We are seeking a visionary Chief Executive Officer with exceptional leadership qualities to spearhead our charity, Concrete Garden, though a new and exciting period of growth and transformational change. The ideal candidate will be bold and brave and embody a passion for community empowerment and sustainability, driving forward our community’s ambition and charity mission with dedicated commitment and innovative thinking.

This role presents a unique opportunity to make a tangible impact, leading our community and team towards a brighter future for all those we serve.

Overview of the Position:

The Chief Executive Officer will play a pivotal role in shaping the strategic direction of Concrete Garden, working closely with the Board of Trustees to ensure the organisation's long-term success and impact.

And leading on the recruitment for a number of new posts to build capacity in leadership and drive forward community growth and regeneration. This position demands a dynamic individual with a proven track record in fundraising, asset management, financial management, strategic planning, and team leadership.

Start Date: Immediate or must be able to start by 27th May for a one-month handover with the incumbent CEO.

Reporting to: The Board of Trustees

It’s a very exciting time to join the Ramblers. We have been instrumental in helping Britain experience the great outdoors for almost 90 years. But we are looking to the future, not the past.

We know not everyone has the same access to the outdoors, so we’re continue to fight for change. We campaign, protect paths and lead walks so no matter who you are, you can enjoy the benefits of getting out into the fresh air and wide-open spaces.

We need your drive, knowledge, skills, and creativity to help us raise awareness of the Ramblers and what we stand for, helping the charity grow its supporter base and meet our brand goals. Ultimately, you will help open up the joys and wellbeing benefits of walking to many more people.

About us

You might know us for our group walks, thousands of which take place every week across England, Scotland and Wales.

But there’s a lot more to the Ramblers. Since 1935, we’ve been fighting for the public’s right to enjoy Britain’s landscapes. We do it through campaigning for changes in legislation, opening up green routes in cities, maintaining paths and signposts, saving lost paths … and so much more.

Purpose of Role

We are looking for someone to help us shape public policy in Scotland in a way that ensures everyone can enjoy access to the outdoors. We want your help to make sure that those who currently have the least access are enabled to overcome the barriers they face, because they have the most to gain. You will help us engage with formal policy making processes, but also with the broader networks through which public policy is informed and shaped. You will become a key member of the small team that drives our public campaigning in Scotland.

The role

Key Responsibilities:

• Become the leading expert on access to the outdoors in Scotland and use your expertise to help make access more equitable.
• Create Ramblers Scotland policy and engage with formal opportunities to shape public policy.
• Develop and maintain high level professional relationships on behalf of the organisation to influence key stakeholders.
• Help Ramblers position itself in the Scottish public policy space and shape our campaign priorities.
• Develop and support a network of campaign volunteers and build their capacity.

The person

Knowledge and Experience

Essential:

• Good knowledge of policy issues relating to walking and the walking environment in Scotland or related policy areas.
• Proven ability to use your knowledge of Scottish political systems and structures to conduct effective advocacy.
• Line management of staff and/or volunteers or leading project teams.
• Ability to develop strong, collaborative relationships with stakeholder

Desirable:

• Ability to travel throughout Scotland and occasionally across Britain, full driver’s license and access to a car
• An active and demonstrable interest in walking and engaging people with the outdoors

The Ramblers promote diversity and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Values and Behaviours

Our values are the core principles that guide us daily in our work and our membership of the Ramblers. We all share the passion that walking is for everyone and by living our shared values we can ensure the Ramblers is an organisation to be proud of. Our values will earn trust for the Ramblers brand which will allow us to open up a world of walking opportunities for even more people.

Inclusive– We make everyone feel welcome and part of the Ramblers community. We make sure we all feel respected and accepted and know our contributions make a difference in achieving our mission.

Inspiring– We strive to inspire people through the way we act and the things we say. We channel our passion and ambition so others are moved to help us achieve our mission.

Empowering– We empower and encourage each other to make a positive contribution to our teams and the Ramblers. We do all we can to make sure everyone has the ability, and feels confident, to take action.

Responsible– We take responsibility for ourselves and those around us seriously, by always acting in a safe and supportive way. We care about the environment and make sure we do what we say we will do.

We are looking for a dynamic individual who is driven, visionary, and deeply committed to long-term goals in community youth work and play. The ideal candidate will bring a wealth of lived experience in supporting marginalized communities, championing their voices, and advocating for their needs. They should have a genuine passion for the outdoors and play, recognising the profound impact it has on the lives of children and young people. If you are ready to inspire change and create lasting impact, this is the opportunity for you.

This is a UK based contract and as such, you are required to have the Right to Work in the UK. Evidence of your Right to Work will be checked prior to interview.

The fate of our planet is not a done deal. At WWF we are determined to save it by finding solutions to the greatest environmental problems facing our planet. We know that protecting what’s left is not enough. We are now in a race to restore the natural world and prevent catastrophic climate change before it’s too late. And it’s a race we can still win. Our work in Scotland currently focusses on climate change, agriculture, land use, the wider food system, and ocean recovery, but may also touch on other subjects, often working with colleagues elsewhere in the UK and our international network.

As the result of an internal secondment, we’re looking for a fundraising professional to join our team during an exciting time as we develop our new strategy, bringing new opportunities for our important work in Scotland.

As Fundraising & Partnerships Manager you will be responsible for all fundraising from trusts, foundations, statutory sources, as well as major donors, and supporting UK legacy strategy in Scotland.

We will look to you to increase income support for our work from Scottish sources. You’ll develop and deliver our fundraising strategy across multiple sources, including coordinating the development and management of key relationships and opportunities with major donors, charitable trusts, and partnerships. Collaborating with colleagues, you’ll plan and implement funding-related public, corporate and internal communications strategies. In addition to maintaining relationships with existing partners, you will proactively research and pursue new funding opportunities. You will also network in the fundraising, environmental and wider third sectors to maximise opportunities for growing support. It will also be important to keep up to date on good practice, legal and ethical compliance, sector debates and monitor effectiveness.

To help build back nature, we’re looking for someone with a background in charity fundraising, including partnership management. You will have a track record of writing successful funding applications and meeting financial targets. Good at building relationships, you will be used to developing and delivering complex projects with multiple internal and external stakeholders. You will also possess experience of leading on the development and delivery of fundraising-related communications, including compelling proposal and impact report writing. Naturally, you will have a strong understanding of the fundraising landscape in Scotland. In addition, you will be highly organised and possess strong communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills.

If you are excited by the prospect of developing your fundraising skills in an organisation at the forefront of driving global change, we would love to hear from you. Please click on the link and apply via our website by submitting a copy of your up-to-date CV and Supporting Statement to highlight what makes you a good fit for us.

WWF-UK are committed to an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. As a Disability Confident Employer, we acknowledge that some candidates may require additional support to overcome barriers experienced during the application process. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application or interview, please reach out to the Talent Acquisition team via our website.

Our policies and benefits reflect the importance of people being able to have a good work-life balance and being able to bring their ‘full self’ to work.

WWF-UK believes anyone who is involved in our work or connected to it, especially children, should be safe from harm. Our first priority will always be to safeguard anyone at risk of harm or abuse. WWF-UK operates robust recruitment practices to ensure candidates for all roles are suitable. Our process includes values-based questions during interviews and annual performance reviews, reference checks that we verify orally, criminal records checks (at the appropriate level) and pre-employment declarations. We do not tolerate any form of abuse or exploitation and act robustly to any allegations or concerns.

Our world needs you like never before. We are the first generation to know we are destroying the world and we could be the last that can do anything about it. We are looking for people who are passionate about making it politically, socially and economically unacceptable to destroy our planet’s natural resources. We need you to join us in the fight for our world.