Scotland Committee member vacancy

The National Lottery Community Fund Scotland Committee Member

Could you help decide how National Lottery money supports communities in Scotland?

The closing date for applications is Wednesday 2 March at 12 noon

Interviews will be held on Wednesday 30 March.

How to Apply

To apply:

  1. download and complete the application form (Word 80 KB)
  2. download and complete the equal opportunities monitoring form (Word 70 KB)
  3. provide a brief CV
  4. email documents to scvacancy@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk

CVs will not be accepted without a completed application form.

Download the applicant briefing pack (Word 60KB).

If you have any questions regarding this post please contact Fiona Grant, Business Support Officer - Governance – fiona.grant@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk

Background

The National Lottery Community Fund’s core purpose is to support people and communities to thrive.

We are the largest funder of community activity in the UK. Every year we distribute £600 million raised by National Lottery players. In Scotland we make a wide range of grants from up to £10,000 through National Lottery Awards for All Scotland to large grants of over £1 million.

We are recruiting a new Scotland Committee member for an initial period of 3 years. The Scotland Committee sets the direction of our work and takes decisions about our larger grants in Scotland. We are looking for an additional member who will add to the broad base of knowledge, skills and experience of the existing committee.

We help fund all kinds of organisations in Scotland, ranging from small local groups to national organisations working to bring people together to improve and support their communities, tackle issues like loss, isolation and loneliness or deliver new approaches to supporting families through early intervention work. Our website has further details of all our funding programmes.

In 2020/21 we awarded over 1,500 grants worth over £51.5 million supporting organisations in every local authority area in Scotland. Most of our funding (97% by value) goes to the voluntary and community sector and over 80% of the grants we make are for £10,000 or less. In addition to National Lottery funding, we distribute Dormant Assets funding through our Young Start programme and deliver the Scottish Land Fund in partnership with Highlands and Islands Enterprise on behalf of the Scottish Government. During the pandemic we have worked alongside a range of other funders in Scotland to deliver Scottish Government support funding to community organisations.

But we’re more than just a funder. We also collaborate with other funders, charities, and individuals, sharing knowledge and building partnerships, so we can all be as effective as possible. We seek to understand the communities we serve by building local relationships and support our grant holders to make sure they make the most of the National Lottery support they receive.

The Organisation

The National Lottery Community Fund is established as a non-departmental public body by an Act of Parliament. The Board is responsible for the Fund’s overall strategic direction and governance.

The Scotland Committee sets the strategic direction of our work in Scotland ensuring that our grant making takes account of the distinctive context we work in and oversees funding decisions ensuring that we respond effectively to the communities we serve.

Funding decisions are delegated to five Country Committees (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, UK and Wales) and to Executive Officers.

Policy responsibility for The National Lottery Community Fund in Scotland including setting Policy Directions, rests with the Scottish Government.

Skills and Experience Required

We want our Committee to have a broad base of knowledge, skills and experience and to reflect the diversity of modern Scotland and the communities that we serve.

Our focus on local area working has seen the development of closer relationships in communities across Scotland. This has increased opportunities for Committee members to work more closely with our local funding teams and engage directly with stakeholders and grant holders.

The Person

Essential Criteria

The following criteria are essential for the role:

  • An understanding of and interest in the Scottish social, cultural and political landscape and the role of the voluntary and community sector in it.
  • Experience and understanding of working with and for communities to deliver local priorities
  • A clear understanding and commitment to achieving diversity and inclusion
  • Experience in representing an organisation and willingness to represent the Fund at public events.
  • The ability to understand complex issues and make decisions taking into account competing demands.
  • An understanding and commitment to the principles required to hold a public post of this nature (The Nolan Principles).

Equity, diversity and inclusion in our grant-making, and amongst our people, are vital to our success in supporting people and communities to thrive.  We believe our people should represent the communities, organisations and individuals we work with.  We are committed to being an inclusive and great place to work, and recognise our people come from diverse backgrounds. We are a Disability Confident employer and positively welcome applications from disabled people.

Time Commitment & Meetings

The Scotland Committee meets approximately 7 times per year and has an annual away day. Monthly time commitment will be approximately 2 days per month.

Committee members also provide informal support and advice to the Scotland Directorate executives, drawing on their specific expertise and on occasion representing the Fund at events or assist with networking. Committee members work with a designated Area Team supporting decision making and stakeholder engagement in those areas.

Note: the pandemic has meant committee meetings have been held virtually since April 2020. This will be kept under review as will any ad-hoc committee member’s attendance at project visits and meetings with stakeholders.

Remuneration

The remuneration is £5,232 per annum. Expenses will be paid.

Length of Appointment

The appointment is for up to 3 years.

Annexes:

  • A – Role of the Scotland Committee & Members
  • B – Strategic Framework: Our Purpose

Annex A: Role of the Scotland Committee & Members

Overall strategy and policy setting

  • To agree long-term strategy and the key approaches to our funding in Scotland.

Accountability

  • To ensure the highest standards of governance and discharge of responsibilities.
  • To observe the Seven Principles of Public Life and the Cabinet Office Code of Conduct for non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), comply with all statutory responsibilities.

Challenge and support the executive

  • To hold the executive team accountable for the overall performance of the organisation against agreed longer term strategic objectives.
  • To support the Scotland Director, be a source of wise guidance, advice, challenge and support to the executive.

Effectiveness

  • To agree the Scotland Directorate’s annual Grants budget, monitor progress and approve corrective actions.
  • To agree key changes to funding programmes and monitor progress and impact our grant making

Ambassadorial/reputational

  • To be ambassadors for the organisation, within guidelines agreed by the Scotland Directorate.
  • To enhance and protect the reputation of the Fund.

Annex B: Our Purpose

Our purpose

We support people and communities to thrive.

Our goals in practice

The National Lottery Community Fund supports ideas and projects that matter to people and communities.

We use our funding and relationships to help create stronger, more connected communities.

Charities and community organisations across the UK are vibrant, diverse and active.

The National Lottery Community Fund is valued, trusted and efficient.

Our principles

We will be guided in the choices we make by a set of principles:

For everyone

Our funding is open to all communities whatever their starting point and we understand that some will need extra support.

The strengths people bring

We start with what people can contribute, and the potential in their idea.

A catalyst for others

We listen to, learn from, act on and facilitate the things that matter to people, communities and our partners.

Shared direction, diverse approaches

We value the diversity of communities we work with across the UK, are consistent in the quality of opportunities we offer, and support people to tackle inequalities.

Confidence, not control

We trust in people’s ability to make great things happen, believing that our funding should enable rather than control.

Simple processes, good judgements

We use simple, proportionate processes which enable us to make good judgements.

Using resources well

We make informed choices about the resources given to us by National Lottery players: with knowledge, with people and with money, and in an environmentally sustainable way.