SWBG blog

SWBG is hiring! Could you be our Co-ordinator?

About the Scottish Women’s Budget Group

The Scottish Women’s Budget Group (SWBG) has campaigned for over 20 years for gender budget analysis in the Scottish Government and local authority budgets. SWBG brings together women from across Scotland who have an interest in women’s equality and want to achieve gender equality. Our aim is to continue to produce robust analysis to influence policy, and to build on our long-standing approach to building knowledge and application of feminist economics analysis offering training and creating accessible resources.

With funding support from the Open Society Foundation (OSF), SWBG is entering an exciting new phase of development and expansion, recently becoming a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO).

As a result, SWBG is now able to offer a 12-month fixed-term contract for a Co-ordinator to drive forward our policy impact and membership development. This role is part of a ‘four-nations’ project, supported by the UK Women’s Budget Group and funded by the OSF, working to advance gender budgeting in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England/UK, at different levels of government in the different countries.

Job Title: Coordinator

Job Purpose:

To secure SWBG as a sustainable organisation, working with the Trustees, including securing resources to continue SWBG’s work; organising training and awareness raising activities; and developing strategic alliances with other relevant organisations as part of the four nations project working to advance gender budgeting in Scotland, Wales Northern Ireland and England/UK levels.

Key Terms:

The role is being offered as a 12-month freelance contract with flexibility in hours worked on a weekly basis, up to a maximum of 80 hours monthly for a total fee of £25,000. The Co-ordinator will be supplied with an SWBG laptop and associated office costs e.g. software licences.

In the first instance the Co-ordinator will be working from home as a consequence of the current Coronavirus restrictions. This may change as constraints ease and the Co-ordinator could work from a Glasgow-based host organisation at some point in the future. There will be an expectation for the Co-ordinator to be based in and travel within Scotland and the UK in relation to the role.

The Coordinator will have autonomy in day-to-day decision-making and will coordinate the daily operation of the SWBG, ensuring the organisation functions effectively. The Co-ordinator will report to SWBG Trustees and funders on progress in implementation of the agreed the strategic and policy objectives of the organisation agreed in the business plan (see below) and any relevant issues arising.

We particularly welcome applications from Black and Minority Ethnic applicants.

To apply ……

Please send a summary CV (max 3 pages) along with a one-page letter that sets out your suitability for and interest in the role.

Please send your CV and letter to: info@swbg.org.uk, marked Co-ordinator Recruitment.

Closing Date: 4pm on Tuesday 21 July.

Online Interviews 27 July.

If you would like an informal chat with one of the Trustees, please email: info@swbg.org.uk marked – Co-ordinator Recruitment Inquiry.

Key responsibilities include:

Organisational Development

• Support the establishment of SWBG by preparing and implementing a business plan, including identifying potential funders and securing resources from charitable and corporate sources; and reporting to SWBG Trustees and Funders on progress in implementation of the agreed business plan.
• Liaise with 4 nations (Scotland, England, Wales and North of Ireland) partners in the project;
• Support members and partners in building relationships within government institutions and the political process.
• Develop and maintain networks and positive relationships with individuals and groups and developing strategic alliances with feminist advocacy and other relevant organisations.
• Promote the concept of gender budget analysis to a wide range of women across Scotland
• Build the membership of SWBG.

Policy Influencing

Engage systematically with the Scottish budgetary process, including parliamentary scrutiny, the work of the Equality Budgets Advisory Group, and other relevant Scottish Government activity including parliamentary and government consultations, and analysis of Draft Budget, and other fiscal announcements and documentation, keeping members and partners up to date on opportunities for engagement, planning and coordinating interactions;

Promoting SWBG and Gender Budgeting

• Working with the Convenor, Trustees and funders, develop and oversee a publicity strategy including press, social media (e.g. the SWBG website/pages, blog, presentations, case studies, across social media platforms, advertising, PR and other promotion) and promotion to relevant women’s organisations within Scotland, in the UK and internationally;
• Build capacity for gender budgeting work in Scotland through organising learning and experience exchange events, including seminars and training events with speakers, contributors and trustees.
• Representing SWBG in public.
• Identifying and advising members and partners on activities that will further the aims of the SWBG;
• Support the organisation of the first four nations gender budgeting conference (organised by UKWBG) and participate in the conference;
• Deliver a bi-monthly newsletter to inform our members of activity and progress.

Administration and Operations

The Coordinator will carry out a range of administrative tasks to facilitate the smooth running of the organisation including:

Responsibility for the running of the SWBG, including communications with funders, contacts with prospective funders, contacts with UK women’s budget group network, and responding to correspondence;

Maintaining an up-to-date list of members;

reporting to the Trustees on developments in relation to the business plan and administration of trustee meetings in liaison with the Chairperson.

managing the day-to-day financial accounts. Oversee the preparation of annual accounts and cash flow forecasts and their presentation to the trustees and funders in liaison with the accountants and the Treasurer;

Provide narrative and financial reports to the UKWBG on project progress to enable reports to funders;

Maintain membership lists;

Manage and organise SWBG events;

• Supporting the Board of Trustees by confirming venues and dates, preparing agendas, reports and minutes for Board Meetings;
• Organising and attending AGM and circulate relevant paperwork in line with SWBG constitution.

The Board of Trustees will support the Coordinator by:

providing a single point of contact, nominated by the Board of Trustees, for the role;

responding to communications in line with the communication protocol;

responding with flexibility and pragmatism in support of Coordinator’s needs

maintaining confidentiality;

The chairperson will hold regular meetings with the coordinator and will carry out an annual appraisal. The Trustees will nominate a second person to deal with personnel matters in the event of any difficulties arising.

Skills and Experience

We would expect applicants to be supportive of SWBG values and aims.

We are seeking a Co-ordinator who can demonstrate experience or aptitude in the following professional skills:

• experience of working in research and policy development, policy analysis and political influencing with an interest in gender and economic policy;
• firm understanding of current gender equality issues and intersectionality and a commitment to associated values;
• experience of identifying an applying for third sector funding;
• participative approaches to policy development;
• working with women’s groups and relationship building;
• supporting women’s empowerment;
• understanding of government structures in Scotland and UK.

We are seeking a Co-ordinator who can demonstrable ability in the following administrative skills:

• excellent communication skills, including social media, formal writing skills, well developed interpersonal skills;
• high level of IT competence;
• public relations/public affairs including media management including social media, website development and maintenance;
• financial management and budgeting;
• organising events, groups and meetings;
• minute taking, and report writing;
• information gathering, analysing, presenting and data management.

Download this job description as a PDF here.