We are seeking a dynamic and experienced individual to join Humanist Society Scotland as our Head of Ceremonies.

This is an exciting and unique opportunity to be involved in far-reaching wedding, funeral and naming services across the entire country. Over one million people in Scotland attend a humanist ceremony every year and this role holder has a unique opportunity to shape how these services are delivered across a wide range of communities the length and breadth of Scotland.

As the Head of Ceremonies, you will play a pivotal role in overseeing all aspects of our ceremonies department, ensuring seamless operations, maintaining high standards, and fostering relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.

We are especially interested in hearing from someone who has experience in strategic development of marketing and promoting services.

As a highly motivated self-directed individual you will manage a network of over 140 celebrants and line manage two support staff. We are seeking someone with considerable people management skills and a strong knowledge of marketing and promotion to direct and ensure delivery of growing the current demand and market share for our services.

In order to avoid conflict of interest and as this role has key management responsibilities in overseeing the delivery of all of our ceremony services this role holder cannot also hold a position as a celebrant. Individuals who are interested in becoming a celebrant can register their interest here instead.

Responsibilities:

• Oversee Day-to-Day Operations:

• Provide guidance and support to the ceremonies support team, including line management of two staff.
• Maintaining strong relationships with key contractors such as our celebrant trainers, emergency out of hours support and celebrant area officers.

• Budget Management:

• Ensure good oversight and planning of related budgets including delegating responsibilities to members of team where appropriate

• Promotional Plan:

• Developing and implementing business plans for sustainable growth, based on sound research and analysis of the competitive markets and future opportunities and then creating and implementing strategies to grow the business.
• Utilise various marketing channels and techniques to reach target audiences effectively.

New Celebrant Recruitment:

• Oversee recruitment and training provision for new celebrants working closely with our trainers.
• Working with our celebrant network to develop meaningful mentoring relationships for new celebrants.
• Ensure feedback from trainees helps further develop and improve our training.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Coordination:

• Coordinate ongoing CPD opportunities for celebrants, including organising gatherings and training sessions to enhance their skills and knowledge.

Reviews Oversight:

• Oversee and coordinate professional reviews of ceremonies.

Complaints Management:

• Address and resolve complaints from clients in a timely and professional manner.

Relationships with External Stakeholders:

• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with external stakeholders, including funeral directors, wedding venues and other relevant partners.
• Collaborate with external partners to expand our celebrant network and reach new audiences.
• Sharing best practices and learning from professional networks of other humanist leaders and groups.

Person Specification:

• Proven experience in a leadership role, preferably within service delivery. This could be in the public, private or third sector.
• Previous professional success in creating a meaningful promotional and marketing strategy to help increase market share.
• Ability to proactively anticipate emerging trends and threats and apply business intelligence to react in response.
• Strong organisational and project management skills, with the ability to multitask and prioritise effectively.
• Sound people management skills including the ability to handle delicate issues such as bereavement, complaints and conflict resolution.
• Strong customer service experience both internal stakeholder facing and external public facing.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build rapport with diverse stakeholders.
• Demonstrated proficiency in budget management.
• Independent work ethic with ability to self motivate and direct including ability to work on own initiative and prioritise workload.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, and an understanding of GDPR principles.
• Has strong experience of ensuring that decisions are data-driven and evidence led.
• Is a committed team player and is used to collaborative working throughout the organisation.
• Good knowledge of humanist principles and practices.
• Professional experience of the wedding or funeral industries would be desirable but not essential.

Join our team and contribute to creating meaningful and memorable ceremonies that celebrate life and humanist values. If you're passionate about making a difference and thrive in a dynamic environment, we want to hear from you!

The Young Women’s Movement is Scotland's national organisation for young women and girls' leadership and rights.

Young women are at the heart of everything we do and we work collectively to equip with them the resources, networks and platforms to lead meaningful change and create a more equal society.

We exist because we believe in a society where young women and girls’ needs and rights are fully met. We will continue to strive until that society is secured.

To help us achieve this, the role of Head of Programmes & Operations has been created to:

• To lead the Operations and Finance functions of the Young Women’s Movement to provide effective, efficient and business-focused support that drives our work into the future
• To innovate, deliver and grow high quality feminist programmes and initiatives across Scotland that are led by the voices, experiences and needs of young women and girls

Everyone who works at Young Women’s Movement:

• Has equality at the heart of everything they do
• Takes a participatory approach to our work. We are for young women and by young women
• Builds communities of friendship and support networks, finding joy in our collective actions and connections
• Understands the impact of challenging inequality on those most affected by it. We lead with kindness and empathy, putting collective wellbeing at the core of our organisation
• Delivers our work with integrity and are proud of the work we do
• Is bold and brave. We do not shy away from challenging the status quo and taking radical steps to make gender equality a reality in Scotland

How you'll help to create a fairer Scotland for young women and girls:

Leadership and Governance

• As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, contribute to the leadership and delivery of the Young Women’s Movement strategic and operational goals
• Lead and inspire the Collective Voice & Action; Learning and Engagement and Business and Finance Team’s workload and activities, including direct line management of the Collective Voice & Action Lead; Learning & Engagement Lead; Business & Finance Coordinator
• Work with the CEO, Treasurer and external accountant on the Management Accounts for the quarterly Finance Subcommittee; and contribute towards papers for the Quarterly Board meetings
• Support the CEO with contributions to the overall organisation strategy and development
• Within your areas of responsibility and supporting the wider organisation, ensure compliance with all related policies and procedures e.g. HMRC, Pensions Regulator, Companies House & OSCR
• Provide additional management cover when necessary

Operational Management

• Work with the CEO, Leads and young women to develop and expand our existing programmes and ensure we are constantly innovating in programme and product development to meet the needs of the young women we support
• Replicate and expand existing programmes across Scotland whilst also adopting a proactive and strategic approach to developing new and innovative programmes
• Develop excellent relationships with the YWM team and the young women we work with to drive positive outcomes and ensure our work is led by the experiences, voices and needs of young women
• Support the Leads with strategic planning for the Collective Voice & Action; Learning and Engagement and Business and Finance Team’s team including the setting and monitoring of objectives and targets
• Oversee the monitoring and evaluation activity for the Collective Voice & Action; Learning and Engagement and Business and Finance Teams

Finance

• Work with the CEO to set, manage and monitor organisation and project budgets
• Work with budget holders to manage and monitor budget lines and authorised expenditure within delegated limits and YWM financial policies and procedures
• Work collaboratively with the CEO and Business and Finance Coordinator to ensure a strong synergy between organisational planning and financial and resource sustainability
• Lead on the annual production and audit of the organisation’s statutory accounts, including preparation and completion of the statutory accounts in accordance with charity and accounting standards, and submission of annual returns to the Charity Commission and Companies House
• Oversight of the charity’s investments; including providing regular and timely advice to the Board on investment management and delivery

HR, Culture and People

Overseeing HR strategies, HR compliance, and ensuring HR strategies that mean our team are supported, skilled, and developed

• Maintain and develop strong cross-team relationships within YWM
• Using external experts as required, co-ordinate and interpret advice on any human resource issues arising
• Support the Business & Finance Coordinator to ensure the consistent delivery and quality of HR processes including staff recruitment, induction and development, monthly payroll and pensions, annual objectives and professional development plans

IT, Administration and Business

• Oversee the YWM’s information management, incorporating legal and regulatory requirements (GDPR), data security, and use of data and insight to deliver the objectives of the movement
• Ensure implementation of YWM’s Activity and Organisational Health and Safety policies and processes in line with legislation
• General office management oversight

Other

• Keep up to date with the latest developments in the charity, political and commercial sectors and identify key opportunities for YWM
• Undertake any other duties that occasionally arise

Let’s talk about you - you will already have or be working towards:

Essential:

• A good standard of education in relevant field OR demonstrable equivalent skills through continued professional development
• A track record of delivering organisational plans as part of a management team
• An understanding of the issues facing young women, especially those facing the greatest inequalities and at risk from systemic discrimination
• Excellent relationship management skills and experience of line management and professional development
• Professional expertise to implement team strategy and a strong track record of efficient and effective delivery of objectives
• Previous experience of effectively setting, managing and monitoring budgets (annual budgets exceeding £500k preferable)
• The ability to work independently and to deal with often complex and non-routine issues
• Ability to think creatively and strategically, using a solution-focused approach
• A flexible and adaptable approach with the ability to operate and prioritise within a constantly evolving environment where targets and deadlines may change
• Commitment to own continuing professional development

Desirable

• Experience of working in women-only spaces with a focus on young women and girls
• Experience of working in a similar role in a charity or not-for-profit environment
• Advanced skills in MS Excel, Word, Customer Relationship Management System (CRM) and finance software - Xero desirable
• Experience of managing an HR function - BreatheHR desirable
• Experience in and understanding of good charity governance
• Experience of participatory models of working with young women and/or youth work experience
• Knowledge and understanding of feminist themes within equity, diversity and inclusion and the roles a support function plays in this

Why you should want to work with us!

• We operate a 4-day working week, which means full-time is 28 hours
• We offer flexible working options and patterns, including the option to work hybrid from anywhere in Scotland (our co-working space is in Edinburgh)
• Our annual leave entitlement is 28 days a year, including public holidays
• We provide 1 additional day of annual leave for your birthday (or to take another time that you would like to celebrate)
• All staff members are enrolled in our Employer Life Assurance Scheme
• You can access a range of benefits and discounts through our life assurance app.
• We are committed to supporting staff development through training and coaching opportunities
• Wellbeing and mental health support are a priority, all of our staff can access counselling through our EAP provider.
• We have a number of feminist policies to support our staff e.g. fertility and menopause policies
• You’ll be joining a team that will embrace your ideas and support and encourage you to bring your whole self to work

Due to the nature of our work with children and young people, successful applicants will be required to undergo a disclosure check through the PVG Scheme.

At The Young Women’s Movement we are an intergenerational team and we value and celebrate diversity. We welcome applications regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity.

Don't meet every single requirement?

Studies show that women and Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic people are less likely to apply for a job unless they meet every qualification. So, if you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align perfectly with the job description, we'd love you to apply anyway. You might just be the perfect person for this role, or another role within The Young Women’s Movement family.

About Smart Works

Smart Works is a dynamic, high profile and fast-growing UK charity that dresses and coaches unemployed women for success at their job interview. We empower each woman by giving her the clothes and the confidence she needs to succeed. After visiting Smart Works, 69% of clients secure a job within a month, gaining financial independence and transforming their lives.

More information about who we are can be found on our website.

About the role

Smart Works is volunteer-powered and exists to empower all women who need help getting into work. As such, a fantastic opportunity has arisen for a proactive self-starter with outstanding leadership skills to take on the pivotal role of being the Head of Smart Works Scotland. Reporting to the Chair of the Trustee Board, the role is responsible for developing and delivering our core strategies and for the overall operation of our two centres in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

In practice, this involves leading a small staff team to thrive in their roles and deliver outstanding results, with direct line management responsibilities for 3 team members out of 8. It also includes representing our charity to a range of stakeholders across the region, contributing to our ambitious client targets and unlocking vital funds to deliver the Three Year Plan.

A major focus of this role will be to deliver, and support team members to aid delivery, of our annual fundraising target (c. £400k) via, grants and trusts, corporate partnerships, fundraising events, and identifying new income streams.

The Head of Smart Works Scotland must build strong working relationships with the staff team and Board of Trustees, foster excellent collaborations with a variety of stakeholders and have significant experience across multiple fundraising streams.

Whilst the successful individual will be supported by the Chair, Board of Trustees and colleagues in other centres, they will be expected to work autonomously and confidently in carrying out their duties. There may be occasional evening and weekend work in order to support fundraising, networking and key events as required.

The role will be based in our Edinburgh or Glasgow centre, and flexible working options are available.

If you are passionate about supporting women, are flexible, have excellent organisation and prioritisation skills and can liaise confidently and successfully with a broad range of stakeholders, then this is an ideal opportunity.

Duties and responsibilities

• Leading a staff team of 8 across two centres, ensuring all team members are thriving in their roles and continuing to develop their skills.
• Supporting each direct report with project deliverables and identifying continuous improvement opportunities in our ways of working.
• Oversee the smooth running of both centres, ensuring all client and service delivery targets are on track and all protocols such as safeguarding and governance are adhered to.
• Setting and delivering our core strategies, across all functional areas.
• Working with various staff members on targeted campaigns and corporate partnerships, providing guidance and support on the annual fundraising target c. £400k via our three revenue streams - Corporate, Community and Events, Grants and Trusts.
• Manage the day-to-day costs of the budget, contributing to timely process reconciliation with the Board Treasurer and Group Finance Team.
• Delivering financial activities to target, maintaining an up to date database with relevant income tracking and pipeline information to facilitate regular financial reporting to the Board of Trustees and timely process reconciliation with the Board Treasurer and Group Finance team.
• Supporting the team to raise awareness of our charity and increase our supporter community through social media campaigns and in-person events throughout the year.

Personal Specification

Essential Criteria

• Outstanding interpersonal and team management / leadership skills.
• Significant experience of generating income from a variety of sources, including Events, Trusts, Foundations, Community and Corporate sponsorship.
• Demonstrable experience of securing new business and onboarding new partnerships.
• Experience of managing four figure+ partnerships across the following activities: employee fundraising, sponsorship, commercial or grants.
• A strong networker, with relationship management experience across seniority levels and sectors.
• Strong presentation skills, with prior experience delivering engaging sessions to large audiences.
• Experience of balancing changing priorities and responding to delivery needs.
• Proactive approach to problem solving, with an entrepreneurial attitude towards fundraising strategy.
• Ability to work autonomously and also have a strong team focus and ethic.
• Good working knowledge and experience using Microsoft Office, Excel, Word, CRM systems.
• Target driven, with excellent organisation and time management skills to meet deadlines and monthly / quarterly KPIs.

Desirable Criteria

• An understanding of the employment and skills landscape in Scotland.
• Experience of working collaboratively with volunteer teams and / or in the not for profit sector.
• Financially aware, able to interpret basic financial accounts for reporting purposes.