goodmoves

Are you a solicitor with an interest in social justice and human rights, with post-qualification experience of housing litigation, including representing in court on behalf of homeless people or people in housing need? Then join Shelter Scotland as a Housing Solicitor and you could soon be playing an important role within an exciting new partnership.

A home is a fundamental human need, as essential as education or healthcare. Yet millions of people across Britain struggle on a daily basis with homelessness, bad housing conditions, soaring rents, discrimination and the threat of eviction. So, we are striving for change — with individuals, in communities, across society – and leading the way to a safe home. We need ambitious, best-in-class individuals who are passionate about our cause to join us at this exciting time. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve.

The ‘Street Legal’ project is a recently formed partnership with CLAN Childlaw that’s funded by the National Lottery Community Fund. Its goal is to prevent homelessness and engage in early action to deal with the causes of homelessness for children, young people and families. It also aims to improve access to specialist legal advice and representation and increase the capacity of Edinburgh’s third sector organisations to use the law to prevent homelessness through the delivery of lawyer led workshops.

About the role

As a Housing Solicitor, we’ll rely on you to maintain an active caseload and provide legal advice and representation to families and young people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in Edinburgh, in partnership with CLAN. You’ll also be responsible for developing housing and homelessness law for families, children and young people and devising and delivering lawyer led training for front line third sector services. Working collaboratively within the sector to directly address issues that may arise with the implementation of the ‘Ending Homeless Together High Level Action Plan’ will be important too, as will promoting an understanding of the legal framework and ensuring a rights based approach from the outset.

About you

Proactive, customer-focused and driven to achieve the very best outcomes for clients, your substantial experience of handling a wide range of housing cases in the public and private sector includes issues relating to homelessness, security of tenure and possession proceedings. What's more, you have a sound knowledge of publicly funded legal aid work, including legal representation and legal help. You’re great at influencing others too, and are able to maintain your professionalism and communicate effectively in a range of situations. And, when it comes to applying creative and lateral thinking, challenging the status quo and introducing new ideas, methods and processes, again you’ll excel.

We offer a wide range of benefits, including 30 days of annual leave, enhanced family friendly policies, pension and interest free travel loans. Our employees also have access to a tenancy deposit loan, cycle to work scheme and an employee assistance programme.

Shelter Scotland helps over half a million people every year struggling with bad housing or homelessness through our advice, support and legal services. And we campaign to make sure that, one day, no one will have to turn to us for help.

To find out more about the role and the benefits of working for Shelter Scotland please visit our website. Apply to be part of our Housing Law Service team and be the change you want to see in society.

Safeguarding is everyone’s business. Shelter is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of those we support, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. All our staff will be expected to observe professional standards of behaviour and conduct their work in line with our Safeguarding Policies.

At Shelter Scotland, we welcome and encourage applications from everyone regardless of age, disability, gender, ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation. We are facing diverse problems, so need diverse people to tackle them.

Shelter does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.

Following the Scottish Government’s programme of reform of the college sector, which saw colleges grouped into defined geographical regions, The Lanarkshire Board performs the statutory function as the Regional Strategic Body for Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire and is responsible for the effective governance of New College Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire College.

To meet current and anticipated recruitment needs, we are seeking applications from individuals who have the right skills, knowledge, attributes and experience to make a valuable contribution as a Board Member to the Board’s work and the strategic direction of the Lanarkshire colleges. To complement our existing strengths, we are particularly keen to receive applications from individuals with human resources, finance, estates development and legal experience.

We wish our Board to be representative of the communities we serve and you should have proven experience in, or knowledge of, our region. We are also keen to hear from individuals with proven experience of education, industry and commerce and applications from people with a wide variety of professional backgrounds are encouraged. In particular, we welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented on Scotland’s public bodies, including women, people with disabilities and individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Board Members do not receive a salary, but reasonable expenses are met. Board meetings are normally held in the evenings 3/4 times per year; however, board members are expected to commit to membership of the board’s committees which can be held during the college day to promote engagement with the wider college community.

A PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Groups) check will be required as a condition of appointment and all non-executive appointments to the Board are subject to ratification by Scottish Ministers on recommendation from the Chair of the Board. Members of the Lanarkshire Board also have a specific legal role and defined responsibilities as a Charity Trustee under the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005.

CAN YOU HELP US CHANGE LIVES?

The Larder is a fast growing innovative social enterprise working to reduce the impact of poverty by supporting the most disadvantaged young people (and some adults) into work and reducing hunger by providing access to hot nutritious meals with dignity.

We believe in the transformational nature of food, so every one of our trainees learns to cook, a skill for life that is also transferable to the hospitality sector. We also operate 4 cafes that are based in communities across West Lothian. We also believe that sometimes for some children and young people, school is not the best place for positive learning experiences so we use our cafes as training hubs and work with school to provide vocational learning spaces for young people who are struggling to maintain a mainstream education place. On a weekly basis they gain real life work experience whilst gaining qualifications and building their confidence. Our young people cook the food that we sell in our cafes whilst being supported by a dedicated and experienced staff team.

This is an exciting time to be part of The Larder as we are about to install a second training kitchen at our base in Livingston and have a 5 year plan to have our own bespoke space to integrate all of our services into a modern food hub fit for 21st century learning and food enterprise.

We are looking for a chair person who understands the complex nature of balancing charitable aims with enterprise trading. Someone who can work with the senior staff member to support and develop the board and the staff team so that together we build a resilient and sustainable organisation that changes lives through food.

The time commitment per year is 6 to 8 board meetings and a maximum of 4 meetings with the senior member of staff.

Do you have a strong track record in service delivery?

The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) is the national membership organisation for Scotland’s voluntary sector. Our purpose is to support, promote and develop a confident and sustainable voluntary sector in Scotland, by delivering services, giving the sector a voice at a national level and promoting and supporting innovation and improvement.

We’re looking for an experienced service delivery manager with an excellent understanding of the voluntary sector to lead a cross-functional team to deliver modern, high quality, continually improving services to voluntary sector employers. The Head of Employer Support will identify improvements and explore synergies across all SCVO services, maximise income generation in line with our values and promote excellence in customer service.

This new role will have specific responsibility for the delivery and development of our payroll and employability services (currently Community Jobs Scotland) as well as our Goodmoves recruitment portal. If you have experience of successful service delivery in similar functions along with a good understanding of the role of digital infrastructure on delivering customer-centred services, find out more and apply now!

We are seeking a highly motivated individual as Chief Executive, Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR). OSCR is a non-ministerial department of the Scottish Government and is the independent regulator and registrar for charities in Scotland. The Chief Executive is the most senior member of staff in the organisation and is responsible for the management and leadership of approximately 50 staff. This is an exciting opportunity to be involved in OSCR’s vision for effective regulation which contributes to a flourishing charity sector in which the public has confidence.

This is a permanent and pensionable SCS appointment. Relocation expenses may be available.

The University Court is seeking to appoint a Chair to succeed Dr Frances Dow CBE in March 2020.

The Court plays a crucial role in the development of the University’s vision and strategic direction. This appointment provides a significant opportunity for an experienced individual to lead the Court, and to work with the incoming Principal, Sir Paul Grice, on positioning the University’s future strategic direction.

The Chair of the Court is responsible for the leadership and effectiveness of the Court, and for ensuring that the University is well connected with its stakeholders, including its staff and students. The Chair leads the Court in observing the highest standards of corporate governance, including those set out in the Scottish Code for Higher Education Governance.

To fulfil this important role, we are seeking an individual with a distinguished record of successful leadership at a senior and strategic level within a large and complex public, private or third sector organisation. Ideal candidates will be able to demonstrate excellent leadership and interpersonal skills, coupled with a strong commitment to, and affinity for, higher education.

Expressions of interest are invited from individuals with experience of chairing boards and committees responsible for managing strategic issues, with knowledge of the Scottish higher education sector, or with experience of key bodies relating to education in general.

If you share our values and vision, are able to subscribe to the commitments set out in the role specification, and consider you meet the person specification, we would like to hear from you.

Queen Margaret University is committed to ensuring that its Court represents the staff, students and community which it serves. As such, we would welcome applications that reflect the breadth and diversity of those communities, and that would further enhance the diversity of the Court. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.

Our treasurer is retiring after four years in the post – can you help East Lothian’s emergency food aid charity?

If you are interested in food poverty and have a head for figures we would love to hear from you.

The board of trustees meets monthly and our treasurer visits the foodbank in Tranent regularly to collect invoices and receipts for clearance, recording and settlement. We need someone who will enjoy the preparation of annual accounts and who can understand the various requirements of charity law in Scotland and the guidance of the charity regular OSCR.

In return, we offer experience in all aspects of a small, dynamic charity which is affiliated to a national one, the Trussell Trust. There are always interesting issues to discuss and learn about – everything from volunteer recruitment and out of date stock, to premises layout and the impact of Universal Credit.

Our team of seven trustees, three staff and army of volunteers are all committed to helping local people in crisis and we are lucky to enjoy support and goodwill across a county which presents a wealthy “face” yet experiences deep and damaging inequalities in health and income.

Venture Trust is an amazing personal development charity supporting people, aged 16 years and over who need urgent help to break free of the many complex challenges that stop them from realising their potential. Our strengths lie in the relationships and bonds we forge. We never judge, are passionate about our positive approach to personal development and harness the truly transformational benefit of being outdoors, amongst nature, in our wonderful country.

Working in communities, in greenspaces and journeying through some of Scotland’s most wild places, we actively focus on an individual’s strengths, equipping them with essential life-skills, building confidence and motivation. We want no one left behind and everyone to succeed and to continue to do so throughout their lives. Over the next three years we aim to help 2,000 people. We need a Head of Corporate Services to be part of an exciting journey that makes our vision a reality. We believe that with our partners we can beat the challenge of inequality in Scottish society.

The leadership role of Head of Corporate Services is a key one for the organisation; you will lead a team of 5 and as a member of the Senior Leadership Team will report to the CEO. You will be responsible for providing the financial and HR leadership across the organisation and advising on all aspects of charity and company legislation, governance and policy. We are looking for someone who works collaboratively, who is curious, insightful and cares about people and relationships, to drive impact and sustainability and support our people to maximise their contribution in achieving our goals.

To be considered for the role, you will have experience at a senior leadership level in financial accounting and reporting, including external statutory reporting and audit. You will also have experience of successfully leading and managing teams, and of successful project management and development. An appropriate professional qualification(s); knowledge and experience of HR systems, policy and practice; information management and data security would be advantageous. Developing and maintaining relationships, policies and processes which maximise our effectiveness is at the core of this role. We are looking for someone who shares our values and believes in the potential of people.

The role of CEO of Quality Scotland is one that encompasses both a wide range of activities and also presents the opportunity to lead and be part of a strong, fantastic, highly skilled and passionate team. This role combines both the day to day operations of the organisation, providing direction and leadership to the team in the development and implementation of the organisation’s vision, mission, values and strategic aims; and also, a strong element of account management and delivery.

The Quality Scotland membership is at the heart of the organisation and as a team there is a very flat people structure in place which links with the organisational culture, where the EFQM Excellence Model is not only the main element of service delivery but also underpins the Quality Scotland way of doing things.

This role offers the opportunity to engage with all sectors across Scotland and also represent Quality Scotland on a global platform through the EFQM Partner Council.

There is a very strong well-established supportive culture across the organisation where everyone contributes and helps out when things need to be done.

Unity (formerly known as Unity Enterprise) was set up in 1989.

The focus of the organisation initially was employment opportunities for young people who might otherwise be excluded or face significant barriers to employment.

Over the years, Unity has grown and developed, delivering a variety of services in different communities, and some of these continue today. Examples include work and training for people with learning disabilities, advice and support for carers of all ages, housing support to people affected by homelessness and catering services operated as Social Enterprises that offer additional training and work experience. We are always innovating and developing new projects to ensure our social impact for individuals and communities.

In January 2016, Unity experienced a change in leadership for the first time since its inception. The Board have supported a number of changes which have helped us build on the quality of our services, think about the future and direction of Unity, and explore how we can continue to have a positive impact. We are committed to our key aims of Equality, Inclusion and Opportunity.

We continue to grow and develop, with a variety of projects and initiatives planned for the near future. We are now seeking Board Members who share our core values, have a passion for social enterprise and will uphold our commitment to equality, inclusion and opportunity for all.

Overview

The Unity Board of Directors provide governance to the organisation; ensuring our purpose remains clear and has benefit, ensuring our compliance at all level, supporting responsible financial management, ensuring the charity, and senior management team, are accountable.

When Unity was set up, the Board represented different Christian denominations, who supported the aims of the organisation. We have since built on our board membership, recognising the strength of wider representation. We hope to diversify our membership further, with respect to our guiding principles and with a key focus on welcoming those who share our core values.

The Unity Board shall have a minimum number of ten and a maximum number of twelve directors. Eight places are currently filled, with one members having indicated their intention to end their term after this coming year. The term is for a minimum of three years.

Board member responsibilities include attendance at a minimum of four out of the six scheduled meetings per year alongside active participation in electronic conversations where necessary. It may be reasonable to expect attendance at some additional meetings where this is meaningful and manageable, or providing representation at other relevant events.

Considerations

Board positions require a time and energy commitment that should not be underestimated. Interested members are urged to consider personal priorities for the next year as well as the ways to contribute to the development of Unity. The Board currently meets six times per year, although this may be subject to change. Some members attend other meetings, for example as a member of the Finance Committee.

You should be able to commit to attending meetings and responding to communication as required.

We particularly welcome applicants who can demonstrate experience in one or more of the following areas;

· HR and/or employment law (this would be particularly advantageous)

· Marketing, Communications & Social Media

· Finance/Accounting

· Events/fundraising

· Community development/citizenship

· Experience of having worked in the third sector, or specific experience of services delivered to carers, people with learning disabilities, people affected by homelessness and poverty or groups/individuals at risk of exclusion or discrimination

· Lived experience of using services

· Active in a faith community

We invite you to learn more by visiting our website at unity-enterprise.com or arranging an informal chat with our CEO by contacting Head Office on 0141 552 2611.