We are Nesta, the UK’s innovation agency for social good. We design, test and scale solutions to society’s biggest problems. Our three missions are to give every child a fair start, help people live healthy lives, and create a sustainable future where the economy works for both people and the planet.
For over 20 years, we have worked to support, encourage and inspire innovation. We work in three roles: as an innovation partner working with frontline organisations to design and test new solutions, as a venture builder supporting new and early stage businesses, and as a system shaper creating the conditions for innovation.
Harnessing the rigour of science and the creativity of design, we work relentlessly to change millions of lives for the better. Find out more at nesta.org.uk
Our Sustainable Future Mission
Our mission is to accelerate the decarbonisation of household activities in Scotland and across the UK and improve levels of productivity.
In Scotland, 78% of homes use mains gas to heat their homes. To meet the Scottish Government's 2030 and 2045 carbon emissions reduction targets, heat pump installations need to double every year from now until 2030. Our mission to help decarbonise how we heat our homes in Scotland offers unique opportunities; a more favourable policy environment and a larger social housing stock mean that we can potentially work more closely with the Scottish Government, national agencies and housing providers to test and scale innovative approaches to make change happen. Our impact plan for Scotland has a particular focus on exploring how we can harness social innovation methods to help evidence and scale skills and training opportunities for the provision of low carbon heating in Scotland.
Our goal is that by 2030 the UK will have reduced household emissions by 20 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.
The role
This role leads on the scoping, design and delivery of Nesta’s work in Scotland on our Sustainable Future mission. You will work proactively to deliver active projects as well as develop a pipeline of partnerships, collaborations and business development opportunities in support of our Sustainable Future mission in Scotland.
You'll take what you know from your existing experience of social innovation and/or low carbon heating to scope innovative projects to help achieve our mission goals. You'll lead on recruiting Scottish partners to work with to test those ideas, drawing from your existing networks in the field.
You will work with our Head of Nesta Scotland (based in Edinburgh) and Mission Director (based in London) as well as colleagues across Nesta’s innovation practices - such as data science, design and behavioural science) to pull together multi-disciplinary teams to help improve local outcomes in our mission area and deliver demonstrable impact.
As the point person for this mission in Scotland, this is definitely a role for someone who likes getting their hands dirty and can proactively combine scoping, researching and doing.
As a bridge between Nesta in Scotland and the central Sustainable Future mission team, this position will play a critical role in establishing effective ways of working between Nesta’s missions and the team in Scotland, working with the rest of the mission team to ensure the ASF mission has a strong presence in Scotland and that learning from projects in the rest of the UK informs our work in Scotland, and vice versa.
Alongside these core duties you will have the opportunity to support the mission more broadly, either through delivery of projects across the UK and/or through working as a mission representative for critical organisational priorities such as Nesta’s commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
This role will be expected to:
Minimum qualifications
Preferred qualifications
What we offer
Salary: £50k-£62k plus array of benefits, including health cash plans, dental insurance, the ability to buy and sell annual leave, eyecare vouchers and more
Location: This role is based in Scotland, Edinburgh - hybrid working arrangement. This role is based out of Nesta’s Edinburgh office. We offer flexible working to fit around your personal commitments or lifestyle (including part time hours, compressed hours and early start/early finish days etc) as well as remote working for part of the week (full time until the pandemic ends), so you could be based anywhere but we would likely expect you to work at least 2 days a week in our Edinburgh office, and up to 2 days a month in our London HQ.
Hours:This is a full-time role but we offer a range of flexible working arrangements and encourage our people to take advantage of them. Many do.
Reports to:Head of Nesta Scotland
This is a rare and exciting opportunity to build and lead a fresh, vibrant organisation to support and represent the Scottish Borders third sector.
The Scottish Borders TSI is transitioning into an independent charity and we are looking for a dynamic and passionate Chief Executive Officer to lead us into the next phase of our development.
You will take the lead in setting out an ambitious strategy; developing and managing the operational plans and the resources to deliver them.
You’ll provide leadership, management and motivation in a positive and collaborative culture that develops and supports staff.
Crucially, you will work to maximise the capability of the sector and ensure it has a voice in local and national policy and planning.
We need someone who is creative and motivated, and a skilled communicator able to confidently act as an ambassador and the public face of Borders TSI. You’ll be committed to bringing positive change and improving the lives of the people of the Scottish Borders.
Water Witness works at the frontline of the global water crisis to shine a light on its impacts, to understand its root causes and to activate an effective and lasting response. Our ambitious 2030 Strategy sets out five imperatives for a water secure future: accountable governance, progressive financing, redefining corporate responsibility, confronting climate change and activating people power.
This is new and exciting position will lead the design and delivery of global investigations, research, and advocacy to end the abuse of water - and the communities and ecosystems which depend on water - in our globalised supply chains.
They will be responsible for rigorous research, documentation, and analysis of the water impacts (pollution, depletion, degradation, conflicts, inadequate WASH access, exacerbation of droughts and floods) caused by the production of food, clothing, and consumer goods.
Working with our civil society partners in Africa, Asia and South America they will generate the chain of evidence needed to hold corporations, investors and governments to account for responsible water use, and will stimulate media attention, citizen demand and political will for water justice in both the global north and south. We are particularly keen to recruit a future global leader in the struggle for a more sustainable and just world, and are committed to developing the post holder to help realise their full potential.
Greener Kirkcaldy is a community-led charity working locally to bring people together, take positive action on the climate emergency and support people experiencing fuel poverty and food insecurity.
Our current Chief Executive is stepping down after 11 years leading our staff team and growing our programme of work. As a result, we have an exciting opportunity to join our team.
We are looking for an experienced leader to take the charity on the next stage of its journey. The Chief Executive will take a strategic lead in the development of Greener Kirkcaldy’s activities and will lead a team of 40 staff and 100 volunteers to deliver a range of grant-funded projects and social enterprise (income-generating) activities.
Greener Kirkcaldy’s work is diverse and includes programmes of action on climate change, fuel poverty and food insecurity. Our work encourages individuals, households, community groups and businesses to make Fife a greener and fairer place to live. We work in Kirkcaldy and across the region of Fife, often in partnership with other charities and public-sector organisations. Projects include the Cosy Kingdom energy advice service, the Climate Action Fife climate engagement project, the Lang Toun Cycles bike reuse enterprise and a range of community food and growing initiatives.
Hours of work: full-time or 28 hours per week (0.8 full-time equivalent). We would consider requests for fewer hours.
We are currently seeking a well organised and supportive Business Administrator who will be responsible for the financial and administrative aspects of the charity in association with the three other members of staff plus a voluntary board of directors.
The Wildlife Information Centre (TWIC) is an environmental charity with an established reputation for excellence in the provision of biodiversity data within south-east and part of central Scotland. TWIC currently holds over 3.6 million species records as well as extensive habitats and designated sites information. Our programme of events supports new and existing recorders and stimulates interest in biological recording amongst the wider public.
Key responsibilities:
Download the application form, full job description and person specification below.
Venture Scotland offers an outdoor-based personal development programme which empowers young people aged 16-30, who face complex and difficult challenges in their lives and want help to change.
We focus on the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of our young people working with them to make lasting changes to their lives and helping them play a positive role in their communities.
We are seeking a Community Fundraiser (who identifies with our values of Trust, Respect, Diversity, Inclusion, Environment and Personal Development) to help support the fundraising team to expand and diversify our income streams to ensure our organisations is sustainable into the future.
The role will include taking a lead on community fundraising engagement plus donor stewardship of the following funding streams –corporate, individual giving and community – and help increase income in these streams.
To be successful in the role, you will have experience in securing income within the voluntary sector or another sector if you are able to demonstrate transferable skills. You will be someone who is able to identify, establish and retain new partnerships.
Do you want to work in a supportive team of people who really care about the young people we are helping?
Do you want to work in an organisation who listens, values everyone views and cares about the health and wellbeing of their staff?
Do you understand the transformative effect of the outdoors?
Are you passionate about #ChangingYoungLives Outdoors?
This role is considered ‘regulated work’ as it involves activities with both children and protected adults. Under our safeguarding policy, this role will require a PVG.
If you are applying for this role you need to prove that you have the right to live and work in the UK. If you do not possess this right, then your application will not be considered.
The Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) is Scotland’s largest and oldest independent marine science organisation and pioneering charity, delivering marine science for a productive and sustainably managed marine environment through innovative research, education, and engagement with society.
Our people are at the heart of what we do, and our amazing team of passionate, skilled and creative staff are working together to deliver our shared vision of ‘An Ocean in Balance’.
We are seeking four new Trustees to join us in 2023 drawn from the following backgrounds: marine science, environmental communication. risk/compliance, legal and finance. Candidates must work effectively with the Senior Management Team – providing both challenge and support. Access into new philanthropic or commercial networks will be welcome.
Appointments will be for an initial three-year term that may be extended for up to a further three-years. The minimum time commitment, including preparation for and participation in committee meetings, is approximately 10 days per annum. Whilst most meetings will be face-to-face in Oban, some sub-committee and Board meetings will be virtual.
We are looking for an amazing General Manager across all our services (children’s shop, creative workshops and Toy Library ), full time (37.5 hours per week, five days per week including at least one Saturday each month).
This role is critical to the organisation and we are looking for someone who is skilled and experienced in the following:
Open Seas
The Open Seas Trust is a campaigning charity working on issues of marine conservation and seafood sustainability in Scotland. We are a small, agile organisation with an evidence based, robust approach, calling out damaging and illegal activity in the press and with Scottish politicians and undertaking research and investigations to build the case for change.
We have become a prominent voice for marine conservation in Scotland, generating significant mainstream media attention and securing a strong profile for the organisation in the national press. We have also built a strong political reputation and track record delivering ambitious research projects.
You can read more about our work at openseas.org.uk
The Team
We are currently a team of 5 staff working within two pillars of the organisation – policy and campaigns. Our work spans a range of tasks including research, lobbying, boat based research, meetings with seafood and fisheries stakeholders, campaigning and hosting events. The team works entirely from various remote home and shared working space locations and so much of our work is done using online collaboration tools.
The organisation is overseen by a Board of 5 Trustees who meet quarterly and advised by an Advisory Group who meet 1 – 2 times a year. We are a growing organisation and need support facilitating and administering our ambitious workplan and delivery.
The role
This advertised role will be instrumental helping ensure the organisation is able to deliver its objectives as well as helping to build the organisation as we go through a period of growth, and ensuring that this is done in a structured and sustainable way. The role will help streamline processes and ensure that we are running as efficiently and effectively as possible. The role will report to and work closely with the Head of Policy and Operations, in particular on the delivery of the business plan and growth targets.
Key tasks will include organising and administering board meetings, oversight of day to day finances, supporting the monitoring and reporting of performance, developing financial and funder report and providing administrative and logistical support for the wider team.
The location for this appointment is flexible, most staff currently work from their homes but there is also the potential to arrange office space if necessary.
The successful candidate will join a collegiate team and have the chance to engage across the organisation’s work.
Benefits
The role will be paid £33,500 - £36,500 pro rata to 3 days per week, depending on experience. This will be a permanent contract. Open Seas offers a matched pension contribution of up to 6%. The role will be entitled to 25 days paid holiday plus Scottish public holidays, pro rata.
SCOTLAND: The Big Picture (SBP) is a charity that works to drive the recovery of nature across Scotland through rewilding, in response to the growing climate and biodiversity crises. Our vision is of a vast network of rewilded land and water, where wildlife flourishes and people thrive.
We are a small but agile and progressive team that works in a spirit of collaboration with many different interest groups to:
• Drive support for rewilding
• Commit more land and water to rewilding
• Return missing species
• Develop rewilding business
Learn more about SBP: scotlandbigpicture.com
SBP is a dynamic organisation with an exciting portfolio of nature recovery projects to deliver across Scotland.
At a time when businesses are increasingly conscious of their responsibility to address climate breakdown and ecological decline, there exists an opportunity to align rewilding with investment and engagement from the business sector. Seizing this opportunity to make more rewilding happen, lies at the core of this role.
The role will report directly to the Head of Fundraising and will also have regular liaison with the wider SBP team, as well as communication with partners, supporters and other external contacts.
A full job description is attached below.