This is a senior policy and parliamentary engagement role requiring autonomous strategic thinking and confident stakeholder engagement. You'll be Close the Gap's lead on parliamentary relationships and policy development, working with considerable independence to shape our advocacy strategy and manage complex stakeholder relationships.

With Scottish Parliament elections in May 2026, this is a pivotal time to join Close the Gap as our Policy and Parliamentary Lead. You'll build relationships with a new cohort of MSPs, strengthen our parliamentary engagement strategy, and directly influence Scotland's approach to women's labour market equality. This newly permanent role reflects our long-term investment in this critical function.

As a small organisation, we looking for someone who can be the authoritative voice for Close the Gap on parliamentary engagement and policy development - thinking strategically, identifying opportunities, setting priorities, and delivering high-quality outputs with minimal supervision. You'll work collaboratively with colleagues but will be expected to own your delivery areas, exercise judgement independently, and represent the organisation confidently with senior stakeholders.

Organisation profile

Close the Gap is Scotland’s 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 work strategically with policymakers, employers and unions to address the causes of the gender pay gap. We deliver advocacy to influence policy and legislative change; produce research, analysis and insight into women’s diverse experiences of the labour market; and influence and enable employers to develop intersectional, gender-sensitive employment practice.

Equality statement

Close the Gap recognises that we have a responsibility to operate in line with our values. We know that structural inequalities constrain and harm the lives of marginalised communities of people such as racially minoritised people, disabled people, LGBTQ+ people, migrant people, people who are single parents, and people of faith. This is particularly important for those who experience intersecting and compounding inequalities. As part of this, we are working to become an anti-racism organisation through a proactive review of our policies and practices, and are currently developing an anti-racism action plan.

We acknowledge that our team does not yet reflect the diversity of women's experiences in Scotland's labour market. We therefore particularly encourage applications from racially minoritised people and disabled people who are currently underrepresented in our team.

sparqs is a charity funded by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), working with Scotland's university and college sectors. Our purpose is to ensure students are partners in shaping the quality of learning, making positive change to their own and others’ experience, however and wherever they learn. It aims to foster a culture of partnership between students and staff which enables the Scottish education sector to respond to challenges and realize its ambitions to provide the best possible experience for each and every student.

Volunteer Chair of Trustee Board

We are looking for a chair of Trustees who will lead our Board with integrity, insight and enthusiasm. This is an opportunity to guide a highly-regarded charity into its next exciting chapter.

As our new Chair you will have:

• Experience of being a strategic leader, including experience of working with a board either as a CEO/Director reporting to board, or as a board member/chair.
• Commitment and enthusiasm to the work of sparqs in terms of a student-led approach, role of student engagement in quality enhancement and value of partnership approaches.
• Ability to represent and promote the organisation publicly, acting as an ambassador and networker to further the attainment of organisational aims.
• Ability to influence, at a senior level, partner, and other stakeholder organisations particularly in the Scottish post-16 education sector.
• Commitment to the positive value of diversity, promoting equality and challenging discrimination and willingness to play an active role in creating an environment that promotes these values.

If you believe you have the experience and qualities we are seeking to contribute to this important organisation, we very much look forward to hearing from you. Working in a diverse sector and with diverse students, we are keen to receive applications from people of all backgrounds and with all different kinds of life experiences.

Equal Say has been providing advocacy for people with disabilities and their carers since 1995. We want to recruit a new worker for our project in North Lanarkshire providing collective advocacy for carers of people with disabilities, mental ill health and/or long-term conditions.

We require one full time worker but will also consider two part time workers, working 21 (£18,926) and/or 14 (£12,618) hours per week subject to negotiation.

The project is funded initially for one year with further funding extensions subject to project evaluation. We would particularly welcome applications from candidates with experience as an unpaid carer and a passion for carers’ rights.

If you have knowledge or experience of any of the following, we want to hear from you:

• Providing advocacy or representation to marginalised people
• Experience of working with carers, adults or children with disabilities, mental ill health or long-term conditions.
• Experience of groupwork in a community setting
• Autonomous working within communities
• A passion for inclusion and natural justice

We offer 37 days holiday, employer pension contribution of 8.75% if the employee contributes 6%, travel allowance, company mobile phone/laptop and flexible working. Generally, this means you work to the needs of advocacy partners on any day Monday to Friday that suits your and the project’s needs. It is a mixture working from home and some days in our office base in Wishaw but mostly in community settings across North Lanarkshire.

Access to suitable transport and driving license are essential for this position due to the size and nature of the Local Authority area covered.

This post is subject to membership of the PVG scheme and suitable references.

Please read the Background Information, Job Description and Person Specification.

ESOL Scotland Ltd. Is looking for a qualified and dedicated Development Worker to support the delivery of our online national ESOL project by contributing to the planning, learner engagement, and evaluation of high-quality ESOL provision. A full job description is included below. The Development Worker will work closely with the Senior Development Worker and wider team to ensure the project meets its objectives and supports learners effectively.

This is a temporary role until 31st March 2026 but may be extended subject to funding.