The Role

Scottish Women’s Aid has an opportunity to join their team as Communications Lead on a maternity cover basis. Our Communications Lead is responsible for developing and delivering the messages that reflect our core values and strategic priorities, communicating with media partners, stakeholders, and wider communities. The role holder works closely with our Communications Assistant.

Background

Scottish Women’s Aid is Scotland’s leading voluntary sector organisation working to prevent domestic abuse and promoting effective policy and practice responses for women, children and young people who experience domestic abuse. We are the umbrella organisation for 34 autonomous Women’s Aid groups delivering direct services to women, children and young people across Scotland.

What You’ll Do

Working closely with colleagues across the organisation you will create, manage and develop a strong social media presence for Scottish Women’s Aid. You’ll co-ordinate the planning and delivery of media responses as well as external PR communications to member organisations, non-members partners and other stakeholders. Local and national campaign management will be integral to the role, as is working closely with the policy team to identify ways to publicise key issues for women, children and young people who experience domestic abuse and the work we do to address these issues.

What We Need

We’re looking for someone with experience in a similar communications role, with specific experience of campaign and political, parliamentary or public affairs work. Excellent written and verbal communications skills goes without saying: you’ll be skilled in the ability to write to suit a range of different audiences and assist your colleagues with writing and producing marketing materials.

We’re looking for someone who has;

· An understanding of the benefits of social media and content management systems

· Ability to manage all communications in relation to different external projects and services provided

· Experience using social media, website and content management systems

· An understanding of political and parliamentary processes

· Awareness and understanding of the feminist analysis of domestic abuse

What we offer

There are many reasons to work for Scottish Women’s Aid. We have a great working culture and our mission and vision attracts a brilliant staff team. Your hard work is rewarded with a package of support and benefits including:

Flexible working

We offer flexible hybrid working options for the majority of our employees. Some posts are eligible for full-time homeworking. We also offer flexibility for staff and work/life balance through a number of flexible working options such as flexi time, condensed hours, job sharing.

Pay

SWA are a Living wage employer, our pay and grading system offers a competitive starting salary and yearly progression.

Annual Leave

We offer a full-time annual leave entitlement of 30 days (210 hours) per year plus 10 Public Holiday days (70 hours) per year. Leave is accrued at the rate of 3.33 days (23.3 hours) per month.

Pension

SWA believes it's important that we help you save for your retirement so access to Nest pension scheme is given to all eligible employees. SWA contributes 10% of gross contractual earnings on the provision that the employee contributes a minimum of 3% towards their pension contributions.

Learning and Development

SWA supports and develops staff to ensure they have the necessary skills, knowledge and abilities. There is an internal schedule of training on key skills and knowledge relevant to all staff. There is also scope to attend ad hoc training for employees who are working to develop specific skills.

Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Pay

SWA offers staff who meet the criteria for Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) an enhanced maternity pay of 20 weeks on full pay and 20 weeks on half pay.

Wellbeing

As part of SWA’s commitment to staff wellbeing, staff are offered access to a confidential 24/7 health and Wellbeing service with AIG which provides confidential advice, counselling and legal support to all staff, and where applicable, immediate family members.

Bike 2 Work

An interest-free loan to purchase a bike, can be arranged up to the value of £1,000.

Edinburgh Leisure Gym Subsidies

Edinburgh based staff are able to access Edinburgh Leisure facilities for the reduced price of £1 per session.

POSITIVE ACTION

Applications will be accepted from women only under Schedule 9, part 1 of the Equality Act 2010.

Scottish Women’s Aid is an equal opportunities employer, all women, including women with the protected characteristic of gender reassignment, may apply for women-only roles.

SWA are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce that is representative of the people we serve.

We are taking positive action to address an under-representation of both disabled and Black Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) employees within our workforce. We offer Disabled and BAME applicants the option of requesting that their application is considered under the terms of our Disabled or BAME Guaranteed Interview Schemes. You will be asked if you wish to be considered under the Disability/BAME Guaranteed Interview scheme when you complete our application form.

An exciting opportunity has arisen to lead our team as Chair of Women’s Aid Orkney. Women’s Aid Orkney offers a range of services to support women and children impacted by domestic abuse. Our Board of Trustees is appointed on a voluntary basis, with the Chair role involving five hours of commitment each month on average. The chair role is not restricted to live in Orkney.

Key duties include:

• Providing leadership to the Board and Women’s Aid Orkney team, including building a strong working relationship with the Service Manager
• Working with Trustees to provide strategic direction for the charity and its services
• Ensuring the Board fulfils its duties and responsibilities for effective governance
• Ensuring the Board regularly reviews and manages risks and associated opportunities
• Being an ambassador, including representing Women’s Aid Orkney with partners, key stakeholders and the media
• Planning and leading monthly virtual Trustee meetings, encouraging effective and efficient decision making
• Monitoring the implementation of decisions made at Trustee meetings.

We're looking for someone with:

• Passion and motivation to make a difference for women and children impacted by domestic abuse
• Strong leadership skills, whether in a voluntary or work capacity
• Excellent communication skills, with strong networking and relationship building abilities
• Ability to encourage a collaborative working environment
• Time to conduct the role well.

Become a Trustee

If you’re interested in joining our Board but feel that being Chair might not be the right role for you, we’d still love to hear from you. Our Board of Trustees features women from a range of backgrounds, professions and life stages who each bring objective viewpoints to the work of our service. We currently have a number of vacancies where you can make an impact on our vital work.

The purpose is to provide a range of information, advocacy and face to face support services to women that access the service independently or by referral and to deliver this service in an outreach capacity within South Ayrshire. Participation in an On Call rota for families living in our refuge accommodation.

All staff are expected to promote equality and anti-discriminatory practice and to work with women who may have multiple and complex needs.

Qualification requirements – a relevant SVQ qualification at level 6 or above to meet registration requirements of the SSSC or willing to work towards.

A full driving licence is required as is the ability to travel throughout South Ayrshire.

This post is subject to membership of PVG scheme. Women only need apply. This post is covered by a Genuine Occupational Requirement (Schedule 9; Equality Act 2010).

The post holder will provide services to children and young people with experience of domestic abuse within refuge accommodation and throughout South Ayrshire area. These services are delivered:

• While children and young people are resident in our communal refuge or in the dispersed accommodation available to us.
• On a follow-on basis when they move to permanent accommodation from refuge.
• When children and young people access the service independently on an outreach basis.
• When children and young people are referred by agencies and others.

Qualification requirements – a relevant childcare qualification at level 6 or above to meet registration requirements of the SSSC.

A full driving licence is required as is the ability to travel throughout South Ayrshire.

This post is subject to membership of PVG scheme. Women only need apply. This post is covered by a Genuine Occupational Requirement (Schedule 9; Equality Act 2010).