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.

The postholder will be expected to operate in line with our values which are: justice, equity, trust, collaboration and compassion.

Overview

All roles at OPFS contribute to our mission of working with and for single parent families, providing support that enables them to achieve their potential and help create lasting solutions to the poverty and barriers facing many single parents and their children. Our core values of justice, equity, trust, collaboration and compassion are at the heart of everything we do and underpin all aspects of our work.

About this role

The Project Lead will play a key role in supporting the Regional Coordinator / Service Manager with the day-to-day management, coordination and delivery of the OPFS local service.

The postholder will provide operational leadership and support to the service team, helping to ensure high-quality, person-centred and effective support is provided to single parents, children and families.

The Project Lead will support the delivery of the Whole Family Support Third Sector Delivery Fund, working alongside families to address the issues that matter most to them and contributing to improved outcomes for parents, children and families.

Working within the My Life and Me framework, they will support a strengths-based, trauma-informed and whole-family approach. They will help ensure families receive coordinated support based on their individual circumstances, strengths, priorities and aspirations.

The Project Lead will support staff practice, workforce development, quality assurance, performance monitoring and service improvement. They will work closely with colleagues and partners to develop effective pathways and ensure families can access the appropriate support from OPFS and other services.

The postholder will provide day-to-day supervision, guidance and support to staff and relevant colleagues as delegated and will deputise for the Regional Coordinator / Service Manager when required.

The role will contribute to the development of local whole-family support approaches and to the wider OPFS ambition that families experience a “no wrong door” approach, where they can access coordinated support without having to repeatedly tell their story.

Working within the My Life and Me framework, the postholder will provide operational leadership, support and supervision to staff, ensure high-quality service delivery and undertake quality assurance activities.

The postholder will be expected to operate in line with our values which are: justice, equity, trust, collaboration and compassion.

Overview

All roles at OPFS contribute to our mission of working with and for single parent families, providing support that enables them to achieve their potential and help create lasting solutions to the poverty and barriers facing many single parents and their children. Our core values of justice, equity, trust, collaboration and compassion are at the heart of everything we do and underpin all aspects of our work.

About this role

We are looking for a talented Marketing Officer to join our Communications and Marketing team. This is an exciting opportunity to help raise the profile of One Parent Families Scotland ensuring that single parents know where they can turn to for advice and support. We are looking for a creative professional with the ability to combine excellent communication with strong design skills.

The postholder will be expected to operate in line with our values which are: justice, equity, trust, collaboration and compassion.

Overview

All roles at OPFS contribute to our mission of working with and for single parent families, providing support that enables them to achieve their potential and help create lasting solutions to the poverty and barriers facing many single parents and their children. Our core values of justice, equity, trust, collaboration and compassion are at the heart of everything we do and underpin all aspects of our work.

About this role

The National Financial Inclusion Manager will provide strategic and operational leadership for OPFS’s National Welfare Rights and Debt Service, ensuring that single parents across Scotland can access high-quality, person-centred welfare rights, benefits, money and debt advice. The postholder will lead the development and delivery of these services across OPFS frontline services and nationally, ensuring a consistent, accessible and high-quality approach across Scotland.

The postholder will directly line manage the Benefit, Debt and Money Advisors within the staff team, providing effective supervision, support, performance management and professional development. They will ensure consistent, high-quality advice and casework practice across the service and wider OPFS frontline delivery, in line with the Scottish National Standard for Advice and Information and relevant professional standards. The postholder will be required to achieve the Scottish National Standard for Advice (or equivalent recognised accreditation for money advice/welfare benefits) within their first year in post, and to lead the wider team towards accreditation.

The role will involve developing and embedding quality assurance processes, monitoring service performance and outcomes, managing the service budget, and building strong partnerships with statutory and voluntary sector organisations to strengthen referral pathways and maximise financial inclusion outcomes for single parent families. The postholder will also support the integration of welfare rights, benefits, money and debt advice across OPFS frontline services, sharing expertise, strengthening practice and ensuring families can access the right support at the right time.

The postholder will work closely with senior management to ensure the service is well resourced, evidence-based, and responsive to the needs of single parents, and will use frontline data and casework trends to inform OPFS’s wider policy and campaigning work on poverty and financial inclusion.

All roles at OPFS contribute to our mission of working with and for single parent families, providing support that enables them to achieve their potential and helping create lasting solutions to the poverty and barriers facing many single parents and their children. Our core values of trust, equity, justice, collaboration and compassion are at the heart of everything we do and underpin all aspects of our work.

The postholder will also use learning, outcomes and trends identified through My Life and Me and frontline casework to inform service development, quality improvement, funding and reporting, and OPFS’s wider policy and influencing work.