Close the Gap, Scotland’s expert on gender equality in the labour market, is looking for new trustees to join its board. Our trustees work to support the organisation to realise its vision for a Scotland where all women have a good working life. We do this through policy advocacy that seeks to place gender equality at the heart of policymaking, supporting employers to take action to close their gender pay gap, and developing innovative research to grow the evidence base on women’s experiences of work.

Trustees set the strategic direction, oversee the work of the organisation, manage risk, and establish policies and procedures to govern organisational activity. Key to the role is ensuring good governance practice is in place. It’s an exciting time to join the board, as Close the Gap has consolidated its growth since becoming a charity, and is exploring further opportunities for development.

About you

Committed to women’s labour market equality, you’ll have the ability to think strategically and creatively, and to respond to the needs of the organisation. You’ll also be able to commit the time to fulfil the role of trustee and help us meet our strategic objectives.

Close the Gap is strongly committed to equality, and recognises that diverse boards are more effective, and result in better governance practice. We would particularly welcome applications from racially minoritised people and disabled people, who are currently under-represented on our board.

We’re also particularly interested in receiving applications from people that have knowledge and experience in equality and/or human rights, and fundraising.

Organisation profile

Close the Gap is Scotland’s expert policy advocacy organisation working on women’s labour market participation. Our vision is for a Scotland where all women have a good working life. We do this by working strategically with policymakers, employers and unions to influence and enable action that will address the causes of the gender pay gap.

Built Environment Forum Scotland (BEFS) seeks to appoint a Head of Policy and Strategy to coordinate policy development initiatives.

This role involves leading on BEFS co-ordinated and strategic approach to policy and influencing strategic policy and legislation relating to the historic and built environment across Scotland. Key responsibilities include:

1. Consultation: Co-ordinate and compile responses to strategic Government (and other key stakeholder) consultations on behalf of BEFS and BEFS Members.
2. Advocacy: Develop shared statements (manifestos, legislative ‘asks’, written evidence to parliamentary committees etc) on strategic issues arising from within BEFS work.
3. Events: Working with colleagues and external stakeholders, plan and facilitate stakeholder engagement events which inform policy development and produce written reports for these events.
4. Secretariat: Act as secretariat to multiple working groups, preparing agenda and meeting papers, recording meetings and circulating minutes.
5. Horizon-scanning: Undertake regular horizon-scanning through contact with Government and key stakeholders, to identify key issues of interest to BEFS Members.
6. Communication: Provide colleagues with written material to communicate key messages arising from BEFS discussions (such as website content, blogs), and contribute strategic content to BEFS bi-monthly bulletin.
7. Project development: Develop and shape projects (from initial idea to project brief) which will inform/evidence advocacy activity.
8. Reporting: Provide and contribute to regular reports to funders and BEFS Board.
9. Facilitation: Provide facilitation for Members events, workshops and stakeholder engagement.
10. Team: Participate actively as part of a small and busy team, supporting and working with colleagues as necessary.

Person specification

Essential

1. Strong ability to demonstrate breadth of sector knowledge, particularly across policy frameworks.
2. Experience of the process of strategic policy and legislative development within Scotland, across the wider policy landscape.
3. Strong analytical skills, with an ability to distil policy information and stakeholder opinions, across a broad range of policy topics/disciplines in the built environment sphere.
4. Knowledge and experience of the historic and wider built environment sector, including key stakeholders and lead organisations.
5. Highly self-motivated, able to work flexibly, balancing priorities as necessary.
6. High attention to detail, with strong written and verbal communication skills, including facilitation experience.
7. Advanced use of IT packages including Office 365 and Adobe etc.

Desirable

1. Degree or post-graduate qualification (or equivalent experience) in built environment-related discipline (e.g., planning, conservation, surveying, archaeology, architecture) or public affairs.
2. Experience of stakeholder engagement/facilitation skills.
3. Confidence with online/remote working technologies and programmes such as Teams, Zoom. (Knowledge/familiarity of other programmes such as Miro, Eventbrite, SurveyMonkey, WordPress and MailChimp are also an advantage.)

BEFS expects all applicants to support the values, ethos and objectives of BEFS, demonstrating credibility and integrity, and proactively committed to championing equality, diversity and inclusion

Do you share our vision of creating a better world and our passion for providing long-term solutions to the world’s biggest challenges? If so, and you have the values, experience and passion you could play a crucial role in one of our governance positions that could help shape the future and build the resilience and reach of SCIAF.

About SCIAF

SCIAF is the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund - the official relief and development agency of the Catholic Church in Scotland. Around the world, SCIAF works with people of all faiths and none. We believe all God’s children are our sisters and brothers, and that everyone must be treated with dignity. We work in partnership with local and church organisations, supporting communities across the world to bring about lasting change. We are inspired by the Gospel to tackle the causes of poverty and injustice.

OUR POSITIONS

Chair of the Finance, Risk, Audit and Compliance Committee

The Finance, Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee plays a key role in the oversight and monitoring of the work of SCIAF and thus strengthens its accountability. The Chair of this committee serves on our Board of Directors.

The specific skills required for this position are accountancy, and specifically experience in any or all of financial reporting, management accounting delivery or oversight, auditing or general financial management. Fulfilling an existing role or a recent past role in any of these domains is required, and any experience of using your financial specialism in the charity sector would be particularly beneficial.

Trustee position (with International Development Experience)

One of the newly appointed trustees will provide knowledge and experience of international development on our Board of Directors. This trustee position will also serve on our Integral Human Development Committee, that plays a key role overseeing and advising on our international development and emergency work. In doing so, they will contribute to the quality and effectiveness of what SCIAF does and they will increase our accountability to our partners, the communities we serve, our supporters and our donors.

Extensive international development experience is required for this position, ideally combined with senior management experience of running a development organisation

Trustee position

We require trustees who can bring a range of skills and expertise to our Board of Directors and who possess strategic vision and good independent judgement. We are particularly keen to identify a skilled individual with experience in the one or more following areas:

• Legal
• advocacy
• Sustainability/ climate change
• Investment/finance
• HR and change management
• Property
• External communications
• IT/cybercrime
• Fundraising
• Safeguarding
• Marketing

As a Trustee, you will play a crucial role in guiding SCIAF through new challenges and leveraging new opportunities.

Integral Human Development – Committee Member

We are currently looking to appoint a new Committee Member for our Integral Human Development Committee. This Committee plays a crucial role at SCIAF by monitoring and guiding our international development and emergency work. The ideal candidate will have:

• extensive development experience, ideally with international cooperation
• understanding of the Catholic Church and its role in emergency response and development
• understanding of Catholic Social Teaching and integral human development
• a partner's understanding and perspective of development needs and appropriate practices in one of SCIAF’s priority countries.

Time commitment

• The term of office for each of our governance positions is 3 years which is renewable, normally only once.
• Both our Board of Directors and various committees meet 4 times per year. In addition to this, Trustees and Committee Members are sometimes requested to attend other SCIAF meetings to offer their advice and support.

Safeguarding/Code of Conduct

SCIAF undertakes to ensure that all staff, volunteers and relevant others, whose work might involve contact with children and vulnerable adults, will have completed additional recruitment procedures and in addition have obtained a satisfactory PVG Check from Disclosure Scotland.

All staff and volunteers are expected to adhere to SCIAF’s Safeguarding Policy and a Code of Conduct which specifies the attitudes and behaviours that all staff and volunteers are expected to maintain.