As the General Manager (GM) of The Ecology Centre, you will have the opportunity to make a real difference and impact at an operational level for the benefit of the community and the environment. You will take a strategic lead in developing and sustaining the organisation's community-facing services, activities, volunteering, fundraising, and external partnerships, working closely with the Board of Trustees, our staff and our membership base. Building on our current strengths, you will lead our competent teams and our growing number of volunteers to deliver a wide range of grant-funded projects and income-generating activities, including, but not limited to, trading from The Nest Café and the employability pipeline in Fife.

A full Job Description and Person Specification is available for download below.

Purpose of role:

We are looking for a passionate and dedicated Café Supervisor to manage and contribute to the smooth running of the Nest Café, including all cooking and catering requirements for the organisation. The Café Supervisor will lead the management of a small team of Café Assistants and volunteers, and will implement appropriate management disciplines while working to ensure excellent customer service standards, hygiene, food safety and stock control are always upheld. The Supervisor will form part of the wider Management Team at the Centre and will be required to work with the General Manager to contribute to delivering a successful commercial strategy for the Nest Café in line with The Ecology Centre’s values and wider strategic direction.

The successful candidate is expected to familiarise themselves with the ecological principles that are at the core of what we do and to lead day-to-day operations that are consistent with those principles. This will involve consideration of the environmental impact of what we offer, ensuring that menus reflect and fully utilise what is seasonally available from our market garden, and that day-to-day operations play a part in reducing food waste, landfill and the consequent environmental damage.

As the Case Manager for The Ecology Centre, you will assist with the delivery of our programmes aimed at enhancing well-being through volunteering.

This role will be responsible for interacting with external agencies to assist with the recruitment of volunteers, including working closely with current funders and providing all reporting requirements.

This role requires a person with experience of working with people with additional support needs, age related barriers and behavioral issues.

We are an SCQF inclusive recruiter where experience is measured in comparison to educational certifications and this role is suitable for SCQF level 8. Please follow this link to find out further details: scqf.org.uk/level-8

The Ecology Centre on the shores of beautiful Kinghorn Loch in Fife is looking for Cafe Assistants to join our team this summer and possibly longer.

This is a rolling, open recruitment process, meaning we will assess applications as they are submitted and interview individual candidates at the earliest mutually agreeable time.

As long as the advert is live, it means we will accept applications.

Purpose of role:

To support the delivery of our Nest Café focusing on locally grown locally sourced produce where possible. You will work within our centre café team, support the delivery and development of our café and other catering requirements for the business. The role will involve some baking and cooking as well barista tasks, customer service and cash handling.

This is a short term seasonal contract, however opportunities for longer term employment are possible.

Zero hours / On call contracts are also available, if preferable.

A rare opportunity has become available for a permanent, enthusiastic Education Officer at The Ecology Centre. Hours are flexible between 30-37 per week, with a salary of £24,000 pro rata.

The Ecology Centre is an established, award winning charity and social enterprise which was established in 1998 and moved into a new environmentally friendly building on the banks of Kinghorn Loch in 2015. We are looking for an enthusiastic individual to work outdoors with young people from diverse backgrounds. The postholder will be registered with Disclosure Scotland’s Protecting Vulnerable Groups scheme.

The Ecology Centre is an inclusive, community-led charity. We inspire positive change through directly connecting people and the natural environment for the benefit of both. We have a small staff team who work efficiently and effectively to deliver the essential services the charity offers. Knowing the difference that we make to people’s lives makes the Centre a rewarding place to work. The variety of projects that we run and people involved create an interesting and ever-varied workplace.

The Ecology Centre’s Education programme is well established and respected. It includes delivery of outdoor and environmental education at The Ecology Centre site and throughout Fife; Climate Change education; Forest School sessions; Forest and Outdoor Leadership Awards (FOLA); supported volunteering; nature nurture sessions; outdoor play projects and CPD sessions. We deliver to a wide range of school and community groups from pre-school age to teenagers and adults.

Normal working days will be between Mondays and Fridays, with some occasional evening and weekend work required under The Ecology Centre’s Time Off In Lieu (TOIL) system.

This role is currently term-time only with the possibility of overtime through the school holidays where needed.

As the General Manager (GM) of The Ecology Centre, you'll have the opportunity to make a real difference and impact at an operational level for the benefit of the community and the environment. You will take a strategic lead in developing and sustaining the organisation's community-facing services, activities, volunteering, fundraising, and external partnerships, working closely with the Board of Trustees and our membership base. Building on our current strengths, you will lead our competent staff team and the growing number of volunteers to deliver a wide range of grant-funded projects and income-generating activities, including but not limited to, trading from The Nest Café and the employability pipeline in Fife.

Drawing inspiration from our vision, you will instil a sense of purpose and direction for the future, clarifying the organisation’s objectives and inspiring staff to embody our core values. Working collaboratively with the management team, you will be responsible for the overall organisational and program development and preparing reports for the Board of Trustees.

You will support the staff team, encouraging continuous learning and development and ensuring they have the necessary skills and knowledge to meet present and future challenges. You will be committed to the highest standards of operational delivery and will empower trust by delivering objectives in a reliable and professional manner, promoting harmony by understanding and responding to the needs of Centre staff and acting as an important bridge between day-to-day operations and the activities and needs of the Board of Trustees.

As GM, you will be directly responsible for sustainability in all its forms (including, but not limited to, environmental, commercial and reputational) understanding this as an opportunity, driver and risk to the Centre’s successful achievement of its aims. You will be responsible for the profitable operation of the business, both through development and delivery of a robust pipeline of fundraising applications, and through contribution to the strategic vision towards - and delivery of - activities to promote organic growth of non-restricted funds.

As the Finance Assistant, you will be an integral member of our team, providing vital financial and administrative support to our General Manager in managing the finances of The Ecology Centre. Your responsibilities will include managing the purchasing process, from identifying the items required to processing the purchase orders, receiving and verifying the goods, and reconciling invoices for payment.

You will also monitor our debtors, ensure timely invoicing, and follow up on overdue accounts. Your accurate record-keeping and timely reporting will be critical to effectively managing our finances and our programs' continued success.

In addition to these core responsibilities, you will also play a critical role in ensuring the smooth operation of our monthly payroll, processing staff salaries and maintaining accurate records of deductions and contributions.

By maintaining accurate and up-to-date financial records and systems, you will help to ensure that The Ecology Centre operates efficiently and effectively, supporting our ability to deliver high-quality environmental education and engagement programs to our community. You will also be expected to contribute to developing financial policies and procedures, working collaboratively with our General Manager and board of trustees to ensure that our financial operations are aligned with our values and objectives.

To support General Manager and work alongside the existing café team to manage the smooth running of the Nest Café and all catering requirements for the organisation. Ensuring excellent customer service standards, hygiene, food safety and stock control are always upheld. The Supervisor will be required to deputise for the General Manager in their absence and work alongside the management team. To support and supervise the team and help with the work placements for people we support

The successful candidate is expected to familiarise themselves with the ecological principles that are at the core of what we do. This will involve consideration of the environmental impact of what we offer, ensuring that menus reflect what is available from our market garden, reflecting seasonal products, and play a part in reducing food waste, landfill and the consequent environmental damage. The induction period will include training on these aspects.

The recent Conference of Parties (COP) in Glasgow has clearly demonstrated urgent action for tackling the climate and biodiversity crisis. At the Ecology Centre we believe community sits at the heart of this action.

Do you value access to green spaces? Can you help us connect people to nature?

The Ecology centre is the home of our inclusive, community led, environmental charity and we are looking for new Trustee board members. We are keen to hear from people with an interest in sustainable practices, wellbeing, and experience in fundraising and marketing.

Situated on the edge of Kinghorn Loch in Fife, the Ecology centre enables people of all ages and abilities to experience, learn and benefit from the natural world. Our ethos - community led and sustainability driven, to promote well-being and equality.

The charity employs 10 members of staff, assisted by over 40 volunteers, and is governed by its Board of Trustees, who are responsible for its governance and strategy. Ecology centre activities include a low carbon cafe, dementia friendly workshops, garden tool up-cycling, school group education, and the centre is a venue for a wide range of environmental and community activities.

As a member of the Board we would like you to contribute to our work as we regain momentum after COVID. As a Board we have monthly meetings, in person, online and a hybrid approach. We share core tasks and aim to distribute them according to our members strengths. We aim to learn from each other and as someone with fundraising and marketing experience would look to your input to lead us in these areas.

If you’d like more information about the Ecology Centre please visit our website theecologycentre.org

or social media channels Instagram/Facebook @theecologycentre, Twitter @TheEcology_1