Lesmahagow Development Trust is entering a landmark three-year period of growth. Supported by the Scottish Government’s Strengthening Communities Programme, we are moving beyond traditional grant-funded delivery toward a model of long-term economic independence and community-led infrastructure.

We are seeking a commercially-minded Business Manager to drive the financial evolution of the Trust. You will treat our community assets as a portfolio, identifying new revenue streams and operational efficiencies to ensure our long-term independence from grant funding.

You will be responsible for transitioning the trust away from grant dependency by optimising our assets and building a resilient, sustainable income model.

Key Deliverables:

• Commercial sustainability: identifying and developing business models that generate a sustainable commercial surplus to reduce grant dependency.
• Financial management & reporting: maintaining the Trust’s day-to-day financial records, managing cash flow, and producing internal quarterly reports to ensure the Trust remains within budget.
• Asset & operations oversight: strategic management of physical and financial assets to ensure they are performing optimally for the community.
• Grant compliance: ensuring all financial reporting for the Strengthening Communities Programme is accurate and submitted on time to trigger quarterly payments.

Essential Criteria:

• Commercial experience: proven track record in business management, commercial development, or social enterprise leadership.
• Financial literacy: competency in day-to-day financial management
• Reporting skills: ability to prepare clear financial summaries, reconciliations, and budget-versus-actual reports for Board review.
• Operational management: experience in overseeing contracts, leases, or facilities to ensure cost-efficiency and compliance.
• Strategic planning: ability to translate the Trust’s goals into viable business cases that generate income.

Desirable Criteria:

• Governance knowledge: understanding of charity finance regulations.
• Accountancy systems: experience in the use of cloud accounting software (e.g. Xero) and spreadsheet modeling.

The Larick is recruiting a Business Development Lead

Do you have the experience, knowledge, skills, imagination and enthusiasm to take us to the next level of service, self-sustainability and resilience?

The Larick Centre is Tayport’s purpose-built community hub, opened in 2020. Our lovely building has won several architectural awards and is home to a sports hall, activity rooms, a cafe, a campsite and a community fridge. Everything we do is achieved with a small staff team and a big band of volunteers, supported by the trustees of Tayport Community Trust and the directors of Tayport Community Enterprise.

Life at the Larick is for everyone. We are here to serve our local community, and we want to attract visitors to Tayport, too. We use our building for all kinds of activities, classes and events. These are a mix of our own community engagement (free or small charge) and private hire. Our cafe is a relaxed, airy space that has become a firm favourite with locals and visitors alike, and our popular campsite has already won TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice awards. Our community fridge (which is much more than just a fridge) ensures surplus food and household products do not go to waste.

In the past five-and-a-bit years, we’ve been establishing who we are and what we do as a charitable trust. It takes a lot of effort and money to serve the community well and so far, our grant funding applications have been successful. We need to maximise funding opportunities, but we can’t rely on these alone. We also generate income through room hire and the cafe and campsite, and this is something we need to build on. Can you help us develop an operating model for resilience and self-sufficiency that works in balance with our purpose and ethos?

We’re looking for someone who easily and positively communicates and engages with all kinds of individuals and groups; who can build teams, collaborate and create; someone with imagination and ideas; someone who looks for opportunities and solutions, and knows how to maximise potential; someone who skilfully and strategically plans, markets and promotes. And of course, someone who cares about people and community as much as we do.

Huntly Development Trust (HDT) is an ambitious, active community-led company and charity working to make Huntly and District a better place to live, work and visit. Established in 2009, we work with other to improve the quality of life in Huntly and District. We have now established a track record of achievement that is increasingly valued locally and recognised nationally.

One of our key projects since 2014 has been development and operation of the Huntly Travel Hub (HTH) to improve ways of getting around our small market town and its wider rural catchment in a green and active way. With support from a range of funders, as well as HDT’s own resources, the project has grown to a fleet of 20 e-bikes, a two car Co-wheels franchise and a community minibus. The HTH is also leading work to improve getting around Huntly more safely through the ongoing Mini Holland initiative and has overseen a community-led plan to develop, improve and promote a path network across the local area. The HTH operates from its own dedicated recently refurbished premises in Huntly Town Centre.

Thanks to funding from the NESTRANS People and Places Programme 2026-27, HDT is seeking to recruit a manager for the HTH. The purpose of the post is to work with a range of stakeholders to maximise the benefits and opportunities that the HTH offers, ensure that it runs in a safe and welcoming manner and generates income for reinvestment. The post-holder will promote and manage all aspects of the HTH, including bookings, repair and maintenance of the vehicle fleet and premises, further development of the paths and Mini-Holland programmes, and develop new avenues for the HTH. The post is offered on a permanent basis, subject to funding/finances. The starting annual salary is £35-36,000 depending on experience and qualifications, plus a contributory pension scheme.

Background

This is an exciting and challenging opportunity to work with a driven team in one of Scotland’s most well regarded and effective local active travel and bike refurbishing charities.

The Bike Station has been based in the community for over 20 years, with a credible reputation of recycling, refurbishing and reusing donated bikes and making bikes available within the community.

Our communities continue to be under increasing pressure with the cost-of-living crisis and within a climate crisis.

Enabling more people to choose cycling has multiple financial, health and social benefits and the demand for our services has grown in recent years.

We are looking for a confident and strategic Development Manager to build strong relationships and develop services that will significantly enhance their sustainable income.

This role will create and lead our long-term unrestricted income and business opportunities.

Primary Aim

Contribute to the long-term sustainability of The Bike Station by increasing unrestricted income.

Purpose of the role

• Explore and source public giving commercial opportunities in alignment with The Bike Stations strategic objectives.
• Analyse market data to support opportunities for business development with existing and potential clients and provide recommendations to success and routes to increased revenue.
• Develop and maintain strategic partnerships and relationships developing strong working relationships with key stakeholders, influencing decisions both internally & externally.
• Develop and deliver our commercial income opportunities including our skills development programme, corporate volunteering and public giving campaigns.
• Collaborate with The Bike Stations refurbishing, skills development, community, volunteering and communications teams to ensure strong customer experience .
• Lead on developing messaging, with the support from the Communications Team, to create marketing materials that facilitates expansion of The Bike Stations commercial and giving opportunities.
• Monitor performance against budget and implementing action plans to ensure achievement of budget targets.
• Line manage Volunteer Development Officer and Communications Officer to ensure programmes of activity are well resourced, ensuring high quality with a commitment to continuous improvement and return custom.
• Such other tasks as may be required which are consistent with the duties and responsibilities of the post.

Person Specification

Real experience, aptitude, values, fit with team and a passion for cycling are more important to us than formal qualifications.

That being said this post requires strong business acumen, evidence of successful income generation and a practical and effective approach.

Essential

• Confident, self-motivated and proactive with excellent communication, organisational and people skills.
• An excellent understanding of third sector and commercial business development including charitable trading, grants and contracts.
• Evidence of securing unrestricted income through commercial and public giving campaigns
• An excellent relationship builder with people and professionals from a range of backgrounds and sectors: ideally someone with gravitas and integrity.
• Ability to process complex information, analyse data and articulate it well to a range of audiences and stakeholders.
• Experience of completing financial and resource analyses of opportunities to create sustainable options and lead on creating appropriate plans. This can include options appraisals, business plans, funding assessments.
• Experience of preparing programme budgets including financial reports and cash flow forecasts.
• Ability to problem-solve and design and implement solutions.
• Ability to manage their time effectively, multitask, work on several projects simultaneously with tight timescales.
• Proficient in the use of technology and willing to learn new ways of working as needed.
• An excellent team player and willing to share skills and knowledge with co-workers with experience developing an line managing teams