Resilient Renters is a Southside Community Centre Association SCIO initiative, funded by Safe Deposits Scotland Charitable Trust.

We are seeking a sessional worker to deliver our new Resilient Renters information sessions.

The sessional worker shall work with us to develop and deliver a new training session, of up to two hours, which shall be delivered weekly over the next year. The training session should educate those renting in the private rented sector of their rights and responsibilities. The sessions are intended to empower tenants in order that they may protect themselves and their interests.

Whilst the sessions provide advice and guidance, they are not intended to provide specific case advice although participants will be signposted to a variety of specialist housing advice providers such as Citizens Advice.

• Experience: The worker should be suitably experienced in providing advice, delivering training & information sessions and have an appropriate knowledge in tenancy rights & responsibilities.
• Pay: £30 per hour for four hours per week, for up to fifty two weeks. Ideally you will be self employed however, we would be happy to employ you directly if that suits you better.
• Time: Each session will take up to three hours, 30 minutes set up, up to two hours delivery and 30 minutes take down. One hour per week of admin time can be worked whenever suits the worker.
• Location: Southside Community Centre, 117 Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9ER. Room 2 shall be used which has a large screen tv for connecting a laptop, seating for around fifteen which can be set up in various ways and room for tea & biscuits!
• When: Through negotiation. Predominantly weekends but a variety of morning, mid day and afternoon times. Occasional weekday sessions if possible. We’d also like to build in an occasional online session.
• Design and building: This will be a joint effort with the worker and our Chief Executive, ten hours of paid time is available for design and build, though additional funding can be found if required.

Summary

Project Esperanza (SCIO) launched officially in 2021. We are a trusted organisation whose social purpose is to offer practical, emotional and integration support predominantly to families of African heritage but also support a huge base of people from multi ethnic backgrounds. We are the pioneers of race and faith sensitive, culturally authentic and appropriate, specialised support and services in North Edinburgh. We are a registered charity (SC051454) looking for several new members to join the organisation’s Board of Trustees. We are seeking to appoint trustees that will fill vacancies at the end of the financial year in March 2025.

We are looking for a new Non Executive Board to shape our strategy around the future of Black families in Scotland, steer our direction, support the development of our organisation in its next phase of growth and hold us accountable to our mission. We are looking for applicants with specific skills, experience, and interest in any of the following areas:

• Digital marketing and public relations
• Secretary to the Board
• Journalism/Publishing/Media (wider UK)
• Accountancy
• Fundraising
• Employment Law
• Sustainability/climate emergency
• Women’s health

The role of on Executive Board members

This role involves:

• Holding the CEO/Director and staff accountable to delivering our mission
• Reviewing strategy, outcomes and progress against the mission and objectives
• Identifying and agreeing new areas for development
• Overseeing and supporting on strategies for funding and revenue generation
• Making decisions to safeguard the reputation and maximising the success of the organisation, including:
  • Ensuring governance requirements are met
  • Complying with safeguarding and data protection policies

Non Executive Board members will be required to:

• Board meetings take place four times per year in March, June, October, and December.
• Trustees are appointed for a term of 2 years, with the option to stand for re-election for an additional 2-year period after a performance review
• Attend our Annual General Meeting

Remuneration

There is no remuneration for this role but reasonable expenses incurred in attending meetings (including costs of childcare) and other Project Esperanza related activities will be paid.

Exciting opportunity to join our Board and contribute to ensuring that Edinburgh is an inspirational and empowering place to live, work, study or visit – no matter who you are.

We are looking for new Board trustees with drive and enthusiasm who are:

• Passionate about Edinburgh and the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh UNESCO World Heritage Site

• Interested in how we connect and engage all people in our heritage

• Skilled and experienced in one or more of the following: conservation and maintenance of the built environment, legal, finance, HR, events and fundraising

Our purpose is to pro-actively protect and champion Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site for current and future generations through the conservation of historic buildings, delivering improvements to the public realm, developing our new climate emergency programme and engaging people directly with the rich heritage of the city.

As a trustee you will be responsible for the strategic direction of the organisation and stewardship of public and charitably-given funds, supporting and adding value to the work of its professional team in conservation, engagement and capacity building.

We wish to attract people from a broad range of backgrounds, demographics and cultures to steer and inform our work. We are aiming for inclusivity, richness of experience and diversity on our Board and in our workforce, to ensure that Edinburgh World Heritage reflects the diversity of the world we live and work in. We particularly welcome applications from young people or those interested in applying for their first trusteeship. Appropriate support, including induction and training, will be given.

Board meetings occur four times a year and there is an annual away day for trustees and staff to discuss current issues. Board trustees are also expected to play a role in at least one the organisation’s committees or groups.

Have you considered joining a Board and interested in developing your leadership and business skills? Do you want to help shape the future of a multi-award winning LGPS pension fund? Can you communicate well with others and form stakeholder relationships?

Then the Lothian Pension Fund Pension Board needs you!

We are looking for committed individuals from diverse backgrounds to join the Pension Board as an Employer Representative and be part of a values driven organisation as we continue to invest in improvements. We would particularly welcome applications from those groups who are currently under-represented at a Board level.

At Lothian Pension Fund we are values driven

• We are agile and dependable
• Our colleagues are self-motivated and team players
• We strive to be innovative and prudent
• We embrace challenge and are respectful

If these resonate with you and you have the time and expertise to support us in our efforts as a sector leading organisation, we would love to hear from you.

Candidates eligible to apply for the Employer Representative role will be drawn from LPF’s Employer bodies (a list of all employers is available on page 115 of our annual report). This would make an ideal opportunity for someone looking to develop board member/trustee experience.

The role

• To provide independent scrutiny and sound judgement, providing challenge and support to ensure the Pensions Committee delivers on its strategic, business, and financial targets.
• Uphold high standards of integrity and probity whilst representing the scheme members and employers of the Lothian Pension Fund.
• Support the Pension Board chairperson in assisting the Pensions Committee to instil the appropriate culture, values and behaviours.
• Have oversight of Pensions Committee assurance models and compliance with requirements imposed in relation to the scheme and by the Pension Regulator.
• Ensure the integrity of financial information and that financial controls and systems of risk management are robust and defensible.
• Consider any reports produced for the Pensions Committee, including the annual report, fund performance and administration, actuarial report and valuations and the fund strategy.
• Devote time to developing and refreshing your knowledge and skills.

What you will get in return

• Great professional development
• Tailored induction programme and training opportunities
• A mentor to help navigate the first couple of meetings
• Opportunity to enhance you network and knowledge as a member of a Board in a welcoming environment
• Satisfaction in giving something back
• Out of pocket expenses (such as travel expenses)
• Option of hybrid meetings to accommodate other commitments.

Time Commitment

• Completion of initial induction programme and ongoing training (mix of in-person and online) to help you develop in your role.This includes 4 LPF training sessions, held quarterly and typically 3 hours each.
• Attendance at 4 Pension Board & 4 Pensions Committee meetings per year.(These meetings are typically held on the same day quarterly plus reading and preparation time
• Any other adhoc meetings and training opportunities.

About LPF

Lothian Pension Fund (LPF) is an award-winning asset backed and multi-employer scheme with around £10 billion of assets. We administer the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) in Edinburgh and the Lothians. As the second largest LGPS fund in Scotland, we serve over 90,000 members and around 60 employers, helping local government workers and their families experience a financially secure retirement. We also manage the Scottish Homes Pension Fund on behalf of the Scottish Government.

LPF is clear in its vision to deliver outstanding pension and investment services. We aspire to be the best LGPS in Scotland, if not the UK.

Core to our purpose, we’re proud to have won the LGPS Fund of the Year at the LAPF Investment Awards in 2023. In 2017, we also became the first UK Local Government pension fund awarded accreditation for the Pensions Administration Standards Association and have held the Customer Service Excellence Award for over ten years.

LPF is unique in Scotland in operating a FCA-regulated investment company, LPFI Limited. We manage over 85% of assets in-house via internal equity, bond and other real asset portfolios (e.g. infrastructure, property and timberland investments). The day-to-day running of LPF is carried out by a specialist team who undertake pension administration, accounting and investment functions. LPF colleagues are employed by an arms-length company, LPFE Limited.

LPF has a Pensions Committee and a Pension Board, both of which play an integral part in our success. The Pensions Committee determines the overall policy objectives, strategy and operation of the LPF and Scottish Homes Pension Fund in accordance with relevant legislation and in the best interests of the members and employer bodies within the pension funds.

The Pension Board is made up of five employer and five member representatives and plays a vital role in providing oversight and assists the LPF Pensions Committee in ensuring compliance with Pension legislation and the Pension Regulator code of practice.

Darren May, Scottish Water, is our current Chair of the LPF Pension Board, and talks about the experience he’s gained as a member and opportunity to learn. See below for his Blog.

Find out more about being a Pension Board member at LPF | LothianPensionFund