- Advertised from 30th April 2025
- 35 hours per week. Occasional evening and weekend work is expected for this role Contract: Permanent, subject to a probationary period of 6 months
- Holiday entitlement: 30 days per year, plus 9 bank holidays.
Role
We are seeking a dynamic and experienced CEO to shape the future of our services and operations and lead our highly engaged team. Bring your drive and enthusiasm to lead Publishing Scotland and manage its strategic direction and delivery. The focus of our work is to support this sector with book trade and cultural initiatives, marketing, funding, training, advocacy and partnership working. Skills in leadership, strategic development, networking, communication, and project management are needed to run our operations. You will work closely with a supportive board of trustees and committees.
Publishing Scotland is the trade, development, and network body for the book publishing sector in Scotland. Based in Edinburgh, the charity exists to support members, act as the voice of the sector, train, host events, and fund publishers, and work in partnership with a wide range of organisations, public and private, to create opportunities and change for the book publishing sector. Mainly funded by Creative Scotland, we work both nationally and internationally to promote the work of the Scottish publishing industry.
We are seeking a new CEO who will oversee and take forward our strategic plan for 2025-2028, extend and deepen our work, lead the team, and elevate our profile both nationally and internationally.
The right person for this role will be an experienced leader, a passionate champion of publishing creativity and business, an effective relationship builder, and someone who will inspire and energise the team as well as the organisation’s diverse range of members, partners and stakeholders. This is an opportunity to lead an organisation and team that is highly valued by its community and operating in a challenging business environment where demand for support continues to rise.
Publishing Scotland consists of over 100 publishing and supplier companies and individuals, with oversight from a board of twelve trustees, and there is a separate but closely allied trading subsidiary company, Booksource Ltd, (a book distribution company based outside Glasgow) with its own board and employees.
Key tasks and responsibilities
KEY RELATIONSHIPS:
• Internal - Reporting to the Chair of the Board, the Chief Executive line manages the team and sits on the boards of PS and Booksource.
• External – manages the relationship with the main funding body, Creative Scotland; members of Publishing Scotland and all main creative bodies working within the literature sector in Scotland
KEY TASKS
General - strategic leadership, operational management, financial oversight, stakeholder engagement, and risk management.
• To develop a programme offer which appeals to a wide range of members, demonstrates excellence, and aims to grow appetite and demand for the output of Scottish-based publishers and the writing community.
• To lead on the international working of Publishing Scotland including running the International Publishing Fellowships scheme and the work of Scottish Books International.
• To deliver the organisation’s business plan 2025-2028 and to create the next strategic plan for presentation to the Board.
• Be accountable to the Board and to funding bodies, ensuring the sustainability and responsible stewardship of Publishing Scotland, and future-proofing its finances.
• To be responsible for all financial matters including the presentation of management accounts, long- and short-term financial plans, cashflow forecasts and budgets to the board in conjunction with the Finance Officer and Treasurer.
• To represent the sector and organisation to stakeholders, sponsors and funding bodies; in public and industry forums; and in the media.
• To seek and create partnerships with organisations, charities and businesses.
• To create an energised environment conducive to the production of high-quality and healthy working practice from staff and freelancers; to lead staff to maintain effective management and employment policies; to encourage and enable professional development.
• To ensure the implementation of Publishing Scotland’s policies, in line with the mission, vision and values.
• To act as Company Secretary, ensuring that the Board is provided with appropriate information to enable strategic decisions and oversight.
• To ensure compliance with all relevant legislation as employer, limited company and registered charity.
As the successful candidate, you will demonstrate:
• Experience of working in the publishing industry would be an advantage
• A strong understanding of the landscape of the publishing industry, and the wider publishing and writing ecology
• Evidence of leading the development of an organisation’s short- and long-term strategies and policies
• The ability to develop innovative ideas and partnerships to meet the publishing community’s needs.
• Experience in governance, charity administration, and financial management
• Experience of accountability to funders, to the board of directors/trustees or stakeholders of the company
• Proven ability to enhance an organisation's profile through effective external communications.
• A commitment to fostering a positive, inclusive organisational culture that unites teams and aligns them with organisational goals.
• Resilience, adaptability, and strong internal communication skills.
Application notes
A Recruitment Pack is available for download below.
To apply for the role of Chief Executive, please submit both a CV and a personal statement explaining your motivation for the application and why you are well-suited to the role.
Please submit the details and two referees and let us know if we are free to approach them. We will not check references without prior approval.
Applications should be emailed, marked ‘Publishing Scotland CEO post’ in the subject line, to the chair, Kate.Gibb@canongate.co.uk.
The deadline for applications is Friday 9th May 2025.
Shortlisting and panel interviews – mid to late May 2025
Start date for successful candidate – in order to have a transition and handover from the current CEO, we would anticipate the start date to be no later than 31 August, but earlier is preferable.
Downloads
For 40 years, Artlink has worked with the arts to creatively challenge how disabled people have a voice and influence in their communities. We have a reputation for bold ideas, deep listening, and fearless experimentation.
As our long-standing Director prepares to retire, we are looking for a new Chief Executive Officer - someone ready to lead us into the next exciting phase of our journey. We are looking for a creative thinker and collaborative leader who believes in collective working and the transformational power of art.
As Chief Executive Officer you will lead on strategy, delivery and finance.
You will have a passion for people, a grounded understanding of the realities of their lives, and an awareness that our strategy is also shaped by the changing landscapes of care, health, education and equalities.
You will guide the development and delivery of our arts programmes, making a compelling case for the evolving role of art in the lives of marginalised communities.
You will be confident about working across sectors and major funders - often in challenging circumstances, securing the resources needed to drive on our work.
Most of all, you will bring a real excitement about what is possible. If you believe in the power of art to build partnerships, open doors, and create real change, we’d love to hear from you.
Top job! Chief Executive Officer
- Full time
- £45,000
- Hybrid: Dumfries and Galloway
- Closing 26th May 2025
Wigtown Festival Company is seeking a creative leader to guide one of Scotland’s most valued cultural organisations into its next chapter. Our new Chief Executive Officer will champion our mission, strengthen our impact and build on our hard-earned reputation.
Wigtown is Scotland’s National Book Town and the annual Wigtown Book Festival is now one of the UK’s best-established literary gatherings, featuring more than 200 sessions each year for all ages, encompassing visual arts, music, theatre and food as well as literary events.
The festival draws writers and members of its audience from far and wide, while continuing to celebrate the rich history and culture of south-west Scotland. Wigtown Festival Company was established as a charity in 2007 to deliver the annual festival, and since then both the festival and its year-round engagement and educational activity has grown significantly: developing new audiences, helping writers fulfil their potential, cultivating a love of reading for pleasure in children, and providing creative opportunities for young people.
This is an exciting time for Wigtown Festival Company. Having secured Multi-Year Funding from Creative Scotland and recently acquiring a permanent home in Wigtown, the new position of Chief Executive Officer provides an opportunity for the right individual to make a significant positive impact on the creative direction of the organisation and contribute to the wider ongoing regeneration of Scotland’s National Book Town.
If you are passionate about books and their power to change lives, and are interested in shaping culture-led regeneration of Scotland’s National Book Town, then we would love to hear from you.
The Role
As CEO, you will provide strong, visible leadership, ensuring Wigtown Festival Company remains a sustainable, creative organisation that meets the evolving needs of Scotland’s cultural sector. Reporting to the Board, you will drive the creative and strategic vision of the organisation, leading a staff team to deliver operational excellence, financial sustainability, and sustainable growth.
You will be the public face of the organisation, representing the organisation at the highest levels, advocating for our activities and fostering relationships with key funders and stakeholders across the cultural sector.
Who we’re looking for
We are seeking a creative and strategic leader with the following attributes:-
- Respected and connected in arts/literary networks and understands the opportunities and challenges facing the cultural economy, charitable sector and rural communities
- An outstanding communicator and advocate, with the ability to build strong partnerships and influence key decision-makers, funders and stakeholders.
- An investor in people, empowering and supporting the development of colleagues
- Experienced in leadership, management, business planning and organisational development, preferably within literature and leading arts organisations
- Experienced in community and organisational development
- A strong strategic and financial mindset, capable of leading an event-based organisation with a focus on fundraising and long-term sustainability.
- Committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, ensuring we continue to reach and attract new audiences, supporting writer development and providing creative opportunities to more young people.
Top job! Senior Advocacy and Public Affairs Manager
- Full time
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- Hybrid: Edinburgh
- Closing 19th May 2025
Museums Galleries Scotland (MGS) is the National Development Body for Scotland’s museums and galleries. We support a sector of 449 museums and galleries, through strategic investment, workforce development, advice and advocacy. We are a forward facing and inclusive organisation, committed to the ongoing development of a positive culture for our team.
We are seeking an experienced professional to lead our work to clearly communicate the positive value and impact of the museums and galleries sector. You will do this by developing and leading advocacy campaigns and activity that make a strong case for Scotland’s museums and galleries sector to influence a range of external audiences and stakeholders including Government Officials, Government Ministers, MSPs, relevant Committees, relevant funders and other key organisations and influencers.
Politically astute, the Senior Advocacy and Public Affairs Manager possesses strong communication and influencing skills, using research and information to build a political and public case for our sector and inform evidence-based advocacy messaging and activity.
Being able to navigate and effectively communicate complex issues that implicate the wider culture and heritage sector in Scotland will be essential. MGS has worked to raise awareness of the budget challenges faced by our sector while also striving to adapt to ensure relevance to communities and users. An exciting new capacity programme with the Scottish Government is in development designed to transition the sector to a sustainable footing and you would play an instrumental role in shaping how we communicate the benefits of this programme to key stakeholders.
This role offers an enriching opportunity to be creative and proactive in developing our organisational voice to highlight the immense value of Scotland’s museums and galleries
The successful candidate will manifest MGS’s core values: collaboration, integrity, passion for museums, and courageousness.
Leith Theatre Trust is looking for an experienced and driven Capital Fundraising Consultant to help lead one of Edinburgh’s most exciting cultural projects and support the Trust's second round application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund. This is a unique opportunity to play a key role in bringing an iconic building back to life for the people of Leith, Edinburgh and beyond.
Leith Theatre first opened in 1932 as a gift to the people of Leith. After decades of disrepair and a successful campaign to save it from private redevelopment in the mid-2000s, Leith Theatre Trust have been working to secure its future as a valuable contributor to Edinburgh’s cultural landscape.
The plan is to refurbish the category B listed building and create an innovative mid-size music and performance space, inspiring wide engagement and, ahead of its 100-year anniversary in 2032, finally fulfil its original premise as in inclusive civic centre of arts, culture and community.
The Trust is seeking a consultant to update and deliver the capital fundraising strategy. The candidate must have a proven track record of delivering successful capital campaigns and bring the drive and ambition to support this transformational project in the heart of Leith. Working with the Executive Team, you will lead the campaign to raise circa £5.5 million for the first phase of capital works, due to begin in 2027.
For more information visit the Leith Theatre website.
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