An exciting opportunity has become available to join Families Outside as our Communications Manager. We are looking for a proactive, creative individual to lead this work. If you are experienced and passionate about leading our full team through development and implementation of a communications strategy that reflects our Vision and Strategic Aims, then please join us!

About Us:

Families Outside is the only national charity in Scotland that works solely to support families affected by imprisonment. Imprisonment can have a huge impact on the things that matter most to families: money and secure housing, safe and connected relationships at home and in the community, and the emotional health and wellbeing of families. Families Outside is dedicated to providing a range of practical, social, and emotional support to people with someone in prison that are relationship-based, prison-aware, and family-focused.

Role Summary:

• Hours: 28 hours per week
• Contract: 2-year fixed term contract (renewal subject to funding)
• Starting salary: Families Outside Scale Points 38-41 and updated annually subject to appraisal and where funds allow. Starting salary £38,205 pro rata (0.8FTE = £30,564)
• Probation period: A probationary period of 6 months will apply.
• Location: Families Outside Head Office, Edinburgh, with scope for hybrid working

Staff Benefits:

• 25 flexible leave days plus 10 public holidays (pro rata)
• 4% matched contribution workplace pension scheme
• Hybrid & flexible working
• Employee Assistance Programme (Health Assured)
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Laptop and mobile phone for all staff

The Role:

The purpose of this role is to develop and implement strategic communications plans and increase the visibility and inclusion of families affected by imprisonment. The post holder will be responsible for communications including media relations, digital communications, and developing a strong voice for families in line with organisational aims.

They will:

• Develop and implement a communications and marketing strategy for the whole organisation to increase the engagement, visibility, and inclusion of families affected by imprisonment.
• Increase the volume of families affected by imprisonment and key stakeholders who access the information and support available from Families Outside.
• Develop key messages to ensure Families Outside is the lead national voice on the issues relating to families affected by imprisonment and identify and disseminate priority areas for policy and practice change regarding issues of common concern for families.
• Design and implement influencing activity including events, conferences, roundtable discussions, relationships with the media, and development of tools and resources.
• Engage a wide range of audiences, including the public, families affected by imprisonment, and professionals working in key settings.
• Provide safe and effective opportunities for families to influence and engage in communications work.

About You:

We are looking for an individual who is:

• Experienced in leading effective communications strategies that utilise a range of social media, marketing tools, and digital platforms
• Rights-focused and trauma-informed in their work and all they do
• Skilled in negotiation, written and oral communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills
• A confident and effective contributor able to work independently and as part of a team.

If you are an experienced professional with skills in communications, marketing, and the media and are passionate about making a positive difference for vulnerable groups, then we want to hear from you.

In this role, you’ll:

• Create helpful, clear and accessible resources and information for parents and carers for the support line section of the Children First website.
• Translate complex information about support and services into clear, accessible and engaging communications for families.
• Update and manage website content using the CMS, ensuring information is accurate, accessible and up to date.
• Drive forward organic social media activity promoting the support line, share new resources created for families and develop engaging multimedia content, including video.
• Support children and families to safely and appropriately share their stories, following Children First’s story‑gathering, consent and safeguarding processes at all times.
• Use insight, learning and feedback to inform continuous improvement in communications activity.

We’d love to hear from you if you have:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
• A proactive, collaborative approach and commitment to our values.
• Previous experience in a similar communications role.
• Strong social media skills.
• Excellent ICT skills and strong experience of Canva and creating video content.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to concisely summarise key information.

What we offer:

• A workplace with values of with love, with purpose and with strength
• 40 days annual leave, inclusive of bank holidays
• Pension scheme and wellbeing support
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements
• Access to Westfield Health, giving colleagues and their families confidential counselling support, wellbeing resources, and access to health and lifestyle benefits to support physical and mental wellbeing.
• Blue Light card discount
• A Fair Work accredited workplace

Our Values

Living our values, you will help create a workplace where our people can thrive, ensuring we deliver the best possible support to children and families.

With love, we put children first.

With purpose, we transform lives together.

With strength, we do whatever it takes to protect Scotland’s children.

Founded with a commitment to social justice and inclusion in 1998, the Multi-Cultural Family Base (MCFB) is a leading organisation in Edinburgh dedicated to supporting diverse communities and enhancing the well-being of infants, children and families from all cultural backgrounds. MCFB provides essential community-based services, such as therapeutic group work, direct work, advocacy, and support to minoritised groups. MCFB is also a learning centre, supporting the professional development of social work students and other social care professions, with a focus on cross-cultural work and anti-racist practice.

Bright Choices project:

At Bright Choices, we offer free and confidential help to women, men, and families from ethnically diverse backgrounds who have experienced or are at risk of ‘honour-based’ abuse (HBA). This can include domestic abuse, extended family abuse, coercive control, forced marriage, and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

You will have a relevant professional qualification and experience of group and individual work with people affected by trauma, isolation and VAWG. You will have a strong understanding of HBA, and people who are likely to experience disadvantage or discrimination due to their race, ethnicity or cultural backgrounds.

Our referred families include new migrants, those who are seeking asylum, refugees and survivors of human trafficking.

Job Purpose

The role holder will work closely with the wider Bright Choices team to provide practical and emotional support to individuals and families identified as being vulnerable. You will have a good knowledge and understanding of Honour-Based Violence and FGM and its impacts and have a commitment to protecting children and young people by recognising, assessing and responding to risk.

The post holder will coordinate and develop the delivery of the project in accordance with the needs of service users, and to the expectations of funders and key stakeholders, ensuring the optimal promotion of the Project is relayed. The postholder will be responsible for line management of staff, students and volunteers, and contribute to direct service provision through a proportionate caseload and the delivery of groupwork.

The post holder will uphold MCFB’s mission, vision and values. They will work collaboratively across the organisation as a key member of the leadership team, ensuring effective communication and team working.

Are you passionate about play, and ready to lead the practicalities of session delivery?

We are seeking a Team Leader to coordinate and deliver high-quality, self-directed play opportunities across Midlothian. This is a frontline role, combining practical delivery with day-to-day coordination.

About Play Midlothian

Play Midlothian is a registered charity (no. SC025474) working to enable every child in Midlothian to thrive through play by creating opportunities, removing barriers and addressing inequalities. We have an office base at the One Dalkeith Business Hub in central Dalkeith, but deliver services throughout Midlothian, and if commissioned, beyond.

About the Role

On appointment, the postholder will coordinate Out2Play (enabling children to play outside in greenspaces close to their homes) and some of our Play in Mind sessions (supporting children’s mental health through adventurous play in woodlands).

The postholder will also staff other sessions run by Play Midlothian, working across each of our services. We champion self-directed play, with a focus on loose parts, and use varied community settings to create rich play opportunities. A high proportion of sessions take place outdoors.

Travel and transportation of play resources to multiple sites across Midlothian is required for successful delivery of our services. Most sessions take place after school hours and on Saturdays, with some during the school day, so flexibility is required, though we share out weekend working on a rota so that everyone gets predictable weekends off.

This role would suit someone with playwork, youth work or family support experience who is ready to step into frontline management — or an existing manager looking for a values-led, varied, community-based role.

If you are enthusiastic about enabling children to play in their own ways, we would love to hear from you.