- Advertised from 12th January 2026
Role
About EARS Independent Advocacy Service:
EARS Independent Advocacy Service is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) providing high-quality, rights-based independent advocacy across contracted areas in Scotland.
EARS exists to ensure that people who face disadvantage, discrimination or barriers to being heard are supported to understand their rights, express their views and have those views taken into account. Grounded in equality, human rights and social justice, EARS delivers independent advocacy that is principled, person-centred and accountable.
Working closely with commissioners, partners and communities, EARS plays a vital role within Scotland’s advocacy landscape, supporting individuals to navigate complex systems and ensuring their voices influence decisions that affect their lives.
The Role of CEO:
Reporting to the Board of Trustees, the Chief Executive Officer will provide strategic leadership and overall direction for EARS Independent Advocacy Service, ensuring the organisation delivers high-quality, rights-based advocacy, operates sustainably and meets all governance, legal and regulatory requirements.
You will lead the organisation’s strategic direction, priorities and objectives, ensuring alignment with EARS’ charitable purpose, advocacy principles and contractual obligations within the wider Scottish policy, funding and commissioning landscape. Acting as the organisation’s principal ambassador, you will represent EARS locally, regionally and nationally, promoting the value and impact of independent advocacy.
The CEO will hold overall accountability for governance, performance, risk and financial sustainability, working in close partnership with the Board of Trustees to support effective oversight and decision-making. You will oversee significant contractual relationships and income streams, ensuring robust contract management, high-quality reporting and strong relationships with commissioners and funders.
Day-to-day operational management is delegated to the Operations Manager, with the CEO retaining strategic oversight and accountability. You will provide visible, consistent leadership, promoting a positive, professional and values-led organisational culture, and leading the organisation confidently through challenge and change.
What you need to bring:
EARS is seeking a values-driven and resilient leader with a strong commitment to equality, human rights and social justice. This role requires someone with proven senior leadership experience within the third sector or public service environment in Scotland, with a strong track record of working effectively with a Board of Trustees. Experience of financial leadership, contract management and commissioning environments is a strong desirable, including tendering and managing local authority contracts.
You will be confident operating in a regulated environment, with a sound understanding of charity governance, risk management and compliance. With a strategic mindset, you will be able to translate vision into practical plans and measurable outcomes, being a calm, credible leader capable of navigating complexity and organisational change. Excellent communication and relationship-building skills are essential, along with the ability to act as an effective ambassador for EARS and independent advocacy more broadly.
This is a significant opportunity to lead a respected advocacy organisation, strengthen its sustainability and impact, and ensure that the rights and voices of people who use advocacy remain at the heart of everything EARS does.
Application notes
Please email us at recruitment@brucetaitassociates.com to request an information pack and job description. You are advised to get in touch well in advance of the closing date to give us time to consider your application and pre-interview the strongest applicants.
Closing Date: Midnight, Monday 9th February
Interview Date: W/C Monday 16th February (TBC)
Independent Advocate for Edinburgh and the Lothians
- Full time
- £24,500
- Hybrid: Edinburgh
- Closing 30th January 2026
EARS is an independent advocacy provider – our mission is to ensure that people’s voices are heard, and their rights are respected.
This is a hybrid-based post. Working hours will be spent with a mixture of providing advocacy within Edinburgh and the Lothian communities with the people who seek your support, working once per week from the West Lothian office and the rest of the time from home. Mileage expenses are reimbursed for travel within work.
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.
Dr Bell’s Family Centre has been supporting families in Leith since 2006 to thrive and feel safe, supported, and healthy. We offer a welcoming, safe place where families with young children can get support, advice, and encouragement.
Dr Bell’s Family Centre is seeking an experienced, values-led Chief Executive to lead our organisation into its next phase of development.
Based in Leith, Dr Bell’s has supported families with young children since 2006, offering a unique, holistic model that brings early years childcare, therapeutic services, family learning, food and nutrition, and community support together under one roof.
Working closely with our Board of Trustees, the Chief Executive will:
- Set and deliver a clear strategic vision
- Lead and support a skilled, multidisciplinary staff team
- Drive fundraising and develop sustainable income streams
- Act as an ambassador for Dr Bell’s across the community, partnerships and funders
- Ensure strong governance, financial oversight and safeguarding
This role will suit a collaborative leader who combines strategic thinking with hands-on operational experience, and who is passionate about reducing barriers for families facing socio-economic challenges.
Benefits
Dr Bell’s is a people-led organisation where staff are valued, supported, and encouraged to thrive. We offer:
- a Living Wage salary
- generous annual leave (including Christmas closure, a birthday day off and personal day)
- flexible working options
- enhanced family-friendly policies, a strong pension
- and 24/7 wellbeing support through our Employee Assistance Programme.
Trusts & Statutory Manager
- Full time
- £32,101 – £36,130
- Remote: Home-based with occasional travel to our offices in Edinburgh and to external meetings with funders. Mindroom provide a nationwide service and, as such, welcome applications from across Scotland.
- Closing 22nd January 2026
Role
The Trusts & Statutory Manager will take the lead on securing significant multi-year income from Statutory, Trusts & Foundations, and Institutional funders. This role is central to delivering Mindroom’s growth strategy and ensuring sustainable, long-term funding for our national services, research, digital innovation, and lived-experience programmes.
This role reports to the Head of Development and works closely with the CEO, Senior Leadership Team, and programme leads.
Organisation profile
As an organisation founded on lived experience, Mindroom champions all forms of neurodiversity and supports all kinds of minds. Our mission is to improve the quality of life for neurodivergent individuals by removing barriers, increasing opportunities, and shaping a more inclusive world.
Mindroom now enters a period of significant growth following a transformational year — including major multi-year investment, the expansion of our national services, and the development of a new digital strategy. As we scale, high-performing fundraising is essential to delivering the next phase of our impact.
We are now seeking an exceptional Trusts & Statutory Manager with deep expertise in Statutory and Trusts & Foundations fundraising to help shape and deliver our ambitious income strategy.
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