Borders Community Action is seeking a dynamic and highly motivated individual to join our team. This is an exciting role in a fresh dynamic organisation that is looking to maximise the capability of the vital third sector across the Scottish Borders.

The Community Development Lead role includes direct support to local charities, voluntary organisations, and social enterprises by providing guidance on governance, capacity building, and partnership development. A key aspect of the role involves assisting groups with funding applications and pre-assessment of funds distributed by Borders Community Action. The Community Development Lead will also be responsible for promoting volunteering and work with partners to foster collaboration and help drive sustainable social impact.

Strong communication, networking, project management skills and good understanding of grant processes are essential for success in this role. It is expected that a significant proportion of this work will be dedicated to Eastern Borders.

VAER has an exciting opportunity for a Partnership and Policy Manager to join our amazing team and lead its partnership and policy work as part of the Third Sector Interface role for East Renfrewshire.

The post holder will be responsible for VAER’s Third Sector Interface role in Community Planning, which seeks to facilitate effective Third Sector participation and representation across partnership and planning forums. Bringing excellent facilitative leadership approaches, you will support effective Third Sector partnerships and networks to develop and build the capacity of the third sector to lead positive change in their communities.

You will have good knowledge of public sector policy and the reform landscape in Scotland and of the issues and opportunities affecting the Third Sector. You will be able to bring forward a range of views with confidence and diplomacy and have experience of working with third sector in Community Planning environments.

Working as part of the senior management team of VAER, you will be supported by our Third Sector capacity, Volunteer Development, and wider community engagement staff team to develop a mature Third Sector Forum that will take a lead role in Policy development and Service Design in East Renfrewshire.

We are looking for a colleague passionate about supporting collaboration, developing capacity and highlighting the role and impact of the third sector in nurturing and developing local economies and enterprise. You will provide oversight and leadership of our work across the building of strong local economies, development of local enterprise and cross-portoflio working for a wellbeing economy, developing relationships with local anchor organisations like the local authority and South of Scotland Enterprise, with communities and across our sector.

Develop and deliver plans to support capacity building for third sector organisations across Dumfries and Galloway in areas of economic development and enterprise.

Ensure the provision of resources and advice for the sector on key themes of policy, practice, research and the further development of an economy and enterprise online hub.

Oversee the coordination and support of the Social Enterprise Dumfries and Galloway (SEDG) network.

Develop and manage relationships and partnership working with a variety of organisations to support the role of, and capacity within, the third sector, including the role of the sector and communities in economic investment and development decisions.

With partners, support the understanding of Community Wealth Building, the importance of local economies and the role of social enterprises.

Promote shared learning about Community Wealth Building and how we explore the pillars of CWB to benefit local people and place, working alongside CLES and SoSE.

Ensure the appropriate allocation of resources to maximise impact, including through high quality tools, advice and routes to signposting to sources of expert help so that our advice for the sector is consistent and of high quality.

Joining our new Economic Development and Enterprise Team, we’re looking for a colleague who is passionate about local participation with an interest in supporting the building of strong local/social enterprising activity. Our new colleague will support the delivery of our Social Enterprise Strategy through the development of resources and models of advice for new and existing social enterprises to help them grow and develop. As a great communicator and someone who thrives in developing new connections and relationships, the Officer will also be involved in events and projects for the third sector working with colleagues across the organisation.

• Help raise the awareness of social enterprise across Dumfries and Galloway.
• Support capacity building for social enterprises across Dumfries and Galloway on key areas of development, including working with other team members to coordinate advice, support and training.
• Contribute to the further development of our Social Enterprise Network, including engaging with members, building the membership and supporting collaboration.
• Build knowledge and understanding of the local/social economy and enterprise landscape to help in advocacy and the promotion of the sectors potential.
• Work with colleagues across our Locality, Communication and Funding teams to maximise our collective impact for the sector and contribute to our wider success.

More about you

• You will be able to demonstrate working knowledge gained from either community development or direct work within/alongside the third sector more generally.
• You may have had experience of social enterprise or supporting local economic development, but we can support you in this area.
• You will be able to show your understanding of the third sector, the scope of the sector’s work and challenges faced.
• You will be able to show examples of effective application of key skills, including organisation and planning, problem solving, building presentations, writing reports.
• You will have had experience of building effective professional relationships inside and outside of your organisation.
• You will be able to show your commitment improvement and demonstrating impact.