Secondment Opportunity

Secondment Opportunity

Job Title:             Engagement Manager 

Location:              Quadrant House, Dundee (hybrid working)

Hours:                  Full-time, 37 hours (alternative working patterns, including part-time, will be considered)

Salary:                 £44,557 per annum

Duration:             12 months

Closing Date:       24 January 2024, 12noon

The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator is offering two exciting secondment opportunities to play key parts in implementing the Charities (Regulation and Administration) (Scotland) Act 2023.  We are looking for experienced individuals from the third sector in Scotland to come and work with us to maximise the benefits of the new Act for the charity sector and the public in Scotland.  

Both posts will be for an initial time period of one year, with a further extension open to consideration.

The roles will result in post holders developing: 

•           a wider knowledge of the Sector, 

•           a strong understanding of the role of the Scottish Charities Regulator, 

•           a strong knowledge of the implementation of legislation and regulation, and

•           OSCR’s understanding of those it regulates.  

Among many other improvements, the Act puts a duty on OSCR to establish a new schedule/database of all 160,000 charity trustees in Scotland and publish those names as part of the Scottish Charity Register.  We will also be required to publish all the annual accounts we get from Scotland’s 25,000+ charities.  The Act also extends the categories of people that will automatically be disqualified from being charity trustees or senior managers of charities.

The postholder will work with third sector infrastructure organisations, umbrella bodies, underrepresented and seldom heard stakeholders to help OSCR understand how delivery of the new measures will impact the sector and explore issues and views about them among trustees, charity staff and other stakeholders.  They will work with project teams in OSCR to make sure that the Act is implemented in partnership with the sector and taking its knowledge and experience fully into account.  This is essential to make sure the impact on charities and trustees is positive and so to achieve a step change in transparency and availability of information to the public about charities in Scotland.

About OSCR

The Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) is a non-ministerial office and part of the Scottish Administration following commencement of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005.

We are the independent regulator and registrar for over 25,000 Scottish charities including community groups, religious charities, schools, universities, grant-giving charities and major care providers. Our work as Regulator ultimately supports public confidence in charities and their work.

We have a number of functions that are set out in The Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005.

We must:

•           Determine whether bodies are charities.

•           Keep a public Register of charities.

•           Encourage, facilitate and monitor compliance by charities with the provisions of the Act.

•           Identify and investigate apparent misconduct in the administration of charities and to take remedial or protective action in relation to such misconduct.

•           Give information or advice, or to make proposals, to Scottish Ministers on matters relating to OSCR's functions.

Job Description

The postholders will 

1.          Build networks and relationships with relevant stakeholders

2.         Develop a full understanding of the new measures and be able to explain and engage with a variety of audiences on what they will mean for them

3.         Engage with key stakeholder groups on key issues with implementation of the Act and explore their understanding, views and ideas

4.         Be a key member of project implementation teams in OSCR

5.         Help design stakeholder engagement and testing activities for implementation of the Act

6.         Ensure that stakeholder understanding, ideas for implementation and concerns about it are heard in project teams and incorporated fully into planning and delivering implementation

7.         Ensure user/stakeholder testing of implementation and feedback is effective and integral to development of solutions and processes

8.         Create and maintain briefing packs to support OSCR colleagues in discussions with stakeholders

9.         Work with OSCR colleagues to keep them aware of engagement with stakeholders and make sure those relationships are productive for both sides across the range of OSCR’s activities

Essential criteria

•           Experience of working with charities and third sector bodies in Scotland

•           Wide knowledge of, and good networks within the third sector in Scotland

•           Good understanding of the legal and policy framework for charities and the third sector in Scotland

Desirable criteria

•           Experience of working as part of a project team

•           Experience of stakeholder engagement

Key Competencies

•           Able to communicate clearly in person and in writing with a range of audiences

•           Ability to engage a range of stakeholders

•           Approachable and confident in discussion in formal and informal settings

How to Apply:

For an informal conversation about the posts please contact Charles Willis on 0131 376 3614.

Please submit your CV and note of interest before 12 noon on 24 January 2024, to alison.russell@oscr.org.uk, or by post to:

Alison Russell

HR & Learning Coordinator

The Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR)

2nd Floor

Quadrant House

9 Riverside Drive

Dundee

DD1 4NY

Candidates should inform their manager of an intention to apply.

Secondees will remain an employee of their current employer for the duration of the secondment.