Head of Operations (Scotland) Full Time

Edinburgh, Midlothian
AWS Charity Jobs

We are delighted to be working in partnership with a UK charity that aims to help disadvantaged young people gain a place within a higher education establishment.

We are looking to appoint the Head of Operations for Scotland who will oversee the strategic development of the charity’s three centres and other work in Scotland, including the development of new community-based programmes for groups including parents.

Operational management

• To have oversight of the charity’s centre in Newcastle, which is currently clustered with three centres in Scotland. (This clustering arrangement is likely to change in coming years as the charity develops further centres in NE England.)
• To attend meetings of the university partnership Oversight Board for the Newcastle East centre, preparing reports as required.
• To ensure that the ethos and values of the charity are maintained across centres in Scotland and Newcastle.
• To act as direct line-manager for the Regional Operations Manager (Scotland) and the Centre Leader of the Newcastle East Centre including ensuring that staff members in the team are properly managed and supported, and that specific training and development needs are met.
• To take full responsibility, working with the Regional Operations Manager (Scotland) to ensure that the high quality of the charity programme is maintained across Scotland and Newcastle, KPIs are monitored and met, and the pastoral needs of the children and young people are met.
• To work with the Senior Management Team and the Facilities team to take responsibility for Health and Safety at the centres in Scotland and Newcastle.
• To take charity-wide responsibility of a key area of the charity’s work (the area of responsibility will be negotiated with the successful candidate, considering their particular skills, knowledge and experience alongside the needs of the charity.)

Stakeholder Management and Partnerships

• To maintain excellent links with key organisations / people in Scotland including Glasgow City Council, Edinburgh City Council, relevant MPs and MSPs, and The Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR).
• To be the key advocate and ambassador for the charity in Scotland.
• To prepare for and attend fundraising meetings and fundraising / stewardship events as required, working closely with the charity’s fundraising teams and the development teams of our two university partners.
• To provide reports and reporting data for project partners and philanthropic supporters.
• To attend meetings of the university partnership Oversight Board for the Scotland centres, preparing reports as required.
• To work closely with staff at the Widening Participation teams at the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh to ensure the effectiveness of the partnership.
• To work with the Corporate Fundraising team, university fundraising staff, the Regional Operations Manager (Scotland), and Scotland centre leaders to ensure that corporate partnerships are effective.

Safeguarding and Compliance

• To work with the Safeguarding Team to ensure all safeguarding procedures and policies are implemented correctly at the centres in Scotland and Newcastle, and that the charity is fully compliant with safeguarding policy and procedures in Scotland (Scotland centres) and England (Newcastle centre).
• To ensure compliance with all necessary regulations and legal requirements, including the Children’s Act, Equal Opportunities, Data Protection, Health & Safety and Working with Vulnerable Groups.

Inclusion

• To ensure that all publicity, and educational and administrative resources used by the Scotland centres, are fit for use in Scottish educational contexts.
• To advise the Senior Management Team and other staff on the relevant legislative and regulatory frameworks in Scotland, including guidance relating to COVID and possible future public health regulation in Scotland.
• To provide advice to the Senior Management Team on relevant policy and other developments within Scotland, including the OECD report recommendations, the Muir Report, Curriculum for Excellence reform and safeguarding policy reviews.
• To work with senior colleagues across the charity to ensure that the charity is a ‘two-nations’ organisation which embraces fully the Scottish and English dimensions of the charity’s work.
• To report to the Senior Management Team and the Trustees on the charity ‘s work in Scotland.

General

• To support with the recruitment across the charity of Centre Leaders and Graduate Education Workers including assessing application forms, organising selection days, inputting into shortlisting candidates and supporting with delivering the graduate training programme.
• To champion diversity and inclusion in your role at all times, referring to the Diversity and Inclusion Staff Responsibilities Guide.
• To undertake any task that may be requested from time to time that may be consistent with the nature and scope of this post.

Experience

• Ideally have a minimum of three years’ full-time paid or voluntary experience working with children and young people or working on curriculum or programme development (or a combination of both).
• Have a minimum of one year’s experience of people management and/or high-level project management; for example, a qualified teacher might have experience leading a subject stream or holding a whole-school responsibility.
• Ideally have experience of programme review and development.
• Ideally have experience of safeguarding young people and implementing safeguarding practice.
• Ideally have a good working knowledge of the Scottish school system and Higher Education sector.

Qualifications

• Completed an undergraduate degree to a 2.2 or higher level
• Achieved a grade C or higher in GCSE Maths and English/ achieved National 5s or Standard Grade at Credit level (grades 1-2) in Maths and English (or equivalent).