The Ventures Lab is a programme led by The Challenges Group, bringing over 25 years of experience in supporting impact-driven enterprises across 80 countries. Through The Ventures Lab, we apply this expertise to Scotland, building a pipeline of ventures that drive economic and social impact at scale.

The Ventures Lab is redefining how purpose-led enterprises access the expertise they need to grow and succeed. Through our pioneering Pooled Services model, we provide high quality business support in finance, legal, marketing, and business development, allowing ventures to focus on impact without the overheads of costly in-house teams.

Following a successful pilot with a select group of clients, we are now entering a crucial growth phase scaling pooled services into a national offering that will support social enterprises across Scotland. This is an exciting moment to shape and lead a transformative service.

We are seeking an experienced, strategic leader to drive the scaling, innovation, and long-term sustainability of pooled services, positioning The Ventures Lab as the go-to platform for social enterprises seeking expert business support

Role Overview

The Director of Venture Support Services will drive the strategic development and growth of The Ventures Lab’s pooled services. This role requires a strong balance of strategic leadership, operational oversight, and stakeholder engagement to ensure high-quality service delivery and long-term sustainability.

A key part of this role will be building and leading a team to deliver high-quality business support services. The successful candidate will be responsible for recruiting, managing, and developing a team of professionals to ensure seamless service delivery.

Additionally, the Director of Venture Support Services will develop a network of professional partners across various sectors and disciplines, securing a community of trusted advisors, pro-bono experts, and service providers who are committed to supporting purpose-led businesses through volunteering, discounted services, or strategic collaboration.

Growth Targets

In 2025, The Ventures Lab aims to recruit 20 new businesses into the pooled services model. From there, we plan to grow by a minimum of 50% year on year, steadily increasing our reach and impact. The Director of Venture Support Services will play a crucial role in achieving these targets by ensuring the model is scalable, effective, and financially sustainable.

We are seeking an inspiring and strategic leader to serve as the Director of Edinburgh World Heritage. This is a unique opportunity to lead a globally respected organisation dedicated to preserving and enhancing the city’s World Heritage Site while promoting its positive role in a dynamic, living city.

Reporting to the Board of Trustees, the Director will be responsible for providing visionary leadership, fostering a collaborative and inclusive organisational culture, ensuring financial sustainability, effective governance and the successful delivery of strategic objectives. They will serve as the primary spokesperson for the World Heritage Site, building strong relationships with key stakeholders.

The successful candidate will bring experience in the culture or heritage sectors, strong communication and interpersonal skills, financial and fundraising knowledge, and a passion for Edinburgh’s historic environment.

This role presents a chance to make a lasting impact on one of the world’s most celebrated World Heritage Sites.

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 Senior Communications Manager, you will lead a high performing communications team to deliver an outstanding approach to communications.

This is a key strategic role contributing to CHS’s vision to drive transformation and deliver positive outcomes for the children of Scotland. The postholder is responsible for establishing and maintaining the highest levels of internal and external communications. They will work with the Senior Leadership Team, board members and colleagues across directorates bringing a strategic approach to communications and engagement activities and proactively seek opportunities to build our brand and exercise influence across the sector.

You will be ensuring our executive and senior leadership teams are supported to the highest standards. Most importantly, as an invaluable enabler of strategic communications, you will help our leaders to deliver on our strategic priorities.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic communications; understanding, and helping others to understand, the critical role it plays in helping CHS to achieve its vision.
• Support continuous improvement in our approach to communications, building our brand and expanding our reach
• Developing the use of digital communications platforms, harnessing technologies to achieve our communication goals
• Provide independent advice and support to the senior leadership team and the Board on the communications strategy
• Responsible for utilizing the power of communication for CHS volunteer recruitment campaigns to support the delivery of our tribunal and fulfil our statutory functions.

Life at CHS

At Children’s Hearings Scotland, our highly trained Panel Members make decisions for Scotland’s unique Children’s Hearings System that upholds and promotes the rights of infants, children and young people. Our 2,500 volunteer Panel Members take part in children’s hearings in their local areas, making decisions with and for infants, children and young people. Our organisation also supports a network of Area Support Teams throughout Scotland who support Panel Members in their local communities.

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.

You can read more about our core values on our website as well as view an introductory video to our organisation. We also offer a generous benefits package from hybrid working to flexi hours and a fantastic pension scheme – check out our full benefits summary.

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.

Every day people with chest, heart and stroke conditions are leaving hospital scared and alone. You can be part of our mission to make sure that there is no life half lived in Scotland.

By joining Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland (CHSS) as Head of Fundraising you can be the difference between people just surviving and really living.

You will be part of Scotland’s leading charity providing support to people with chest, heart and stroke conditions to live life to the full again. Our Hospital to Home services form a nationwide network of local support groups, nurses, volunteers and one-to-one support teams helping families adjust to life with a heart or lung condition or after a stroke.

This is more than a leadership role — it's your chance to shape the future of Income Generation at Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland. As Head of Fundraising, you’ll play a pivotal role in translating our bold strategy into action, driving growth through insight-led decision-making, creativity, and innovation. Reporting to the Director of Income Generation, you’ll guide a talented team to deliver inspiring supporter experiences, and forge impactful relationships that align with our “No Life Half Lived” strategy.

We’re looking for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, purpose-driven environment and brings a deep understanding of marketing, data, technology, and supporter-centric fundraising. You’ll champion a culture of creativity and accountability, ensuring our supporter journeys are personalised, our processes are optimised, and our risks are well managed. With oversight of budget, health and safety, and compliance, you’ll be a strategic thinker, a motivational leader, and a brilliant collaborator – able to influence at all levels internally and externally. If you’re passionate about using technology and insight to unlock income growth and maximise impact, this is your opportunity to lead something truly meaningful.