Opportunity

Board Member Opportunities

Looking to gain Board level experience?

Are you a professional in Social Change, Procurement, ICT, Health and Safety?

Then read on to find out more . . .

Who Are We?

Newmilns Snow and Sports Complex is a dynamic and evolving organisation dedicated to changing people’s lives. As the only UK Charity Ski Slope, we are proudly different.

Using the power of the great outdoors and a ‘sport for change’ model we develop confidence, motivation, and employment skills through snow sports. We work with children and adults, schools and youth groups delivering employability, personal development, volunteering, and training opportunities at our rural, East Ayrshire site.

The most direct benefit of our work is delivered to disadvantaged or hard to reach groups. To achieve this, we work with our community to identify the issues important to them, develop and deliver solutions to ensure everyone has access to opportunities to make the changes needed to live positive and fulfilling lives.

We also have a busy snow sports lesson schedule, offer recreational skiing and snowboarding, tubing (sledging) and children’s parties.

Opportunity Description

Our wonderful business is experiencing exciting change and growth, with an expending social impact portfolio, increasing staff team and specialisms, introduction of transformative digital solutions and a growing passion for increasing opportunities within our community.

Ready for a new challenge?

If you are looking to gain Board experience and an opportunity and to share your skills and experience to shape and drive our business strategy in pursuit of our charitable aims and to, inspire and empower our teams through this exciting growth period, this is a fabulous opportunity.

Skills & Qualifications Required

If you are professional working in Social Change, Procurement, Health and Safety or ICT, we be particularly interested and would love to hear from you.

We need you to bring your professional background, share your expertise to advise and guide the strategic direction, governance and compliance of our business. We can bring the excitement, adventure and thrill of the outdoors and an amazing team to your next opportunity!

Essentially you just need to be a great team player, enjoy working collaboratively to achieve shared goals and make a difference to the lives of other. You should be,

• A great communicator and comfortable contributing to senior level discussion.

• Inquisitive, happy to ask questions, challenge and clarify information.

• Confident to share a refreshed view on business processes.

• Have knowledge and experience of identifying and delivering solutions within your area of expertise.

• Share in our core values and ensure the strategic direction of the business is aligned with our vision, values and charitable aims.

• A background in the Charities or Social Enterprise sectors, desirable.

Why Join Us

You can expect to join a small, dedicated, volunteer team of passionate professionals who share our values and are committed to positive social change in our community.

• Shared and equal responsibility.

• Bi-Monthly online meetings.

• Some subcommittee group work as required.

• Appointment for a 2-years with opportunity for reappointment for a further 2 years.

• Develop Board and leadership experience.

• Be part of a vibrant growing business where fun under pins our lifechanging activities.

• Free slope access.

We are an equal opportunities employer with a commitment to making reasonable adjustments for candidates who may require them.

Key information

• Salary: £32,000 pro rata.

• Contract type: This is a part-time position and a one-year fixed term contract, with the possibility of extension depending on funding.

• Benefits: Flexible working hours; 8% employer pension contribution; 25 days annual leave (pro rata) plus bank holidays.

• Hours: 2.5 days per week. Future Economy Scotland is a 4-day week accredited organisation, and the salary for this role reflects an equivalent uplift in salary for part-time staff. Working days for this role are negotiable between Monday and Thursday to accommodate other employment, caring or other responsibilities.

• Location: Anywhere in Scotland. Please note, employees currently work from home, but should you prefer to work from an office, we are open to resourcing a co-working space, budget permitting

• Reporting to: Co-Director.

About the organisation

Future Economy Scotland is a non-partisan think tank that aims to create a new economy that is democratic, sustainable and just. We believe that Scotland cannot overcome the intertwined challenges it faces by making minor tweaks to the status quo, or by simply ameliorating the worst excesses of a broken model. Instead, we must embrace bold new ideas to transform the economy. Our mission is to develop transformative policies that aim to decarbonise, democratise and decommodify Scotland’s economy. Future Economy Scotland has organisational values that aim to underpin our work. These values are:

• Solidarity: understanding different but often interconnected struggles;

• Generosity: operating in a movement-generous way that amplifies the voices of others; and

• Respect: rooting the way we work in care, compassion and sustainability.

We are an accredited Living Wageemployer, and have been accredited as a Gold Standard 4 day week employer by the 4 Day Week campaign.

Role summary

Future Economy is looking for an experienced and highly organised Executive Assistant to provide operational and administrative support to the Co-Directors and maximise the organisation’s impact. The role is an opportunity to join a small, dynamic and purpose-driven team focused on driving progressive change across Scotland. The role involves working closely with the Co-Directors in a fast paced environment, ensuring that the organisation functions effectively and produces high-quality, impactful work.

Key responsibilities

• Maintaining a filing system for key financial documents (invoices, receipts, expenses and grants) to be processed by our accountants

• Managing diaries and organising internal and external meetings, travel and accommodation

• Managing Future Economy Scotland’s external email inbox

• Purchasing office supplies

• Developing and maintaining a filing system by keeping the GoogleDrive organised

• Providing administrative support for Board meetings (scheduling, arranging logistics, assisting with Board papers and taking minutes)

• Keeping track of key financial and reporting deadlines

• Ensuring company insurance is up-to-date

• Carrying out health and safety assessments where needed

• Managing administrative tasks for online and in-person events (e.g., a political party conference fringe event or the Eventbrite invitation for a webinar)

Personal specification

Essential experience

1. A strong commitment to Future Economy Scotland’s mission and values

2. Experience in a similar or related role (this does not need to have been at a think tank or in the third sector)

3. Excellent organisational and time management skills, and the ability to prioritise tasks appropriately

4. Experience taking and disseminating effective meeting minutes

5. A good knowledge of using organisational filing systems (like Google Workspace)

6. Calendar management skills

7. The ability to work effectively in a small team and an excellent interpersonal communicator

8. A commitment to anti oppression in the workplace

Nice to haves but not essential

• Experience using Eventbrite

• Experience using Xero

• Experience using Google Drive

• Experience organising Zoom webinars

We’re one of Scotland’s fastest growing charities, improving outcomes for children by supporting their Dads and families. We are currently looking for two trustees to join our dynamic voluntary Board team at an exciting time.

Our aim is to improve outcomes for children to ensure the best start in life by providing support to Dads and families. Our hope is through achieving this, there will be a larger shift in society toward accepting the vital role Dads play.

We currently have a vacancy for a Board member to join our Board of Trustees. As a Trustee Board Member, your responsibilities will include:

1. Setting and maintaining the strategic direction of the organisation
2. Sharing responsibility for Board decisions
3. Maintaining an overview of the organisations financial performance
4. Ensuring appropriate governance is in place
5. Attend quarterly Board Meetings.

We're particularly looking for applicants with employment law experience, or applicants who have used Dads Rock services in the past.

Remuneration/Expenses

This is an unpaid role however reasonable expenses associated with the role can be reimbursed.

Time commitment:

• You will be expected to commit to serving on the Board for a minimum of three years.
• Board Meetings take place approximately every quarter and are usually on Zoom. Dates for the following calendar year are circulated prior to, and agreed at, the last meeting of the year.
• To represent Dads Rock at other internal and external events depending on your availability.
• To participate in appropriate sub-committee groups – depending on your area of expertise and availability.
• To attend any other meetings and events by agreement of the Board, as well as our Annual General Meeting.

Main duties:

To ensure that Dads Rock:

• Complies with its governing documents, such as our Constitution and Policies
• Pursues its charitable objects as defined in its Constitution
• Applies its resources exclusively in furtherance of its objects, i.e. Dads Rock must not spend money on activities which are not included in its own objects, no matter how worthwhile or charitable those activities are
• Has an effective and efficient administration
• Is financially stable.

Contribute actively to the role of Trustee by:

• Attending Board meetings and other meetings and events
• Offer support and challenge to board colleagues and staff, adhering to collective responsibility once decisions are made
• Setting and reviewing operational policy and practice
• Defining goals, setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets
• Safeguard the good name and values of DR
• Protect and manage the tangible assets (property etc.) of the organisation and to ensure the proper investment of all funds
• Promote and represent DR externally as required.

In addition to the above duties of all Trustees, each Trustee should use any specific knowledge or experience they may have to help the Board reach sound decisions. This will involve scrutinising Board papers, leading discussions, focusing on key issues, and providing advice and guidance requested by the Board on new initiatives or other issues relevant to the area of work in which the Trustee has special expertise.

Person Specification:

Essential attributes

• An interest in the ethos and aims of Dads Rock.
• An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship.
• Commitment to preparing for and attending board meetings and other meetings and events.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality on personal and sensitive information.
• The ability to work as part of the team of Trustees in order to reach sound and fair decisions.
• Ability to understand and analyse complex information, often presented in report form.
• Ability to contribute to Dads Rock strategic planning process.
• To be able to represent at least one key skill/knowledge area on the Board.
• To ensure that you are not disqualified from being a trustee for any reason.

Desirable attributes

• Given the aims of the charity, trustees with experience of one or more of the following areas is beneficial:
  • Third Sector
  • Finance
  • Fundraising
  • Fatherhood
  • Marketing and Communications (including digital)
  • Legal
  • Early Years
  • Healthcare (NHS)
  • Local Authority (i.e. Education and/or Social Work)
  • Social Enterprise
  • Human Resources

Trustee Induction includes:

An induction meeting with the Chair and if desired to be peer supported by an existing Trustee.

Benefits of becoming a Trustee:

The knowledge that you are playing a vital role in the running and development of Dads Rock; enabling the organisation to continue its work and make a difference to Scottish society.

The opportunity to enhance your existing skills and knowledge relating to the development of an innovative and dynamic voluntary organisation.

The ability to enhance your network and broaden your experience of the third sector.

Read about our other Board Members

Generations Working Together (GWT) is looking to recruit enthusiastic, committed, dependable and proactive volunteer trustees to fill two places on our board.

We are looking for trustees who have experience of working in the voluntary, public or private sector who want to become actively involved in progressing intergenerational work across Scotland. In particular, we are seeking trustees with a strong background /expert skills and life experience in one or more of the following areas:

•Marketing and Communications (including digital)

•Protected Characteristics

•Local Politics and Local Government

•Intergenerational Work

•Community Safety

•Health and/or Social Care

•Architecture/Housing/Planning with an interest in Intergenerational Housing and/or Shared Sites

Trustees are appointed for a term of two times three years and are eligible to serve a further three-year term or three one-year terms, after which they must retire from the board. Our Trustees are responsible and accountable for the overall strategic leadership and direction of the organisation and share our vision and passion about promoting strong, generationally connected communities.

We ask for a commitment which involves attending:

•Four online board meetings (normally held on a Wednesday, 5.30pm to 8pm) (however this could alter in the future due to the needs of Trustees)

•The Annual General Meeting (online) – 13th November 2023

•One/two development sessions (in person normally Glasgow) each year to develop and review the corporate plan/manifesto.

•Occasional GWT Conferences/ Parliamentary receptions or other events.

As a small charity it is expected that Board members will take on additional responsibilities between meetings consistent with the aims and outcomes of GWT. This may include membership of task and finish groups, standing committees or specific tasks consistent with their areas of expertise. Much of the subgroup work is done via email and video conferencing.

Organisation profile:

Generations Working Together is the nationally recognised centre of excellence supporting the development and integration of intergenerational work across Scotland. Our mission is to develop, expand and improve IG practice nationwide. Our vision is to live in a Scotland where different generations are more connected, where everyone has opportunities to build relationships that help to create a more inclusive society.

Intergenerational work means relationship-based projects, activities and events where people of different generations, who might not otherwise meet, do things together in positive and creative ways. It includes any activities which purposefully ignore, remove or break down social, environmental, cultural or institutional barriers between generations e.g. ageism, making spaces for older & younger people to meet naturally, get to know each other, share ideas, pass on &/or learn new skills, work together to identify solutions to problems, addressing challenges in their communities, all the while forging relationships and friendships.

As a membership and capacity-building organisation, GWT operate locally and nationally raising awareness, sharing and expanding knowledge and understanding of intergenerational practice and its impact. GWT provide training and wide-ranging resources and organise learning events and facilitate local and thematic networking opportunities, to enable high quality intergenerational activity to take root on the ground & flourish. GWT lead and deliver pilot projects to support and encourage the development and delivery of intergenerational practice in new settings. We also participate in research projects and scan relevant research taking place across the world for distilling and sharing with our members and others.

A short film narrated by our retired chair Alan Hatton-Yeo MBE can be viewed here on our YouTube channel detailing our history and the background of intergenerational work and its growth in the UK.

We have an exciting 3 years ahead of the charity which will see the following events take place:

• 2024 - Six learning roadshows facilitated in Aberdeen, Ayrshire, Dundee, Dumfries, Glasgow and Inverness and a Parliamentary Reception (Holyrood) planned to launch a new publication and announce Excellence Award Winners (11th June 2024)

• 2025 – National Conference to be held in the Highlands celebrating local grassroot work (possibly May or Sept)

• 2026 – Global Intergenerational Conference in Glasgow in partnership with the International Consortium of Intergenerational Programmes (possibly May or Sept)