Recruitment lead jobs in girvan, south ayrshire council

The Charity and The Vision.    

Scotty’s Little Soldiers is a UK-based charity dedicated to supporting military children and young people (0 to 25 years) who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces. Founded in 2010 by Nikki Scott following the death of her husband, Corporal Lee Scott, the charity offers a unique blend of emotional, practical, and educational support to over 700 young people, and we have big ambitions to support over 1,000 children annually by 2030.    

We are proud of our vibrant, non-traditional culture, which puts the needs of bereaved children and young people at the heart of everything we do. We embrace innovative approaches, are committed to creating smiles and believe in the power of community, resilience, and connection.    

Role Mission.  

At Scotty's, we believe every bereaved military child deserves our support. As Head of Grants, your role is to secure and manage major, long-term grant funding, maintain strong relationships with funders, and report on our impact to encourage continued support.  

I am accountable for…  

• Strategic Grant Income Growth: Developing and delivering an ambitious pipeline of grants income that not only meets but exceeds our annual agreed income budgets. Securing those multi-year, high-value grants that fuel the long-term sustainability of the charity's strategic growth and allow us to reach more families.  

• Grant Funder Relationships: Cultivating and expanding deep, long-term, and genuinely mutually beneficial relationships with a diverse portfolio of military and non-military grant-making organisations.   

• Grant Portfolio Management: Overseeing the lifecycle of all awarded grants, ensuring reporting, optimal allocation and tracking of funds (balancing restricted and unrestricted to best serve our families), and administrative oversight to maintain high standards of compliance and transparency which our funders expect and deserve.  

• Impactful Storytelling and Application Development: Translating Scotty's heartfelt mission and profound impact into compelling, donor-centric narratives and high-quality proposals that truly stand out from the crowd. We want to demonstrate our social value and inspire significant, transformative investment.  

• Best practice grant management: Championing the very best practices in grant fundraising, positioning Scotty's as a charity of choice for major grant-makers.  

• Financial Stewardship & Forecasting: Providing regular, insightful forecasting of our grants pipeline (using Salesforce) and working with the Finance Team to ensure funds are being correctly used and logged - so we always know where we stand.  

I am responsible for:  

• Grant Strategy & Planning: Developing and implementing the grants strategy with a comprehensive, rolling programme of grant applications that are perfectly aligned with our charity’s strategic plans and agreed annual budget. We'll be focusing on securing those larger, transformative grants that make a real difference to starting each year with a higher percentage of funding already secured.  

• Funder Research & Identification: Proactively researching and identifying new, high-potential funding opportunities that truly resonate with Scotty's mission and strategic priorities. This means using industry best practices and relationship building to find our perfect partners.  

• Proposal Development & Submission: Leading the end-to-end development of high-quality, persuasive grant applications. This involves crafting compelling narratives from the heart, developing robust budgets factoring in overheads, and ensuring timely submission.   

• Relationship Management & Stewardship: Building and nurturing strong, long-term relationships with both our existing and prospective funders. This means regular, personalised communication, sharing impactful updates and acting as a Scotty’s ambassador at funder events and meetings.  

• Grant Management & Reporting: Meticulously managing all stages of awarded grants, including careful financial tracking (using Salesforce), ensuring we always adhere to grant agreements, and compiling comprehensive, insightful end-of-project reports that truly demonstrate our impact and foster continued support.  

• Internal Collaboration: Working closely with our Families team, Finance Team, Comms Team and Fundraising Team to identify funding needs, gather powerful impact data, and ensure seamless delivery and awareness of all grant-funded activities. We work to weekly transparent Success Measures (3 key agreed metrics which help show we’ve had a great week and give leading and lagging indicators on how we’re doing), monthly and quarterly budget targets and short, daily and weekly team huddles to share good news, keep our culture forefront and ensure we can best support each other and deliver for the charity.  

• Pipeline Management & Forecasting: Develop and maintain a robust pipeline of grant opportunities, regularly tracking progress, and providing accurate forecasting to help us make smart, strategic decisions for our future.   

• Data Management: Ensuring all grant funding information, relationships, and communications are accurately inputted and updated on our charity’s CRM database (Salesforce). Keeping things tidy and organised is key for good governance.  

• Grants landscape: Staying abreast of the trends and developments in the grants and trusts sector, identifying new approaches and opportunities to enhance Scotty's fundraising efforts and keep us ahead of the curve.  

• Team Support: Providing a helping hand with administrative support to other areas of the charity if required. We're all good team players here at Scotty's, and we always support each other.  

3-Month Goals:  

• Onboarding & Immersion: Dive deep and achieve a comprehensive understanding of Scotty’s operating system (The Scotty’s OS), our values, our behaviours, our mission, and the significant impact we have. This will happen through intro meetings with everyone on the team and a tailored onboarding program.  

• Grant Portfolio Audit & Handover: Conduct an audit of our existing grant portfolio, reviewing active grants, reporting schedules, and our funder relationships. We'll begin the handover process for existing relationships with the Head of Fundraising, ensuring a smooth transition.  

• Funder Engagement & Feedback: Reach out and initiate contact with at least 5 key existing funders. This is about listening, gathering their valuable feedback, understanding their priorities, and beginning to build those personal, trusting rapports.  

• Pipeline Initiation: Identify and qualify a minimum of 5 new potential grant-making organisations. We'll prioritise those who truly align with Scotty's mission and have the capacity for significant, multi-year funding – our future partners.  

6-Month Goals:  

• Income Target Ownership: Take full, enthusiastic ownership of ensuring we are on track to hit our existing grant budget lines. You'll provide regular and accurate forecasting, keeping us all informed and confident.  

• Relationship Deepening: Strengthen relationships with at least 5 key funders, leading to demonstrable progress towards increased or renewed multi-year support.  

• New Grant Acquisition: Secure at least 2 new grants of significant value (e.g. £10k+) from previously untapped funders, showcasing your success in converting those pipeline opportunities into real impact.  

• Strategic Grant Mapping: Develop a comprehensive grant funding strategy, outlining key target areas, funder tiers, and a detailed timeline for our major applications for the next 12-18 months.   

• Impact Reporting Enhancement: Collaborate internally to refine and enhance our reporting mechanisms. We want to ensure our data is readily available and tells the most compelling story for our funder reports.  

9-Month Goals:  

• Multi-Year Grant Success: Secure at least one new multi-year grant partnership with an annual income of £50k+, truly demonstrating your ability to unlock larger, sustained funding that makes a lasting difference.  

• Pipeline Expansion & Value: Add £100k+ of new, qualified grant fundraising opportunities to our pipeline each month, always with a keen eye on those high-value prospects.  

• Income Exceedance: Be on track to exceed the annual grant fundraising target, demonstrating strong performance and strategic growth that helps more bereaved military families.  

• Innovation & Best Practice: Introduce at least one innovative approach or best practice (e.g. involving AI) to our grant fundraising strategy. This could be a new, heartwarming cultivation event, a bespoke reporting format, or a new research methodology – anything that helps us grow.  

• Personal Development & Leadership: Review your personal development needs and opportunities, actively seeking ways to enhance your leadership in the grants sector and contribute to the wider fundraising team's success. We believe in growing together.  

Essential Criteria  

• Proven experience in charity grant management.  

• Strategic planning: Ability to develop, implement, and evaluate grant strategies that align with the charity’s mission and objectives.  

• Financial acumen: Competence in budgeting, financial monitoring, and reporting for grant programmes.  

• Stakeholder engagement: Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build relationships with funders, beneficiaries, partners, and internal teams.  

• Analytical and decision-making ability: Skilled in assessing applications, monitoring outcomes, and making evidence-based decisions.  

• Excellent written and verbal communication: Ability to produce clear reports, guidance, and correspondence tailored to a variety of audiences.  

• Organisational skills: Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.  

Desirable Criteria  

• Sector-specific experience: Prior work within children’s bereavement, military-related charities, or with vulnerable children and families.  

• Evaluation and impact measurement: Familiarity with monitoring and evaluating the impact of grant programmes, including data analysis and reporting.  

• Policy development: Experience in developing or reviewing grant-making policies and procedures.  

• Public speaking: Confident in representing the charity at external events, conferences, or media opportunities.  

Additional Information  

• The role may require occasional evening or weekend work  

• Enhanced DBS check required  

• Travel will be required to events and team training days  

The Scotty’s Way  

At Scotty’s, our personal performance is only 50% of what success looks like. Our culture is equally important. When you join our team, you sign up to The Scotty’s Way, rooted in our four core values:   

1. Families Come First  

1. Everyone a Supporter, Every Supporter a VIP  

1. Love What You Do  

1. Remember, Every Day  

Our values are further supported by our four non-negotiable behaviours of Show Respect, Speak Up, Take Ownership and Actively Collaborate. We are looking for an individual who embodies these values and behaviours.  

Thank you for your interest in joining our team, we are an equal opportunities employer, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees are treated with respect and given equal opportunities for employment and advancement.   

We do not discriminate based on race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability or any other protected characteristic.   

We encourage all qualified individuals to apply for employment within our charity, and we provide a fair and inclusive recruitment process for all candidates.  

About Us
The National Landscapes Association represents and supports the UK’s National Landscapes (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) – places where we want nature and people to flourish together. These living, protected landscapes are vital to the UK’s nature recovery, climate resilience, sustainable farming and wellbeing.

We work collaboratively and inclusively to ensure these treasured places are protected, restored, and accessible to all. Our policy work is central to this mission – and we’re looking for a proficient and motivated individual to help shape and drive it forward.

About the Role
As Policy & Advocacy Officer, you’ll be a core member of our dynamic policy team, helping to influence positive change at the heart of environmental, planning, and community policy in the UK. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who thrives on creating and communicating impactful policy positions, can build strategic relationships, and wants to make a real difference.

You’ll work across a broad range of issues – including agriculture and land management, planning and sustainable development, wellbeing and recreation and access and engagement – supporting National Landscape teams to engage effectively in national debates and policy processes.

Key Responsibilities

• Policy research & analysis: monitor emerging policy trends, conduct research and analysis, and develop robust evidence-based positions across key topics.
• Strategic advocacy: Help design and deliver targeted advocacy strategies; draft position papers, consultation responses and policy briefs.
• Stakeholder engagement: Build and maintain trusted relationships with government officials, partner organisations and local teams.
• Communication & outreach: Translate complex issues into clear, compelling messages for internal and external audiences, contribute to communication strategies and represent the organisation at external meetings.
• Monitoring & evaluation: Track policy impact and advocacy initiative progress, providing updates and insight to the Head of Policy & Advocacy.

See the role description for more information.

Why Join Us?
At the National Landscapes Association, you’ll be part of a passionate and forward-thinking team making a meaningful impact. You’ll gain exposure to a wide range of high-profile policy issues, work alongside experts across the UK, and help shape the future of our most valued landscapes.

Working pattern: full-time (36.25 hours per week) - part time considered

It is essential that you live within the Thames Valley region, or close enough to commute 

Working location: mostly remote work with some travel required. You will deliver a face-to-face service to clients in their own home or safe meeting place across the Thames Valley area as well as providing support by phone, email or other means to suit the service user. We take a person-centred approach so the amount of travel will vary depending on your caseload at the time. You’re in control of your own diary. 

Why this role is important: Every 20 minutes, someone is killed or seriously injured on UK roads. For families affected, the emotional and practical challenges are immense. As a Caseworker, you will provide trauma-informed care to individuals and families suffering from the sudden bereavement or life-altering injury of a loved one. Working mostly remotely, with some home visits to service users, you’ll offer vital emotional and practical support—including helping them access therapeutic resources, financial assistance, and guidance through the complexities of medical and legal processes. 

About Brake: Brake is a renowned and respected road safety charity with a 30-year history dedicated to supporting people affected by road crashes and advocating for safer streets. 

The role: This is a rewarding role where every day brings the opportunity to make a positive difference to people's lives. We regularly receive testimonials from service users describing the life-changing impact of receiving support from our caseworkers in the National Road Victim Service.

You'll join a closely knit team of fellow caseworkers, each using their individual experience and skills to provide person-centred support to victims. This provides a ready-made peer group who share best practice and knowledge and support each other so, in turn, they can best support road victims. There's no sugar coating it, this isn't an easy role, it requires a special type of person with strong resilience, but the reward is a strong sense of purpose, every day. You can’t pour from an empty cup, so we have strong support systems in place to support our caseworker's wellbeing, including clinical supervision. 

What we offer:

- A generous 35 days of annual leave (including bank holidays and 3-day end of year shutdown) 

- Birthday day off 

- Flexible working (choose a working pattern to suit you between the hours of 8am-6pm Mon-Fri) 

- Enhanced sick pay and compassionate leave 

- Death in service benefit 

- Pension 

- Employee Assistance Programme 

- Clinical supervision and excellent support 

- A rewarding role with purpose 

- Be part of a skilled, friendly team with an engaged Board of Trustees 

- Opportunity to attend prestigious events such as the Brake annual reception and awards (if you want to) 

Who we're looking for 

Full training will be provided under the guidance of our dedicated Training Officer. Our induction program has been developed to equip caseworkers with the skills they need to provide high quality support to road victims and covers topics such as being trauma-informed, safeguarding and risk management. We're open to candidates from all sorts of backgrounds, as long as you're a compassionate, self-starter with a background in providing high-quality emotional support and advocacy. Your experience in roles within the NHS, any health and social care, road safety, counselling, the police and family liaison officers, lived experience or any type of casework could make you an ideal candidate. 

Essential Requirements: 

• A full, clean UK driving licence and access to your own vehicle (travel expenses are reimbursed) 

• Resident within commutable distance to the Thames Valley area. 

• Experience delivering frontline support, preferably involving sudden bereavement or heightened vulnerabilities. 

• Strong advocacy and research skills to liaise with multiple organisations on behalf of service users. 

• Competency in I.T skills to work remotely. 

Desirable Experience: 

Comprehensive understanding of the processes involved in the criminal justice system and coronial process 

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion: Brake is passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that values diversity. We’re committed to supporting employees to achieve a good work/life balance and flexible around caring commitments. We welcome your application whatever your background or situation. We particularly welcome applications from those who are part of the global majority, the LGBTQIA+ community or disabled. We are proud to be a disability confident employer. We don’t want you to ‘fit’ our culture, we want you to enrich it. So, if you have a passion for making a difference and share in our vision for a world where no one is killed on our roads, we would love to hear from you. 

Apply now: If you're up for a new challenge and have the skills, apply now by sending your CV and cover letter. We'd like to get to know the real you through your application, not an AI version. If you do use AI to write your cover letter, please check it and make sure it reflects who you are. We encourage cover letters in alternative formats such as videos or presentations. 

Not for traffic offenders: Due to the nature of our work we can't accept applications from traffic offenders. Candidates will be asked to disclose whether they have any unspent points on their licence at screening/interview. 

An enhanced DBS check is required due to the sensitive nature of our service. 

Questions? If you would like to discuss the role further, please get in touch, we'd love to chat. 

The role: This is a rewarding role where every day brings the opportunity to make a positive difference to people's lives. We regularly receive testimonials from service users describing the life-changing impact of receiving support from our caseworkers in the National Road Victim Service.

Working location: mostly remote work with some travel required. Based in the central area of the South West region you will deliver a face-to-face service to clients in their own home or safe meeting place across the Dorset, Avon, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire area  as well as providing support by Teams, phone, email or other means to suit the service user. We take a person-centred approach so the amount of travel will vary depending on your caseload at the time. You’re in control of your own diary. 

Why this role is important: Every 20 minutes, someone is killed or seriously injured on UK roads. For families affected, the emotional and practical challenges are immense. As a Caseworker, you will provide trauma-informed care to individuals and families suffering from the sudden bereavement or life-altering injury of a loved one. Working mostly remotely, with some home visits to service users, you’ll offer vital emotional and practical support—including helping them access therapeutic resources, financial assistance, and guidance through the complexities of medical and legal processes. 

About Brake: Brake is a renowned and respected road safety charity with a 30-year history dedicated to supporting people affected by road crashes and advocating for safer streets. 

You'll join a closely knit team of fellow caseworkers, each using their individual experience and skills to provide person-centred support to victims. This provides a ready-made peer group who share best practice and knowledge and support each other so, in turn, they can best support road victims. There's no sugar coating it, this isn't an easy role, it requires a special type of person with strong resilience, but the reward is a strong sense of purpose, every day. You can’t pour from an empty cup, so we have strong support systems in place to support our caseworker's wellbeing, including clinical supervision. 

What we offer:

• A generous 35 days of annual leave (including bank holidays and 3-day end of year shutdown) 
• Birthday day off 
• Flexible working (choose a working pattern to suit you between the hours of 8am-6pm Mon-Fri) 
• Enhanced sick pay and compassionate leave 
• Death in service benefit 
• Pension 
• Employee Assistance Programme 
• Clinical supervision and excellent support 
• A rewarding role with purpose 
• Be part of a skilled, friendly team with an engaged Board of Trustees 
• Opportunity to attend prestigious events such as the Brake annual reception and awards (if you want to) 

Who we're looking for 

Full training will be provided under the guidance of our dedicated Training Officer. Our induction program has been developed to equip caseworkers with the skills they need to provide high quality support to road victims and covers topics such as being trauma-informed, safeguarding and risk management. We're open to candidates from all sorts of backgrounds, as long as you're a compassionate, self-starter with a background in providing high-quality emotional support and advocacy. Your experience in roles within the NHS, any health and social care, road safety, counselling, the police and family liaison officers, lived experience or any type of casework could make you an ideal candidate. 

Essential Requirements: 

• A full, clean UK driving licence and access to your own vehicle (travel expenses are reimbursed) 

• Resident in the central area of the South West Region. 

• Experience delivering frontline support, preferably involving sudden bereavement or heightened vulnerabilities. 
• Strong advocacy and research skills to liaise with multiple organisations on behalf of service users. 
• Competency in I.T skills to work remotely. 

Desirable Experience: 

• Comprehensive understanding of the processes involved in the criminal justice system and coronial process 

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion: Brake is passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that values diversity. We’re committed to supporting employees to achieve a good work/life balance and flexible around caring commitments. We welcome your application whatever your background or situation. We particularly welcome applications from those who are part of the global majority, the LGBTQIA+ community or disabled. We are proud to be a disability confident employer. We don’t want you to ‘fit’ our culture, we want you to enrich it. So, if you have a passion for making a difference and share in our vision for a world where no one is killed on our roads, we would love to hear from you. 

Apply now: If you're up for a new challenge and have the skills, apply now by sending your CV and cover letter. We'd like to get to know the real you through your application, not an AI version. If you do use AI to write your cover letter, please check it and make sure it reflects who you are. We encourage cover letters in alternative formats such as videos or presentations. 

Not for traffic offenders: Due to the nature of our work we can't accept applications from traffic offenders. Candidates will be asked to disclose whether they have any unspent points on their licence at screening/interview. 

An enhanced DBS check is required due to the sensitive nature of our service. 

Questions? If you would like to discuss the role further, please get in touch, we'd love to chat.