of all families. We involve parents, champion their voices and keep their needs at the heart of everything we do.
Purpose of Role
Working as part of the administration team based at OPFS HQ and provide administrative support by accurately, and efficiently, contributing to the operations of the HR & Administration, Finance and Business Development teams. The post holder will report to the HR & Administration Manager with day-to-day mentoring and support provided by the Administrator.
Equal opportunities and family friendly employment
- OPFS aims to be an equal opportunity and family friendly employer and flexible working requests will be considered. OPFS has Investors In People silver status and Living Wage accreditation.
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