JOB PURPOSE
This is an exciting and dynamic leadership role, offering the opportunity to shape the future of one of Scotland’s most treasured landscapes.
As Head Ranger and Property Manager, you will be responsible for the delivery of the Ben Lomond vision and management plan. Acting as the first point of contact and main local representative, you will embody the values of the National Trust for Scotland in this area. As a strong communicator and team leader, you will inspire trust and confidence in the organisation and its objectives. You will manage and motivate staff and volunteers, drive activities that keep the National Trust for Scotland at the forefront of upland conservation management and visitor engagement.
A key part of your success will come from building strong relationships with local stakeholders and being a voice for the Trust in conservation and management of this popular landmark.
In addition to estate management, you will also oversee the commercial operations of the Ardess bunkhouse and wider team working across the site.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES
• Management of Ben Lomond, the islands of Bucinch and Ceardach ensuring the conservation and enhancement of their significant natural and cultural heritage.
• Maintain and develop visitor infrastructure such as paths, car parks and interpretation in effective and safe condition.
• Manage the Ardess Bunkhouse as a commercial venture and as a volunteer base for work programmes.
• Oversee and deliver visitor engagement to ensure their visits are as inspiring, memorable and accessible.
• Plan, manage and deliver the operational budgets, maintaining full compliance with legal and Trust requirements.
• Strengthen financial sustainability through assessing and monitoring costs, identifying efficiencies and developing new opportunities for income.
• Lead and support the site team, currently including Ranger, Property Secretary/Cleaner/Housekeeper, Seasonal Ranger, Seasonal Visitor Services Assistant and volunteers.
• Build and maintain good working relationships with partners and stakeholders including LLTNP, NatureScot, graziers and licensees, neighbouring landowners and the local community.
• Promote wider understanding of the Trust’s work and the value of supporting its mission
• Respond to out of hours call outs for the Ardess bunkhouse as required.
• Recruit, induct, develop, motivate, and performance manage staff and volunteers to ensure they are equipped and motivated to undertake their duties to the required Trust standards, while maintaining staffing budgets.
• Instil a Health & Safety culture across the property, ensuring the teamwork within the properties’ ‘Safe System of Work’ to reduce risk of incidents and accidents to volunteers, employees and visitors.
• Ensure the Trust’s core aims are achieved namely, conservation, access and memorable visitor experiences for all visitors.
• Support the Operations Manager to develop and foster local-level stakeholder and client relationships specific to the properties.
• Ensure that lifelong learning is developed and promoted at the property through the visitor experiences we offer.
• Raise the profile of the property through local, regional and national marketing initiatives and social media.
• Take responsibility for building security, opening/closing procedures, emergency procedure implementation, duty management, and providing relief cover as required.
Full Time
Working at Forestry and Land Scotland is all about ‘People, Pride and Purpose.’ Join us and take pride in supporting the economy, protecting and enhancing the environment by managing Scotland’s National forests and land.
We’re looking for a Visitor Contracts Manager to join our National Visitor Services team. This is a permanent role and can be based at any Forestry and Land Scotland office, with regular travel across Scotland.
The National Visitor Services (VS) Team provides strategic direction and leadership for Visitor Services across Scotland. We deliver the FLS Visitor Strategy, working collaboratively with regional and national partners to enhance visitor experiences and ensure the long-term sustainability of our sites. The team supports five regional Visitor Services teams, covering around 300 promoted destinations including forests, trails, car parks, and visitor centres that attract over 10 million visits annually.
As Visitor Contracts Manager, you’ll play a key role in managing and growing income from visitor operations across Scotland. You’ll be responsible for a suite of commercial agreements covering activities such as catering, retail, recreation, and car parking. Working closely with both national and regional teams, you’ll identify and deliver opportunities to increase income while ensuring our partners and services provide a high-quality visitor experience.
To be successful, you’ll need a proven track record in a commercial role, with experience generating and growing income streams and managing third-party contracts or partnerships—ideally within the tourism, hospitality, or leisure sector. You’ll also have strong financial and analytical skills, experience in contract negotiation and performance management, and the ability to build effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
Desirable experience includes managing car parking or paid-for services, knowledge of the tourism and visitor attraction sectors in Scotland, and familiarity with Scottish access legislation. A degree or professional qualification in business, marketing, or tourism (or equivalent professional experience) is also advantageous.
You’ll need a full UK driving licence (or suitable alternative) and flexibility to travel throughout Scotland, including occasional overnight stays and weekend work during peak visitor periods.
If this sounds like a role you’re interested in, we’d encourage you to apply with your CV – please ensure you provide evidence of the essential and desirable criteria detailed in the job description and success profile.
Full-time and Permanent
Salary £52,406 – £60,809 per annum (pay award pending)
Plus generous benefits and hybrid / flexible working
About the role
We are looking for an ambitious and strategic Head of Development to lead the National Galleries of Scotland’s fundraising and philanthropic efforts at an exciting time for the organisation. This pivotal role will deliver our long-term strategy to increase our philanthropic income.
You will lead and shape the future of fundraising, supporting key major projects such as The Art Works and the Upper Mound Level Galleries (UMLG). You will play a central role in helping us achieve our target of raising £50 million over the next five years to 2030. This will come from multiple income streams, and a key challenge of the role will be to establish philanthropic income as the core of our regular income sources. Annual targets will be agreed in partnership with the Director General and Director of Audience and Development.
You will be an experienced fundraising professional who is entrepreneurial, innovative, and passionate about philanthropy. You will have a deep understanding of fundraising principles and methodology, with a proven record of turning strategy into action.
As a natural leader, you will motivate and develop a high-performing team, setting direction while coaching colleagues to deliver objectives and priorities. You will be confident in building meaningful relationships with senior supporters and inspiring them to invest in the vision and mission of the National Galleries of Scotland (NGS). Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are essential, as you will represent NGS to key stakeholders, donors, and external partners.
This is a rare opportunity to join NGS at an exciting time, leading a programme of philanthropic growth that will have a lasting impact on Scotland’s national collections and ensure the galleries remain accessible, inspiring, and world-class for generations to come.
The difference you’ll make
The Development team is part of the Directorate of Audience and Development alongside, Marketing, Communications, Digital Content, Audience Insight, and the Trading Company. The Audience and Development directorate is responsible for overseeing the commercial and philanthropic income and promoting NGS to the widest possible public.
Reporting directly to the Director of Audience and Development, your responsibilities will include but not be limited to:
-Devising and implementing the fundraising strategy to significantly increase the sums raised for both revenue and capital projects.
-Working across the galleries with key stakeholders to create and develop suitable and achievable projects to attract funding, specifically working with the Leadership Team (LT) and Heads of Department.
Developing the pool of potential supporters, identifying, and accessing individual, corporate and trust prospects and developing personal relationships with senior and influential individuals likely to support the activities of NGS on an ongoing basis.
-Developing and coaching all colleagues in the team into ambitious, enthusiastic team colleagues driven by results.
-Managing a range of fundraising programmes and being proactive in delivering new fundraising programmes, from increasing gifts for visitors, legacies, and introducing new fundraising techniques.
Developing a comprehensive strategy for membership across the existing programmes of Patrons and American Patrons, with a view to increasing both the number of members and the number of people participating in annual giving.
-Ensuring that excellent fundraising administration supports the fundraising campaigns from database management, processing of donors and gift aid and detailed reporting to LT Income Group.
-Representing NGS as part of the management team at various external bodies about philanthropy, presenting fundraising strategies and annual plans to Trustees, senior management, and senior stakeholders.
Being ultimately responsible for research into potential donors, monitoring any gifts and corporate support and ensuring that there is no risk involved in acceptance.
-Overseeing the volunteer strategy for the organisation, ensuring ongoing alignment with overall organisational strategy and people strategy ensuring outcomes are delivered.
Who we are looking for
To succeed in this role, you’ll need the following range of knowledge, skills, and experience:
-A significant track record of successful professional fundraising, with demonstrable experience in areas of major gift fundraising, individual and trusts, membership fundraising and giving and corporate sponsorship.
-Excellent people management skills to motivate and inspire the team.
-A demonstrable understanding of the principles and methodology of fundraising.
Excellent project management skills, with ability to scope and implement projects.
-Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, from written reports, formal presentations and one to one meetings, with the ability to present the work of the institution succinctly and with enthusiasm. In particular, to demonstrate the ability to ask and secure gifts from senior supporters and to develop long term relationships with key donors.
– The ability to create a strategic approach to fundraising, engaging NGS staff, trustees, and volunteers.
An ability to manage a wide ranging and varied portfolio of projects, meeting tight deadlines and being flexible to meet new opportunities.
-A working knowledge of fundraising infrastructure including fundraising database (Spetrix), donor processing, and gift aid.
-An ability to monitor and evaluate the success of fundraising programmes and initiatives.
-An entrepreneurial approach, demonstrating creativity, innovation, and passion with regard to philanthropy.
It would also be great if you have:
-An interest in fine art and the cultural sector in general.
-Experience in working with press and marketing.
-Knowledge of digital fundraising.
-Good financial and accounting knowledge.
Please apply directly via our careers portal. Applications via email will not be accepted.
The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Tuesday, 02 December 2025.
Digital Install Assistant, Paisley, Full Time 35 hours, Temporary up to 9 months, Grade 4 £27,612.22 – £29,072.22 p.a.
In this role we are looking for a technically minded person who is ready to play a key support role in installing the new digital displays at the reimagined Paisley Museum. This landmark cultural project will feature a wide range of engaging digital, including games, films, projections, touch screens, and hybrid interactives. We are looking for a practical, detail-oriented and experienced individual to provide hands on assistance during the installation phase, ensuring all audio-visual and interactive equipment is set up, tested, and fully operational to a high standard and on schedule.
Your role involves a crucial blend of technical support and logistical checking. You will act as a vital link, liaising with contractors, actively helping to assemble and check display elements, and maintaining project plans while ensuring strict adherence to Health & Safety and Technical requirements. Furthermore, you will contribute to the project’s long-term success by developing instruction manuals and delivering basic operational training to colleagues. This is an opportunity to apply your technical skills within a busy project environment and contribute to a major Scottish cultural initiative.
This post is fully funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Paisley Museum Redevelopment-Imagined Fund.
Closing Date: 24 November 2025
Interview Date: 18 December 2025
The successful candidate will be required to undertake a Basic Level 1 Disclosure Scotland check.
If you would like further information in relation to the Disclosure Scotland checks, please visit their website.
Applications are welcome from candidates from all backgrounds including those with disabilities and candidates who have ‘care experience’.
This role of Gardener Caretaker supports the gardening and caretaker teams. The split of the workload will change across the season; summer work predominantly in the gardens and winter work predominately in the castle. Typically, in the summer, two days a week will be required for sole caretaker duties and three days a week for gardening duties. In the winter, most work will be in the castle supporting deep clean and maintenance but occasionally supporting the gardening team by prior arrangement through the operations manager.
The caretaker role provides immediate response to any fire or security issues across any 24 hour period and therefore residence in the immediate vicinity of the castle is a requirement of the role and accommodation will be provided.
Retail & Visitor Team Leader – Deanston Distillery Visitor Centre
We’re looking for a friendly and energetic Team Leader to join our Deanston Distillery visitor team. You’ll be responsible for motivating and supporting our visitor and retail team, helping everyone perform at their best in a busy, fast-paced environment. You’ll also ensure every visitor has a welcoming and memorable experience.
Key Responsibilities:
– Lead, motivate, and support the visitor and retail team.
– Deliver excellent visitor experiences and ensure smooth daily operations.
– Foster a positive, productive, and professional work environment.
– Act as a point of contact for team members, offering guidance, feedback and support.
Requirements:
– Proven experience in a leadership role, ideally in hospitality, retail, or visitor attractions.
– Excellent communication and people management skills.
– Ability to inspire and manage a team effectively in a busy, high-demand environment.
– Friendly, professional, and customer-focused approach.
Why Join Us:
– Work in a historic and iconic distillery setting.
– Join a motivated and welcoming team in a great business and industry.
– Opportunities for career development and training.
Blair Castle attracts an average of 140,000 visitors to its exhibition and gardens annually, with the day visitor
restaurant open between April and October inclusively. During the winter and over the summer, we host
weddings, exhibitions, conferences and gala dinners. The head chef / catering manager leads a seasonal team
that consists of two sous chefs, a front of house team of four and kitchen porters.
Please see the attached job description for further details on this great opportunity.
Full-time and Permanent
Salary £52,406 – £60,809 per annum (pay award pending)
Plus generous benefits package
Hybrid / flexible working
About the role
As Head of Conservation, you will take on an exciting leadership position at the heart of our Collection Access and Care Directorate.
This is a pivotal position that reflects the increasing demands being made on the role of the conservator including the opportunities that multidisciplinary research provides. You will bring your own specialist conservation expertise while having operational responsibility for a busy team of seventeen.
We are looking for someone with proven, strong leadership and coaching skills to support continuous development of the team in delivering their goals. As a senior leader, you will play a pivotal role in contributing to Our People Vision of ‘… ensuring the National Galleries of Scotland is a great place to work, where our people thrive in a culture where we are trusted, empowered and engaged to achieve our true potential.’
To succeed you’ll have an outstanding ability to work with many stakeholders, collaborating within and out with the department and across the professional network of conservation to achieve ambitious goals. You will work closely with colleagues across various disciplines including our learning, curatorial, collections management and collections information teams, to develop an integrated approach to conservation at the National Galleries of Scotland (NGS). We are committed to sustainability in all aspects of our work and your approach to conservation will have sustainable practice as its starting point.
You will play an important role in the development of our ambitious project to create a new National Collections Facility – The Art Works for NGS and our partners.
Conservation at the National Galleries of Scotland
We have developed an exciting strategy for the coming years with clear aims aligned to our purpose ‘We make art work for everyone.’ Conservation will sit at the heart of this strategy as a key enabling function to develop our national and international programmes and develop and engage audiences in new ways.
The conservation department includes specialist conservation expertise across paintings, frames, works on paper and photography, sculpture, installation, media and performance art and preventive conservation. A conservation technician team supports the conservators delivering a programme of non-interventive care including crate design, preparation of frames, and mount making. Developments in the field of sculpture conservation at NGS are at an early stage and methodologies for this emerging skill area are being formulated. There is a strong desire to develop further an integrated heritage science function relevant to the materials and range of the NGS collection and those works in its care.
The difference you’ll make
Reporting to the Director of Collection Access and Care, you will be a key member of both the Collection Access and Care senior team and the organisation’s Extended Leadership Team. Working closely with the Director of Collection Access and Care you will ensure conservation achieves its ambitious goals for care research and collection access.
You will make a real difference by:
– Providing outstanding leadership and operational management for the conservation team, including the coaching and development of professional conservators.
– Ensuring the purpose of the conservation department is aligned with the organisation’s vision and developing strategies to supports this.
– Developing an integrated conservation approach that reflects the breadth and depth of our holdings and collecting criteria and is in line with national conservation standards.
– Contributing your specialist expertise to the conservation of works within your discipline.
– Working closely with the Director of Collection Care and Access, Head of Collections Management, and Head of Collection Information and Data Assets, to forge a directorate which works creatively and effectively to meet its targets of highly professional, sustainable collections care.
– Playing a key role in the delivery of The Art Works and shaping conservation at the galleries for the future. You’ll contribute to the development of this project that will transform Scotland’s ability to care for, provide access to, and experience its national collection. Located in the north of Edinburgh, The Art Works will house c 97% of the nation’s collection of fine art and offers an extraordinary opportunity to make all our collection work for everyone. The Art Works is a strategic enabler for the organisation, and it will be transformative, underpinning local national and international impact.
– Overseeing the strategic positioning and planning of our conservation function, budget and resource management based on capacity and skill base understanding, including exploration of income generation, granting bodies and cost reduction opportunities.
– Having the ability to and being confident in making critical decisions and giving conservation advice with confidence, generally based on precedents but not exclusively, drawing on the specialist conservation knowledge of others within the team as appropriate.
Being involved in submitting grant applications and seeking funding sources linked to posts and research activity.
– Acting as an ambassador for NGS conservation and reflecting our values.
Please apply directly via our careers portal. Applications via email will not be accepted.
The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Thursday, 27 November 2025.
JOB PURPOSE
Under the leadership of the Head Gardener, this role manages the delivery of Inverewe Gardens’ shelterbelt management plan – a subset of the property’s overall Garden Heritage Plan. It is a hands-on role, delivering practical arboriculture and horticulture within woodland settings across the property, whilst leading a small team of gardeners.
CONTEXT
Inverewe is a garden of international importance. Created by Osgood Mackenzie in the late 19th century, and in NTS ownership since 1952, exotic plants flourish in a challenging northern landscape of spectacular mountain and coast. Inverewe’s planting has always been developed to ‘push the boundaries’. It is renowned for its variety of designed elements and an extensive plant collection of national significance, including notable collections of rhododendrons and southern hemisphere plants.
The “shelterbelt” of mixed coniferous and broadleaf trees rings the more formal “planted” garden and the tree canopy provides the stable, humid, and sheltered microclimate that allows the plant collection to thrive, as well as influencing the character of the garden as a backdrop and gateway to the landscape beyond. While the importance of the shelterbelt and tree collection has long been recognised, with their loss representing an existential threat to the garden itself, it has been difficult to consistently implement management plans to ensure the resilience of these features for the future.
The Head Gardener, First Gardener (Woodland), and First Gardener (Ornamental) form Inverewe’s Garden Management Team, collectively ensuring the development and delivery of the property’s Garden Heritage Plan, whilst integrating seamlessly with the wider estate (2,500 hectares of forestry, shore, and moorland), visitor services (100,000 visitors annually), and the context of the local community.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES
• Understand, develop, and deliver Inverewe’s shelterbelt management plan, including (but not limited to):
o General care of trees and their understory, such as trimming/lopping, felling, planting, invasive non-native species removal, pest and disease control;
o Undertaking tree inspections and remedial actions to promote tree health and maintain a safe woodland garden environment;
o General care, maintenance, and development of planted borders and clearings within the woodland garden;
o Managing soil health – including appropriate composting;
o Managing and developing the property’s bio-char approach, for both internal use, and as a commercial product;
o Liaising with Inverewe’s Propagator to ensure an appropriate nursery of replacement trees, and implementing agreed planting/re-planting plans, or opportunist planting;
o Liaising with Inverewe’s Ranger over the recording, monitoring, and maintenance of the shelterbelt as an important habitat;
o Outreach and education in the form of guided tours, talks/lectures, community engagement events.
• Supervise the team of gardeners and volunteers assigned to woodland garden and shelterbelt work, ensuring that they are motivated, trained, developed, and deliver their duties to the required standard.
• Manage any delegated budget in the optimal way, taking a “best value” approach without overspending.
• Manage health & safety for the woodland garden and shelterbelt activities, including (but not limited to):
o Undertaking and recording general and specific risk assessments for areas of the woodland garden and shelterbelt activities to mitigate hazards and risks;
o Undertaking and recording routine and ad hoc tree inspections, and any remedial works;
o Servicing of tools and equipment (including PPE) according to manufacturer’s recommendations, and logging their use;
o Appropriate storage, issuing, and COSHH assessment of chemical agents used in the woodland setting;
o Advising – and if necessary, taking decisions on – the closure of parts of the garden or the garden as a whole in situations such as high winds/storms to ensure the safety of colleagues and visitors.
• As required “stand in” for the Head Gardener or First Gardener (Ornamental) to ensure complete garden management/supervisory coverage (in times of e.g. sickness absence, annual leave).
• As required by the Head Gardener, help with gardening activity in any part of the garden.
• As required, as a senior member of the Inverewe management team, contribute to the Property’s overall operations and development.
• As required by the Operations Manager, support tree/woodland work at Corrieshalloch Gorge.
The current duties of this job do not require a criminal records (Disclosure Scotland) check to be carried out.
The Dundreggan Rewilding Centre will welcome an estimated 60,000 visitors each year by 2027, including a mix of day visitors, corporate groups, education groups, special interest groups and overnight guests staying at the on-site accommodation. The Visitor Engagement Coordinator will be part of the team responsible for leading those visitors on an immersive journey through Dundreggan, and often the first face visitors see on arrival.
The overall purpose of the role is to support the increase of visitor numbers, providing visitors with a high quality and memorable experiences. The role will be responsible for development and delivery of a targeted, market-led product range generating revenue while providing outstanding customer experience and encouraging repeat business. You will be responsible for creating the visitor journey from point of contact through visit and follow-up. This will include creating engaging content and sharing it across our social media channels; meeting and greeting visitors to help them plan their visit with a view to maximising sales of our tours and activities; managing stock/display and driving sales of our local and ethical gift range; encouraging visitors to become regular donors to Trees for Life.
The role will be accountable for: developing and promoting a distinctive range of products for key market sectors and overseeing the internal processes necessary to deliver these ensuring a high quality, memorable visitor experience.
Key liaisons
The role will be managed by the Rewilding Centre Director, work closely with both the Visitor Experience & Operations Supervisor and Events & Experiences Guide and have strong relationships with the operations and hospitality teams, especially the Operations Manager and Business Operations Coordinator. The Trees for Life marketing and fundraising team will be important to liaise with, while developing relationships and rapport with contractors who provide bespoke visitor experiences will be vital.
Key responsibilities
● Work closely with the on-site team, external agencies, suppliers and partners, to ensure high-quality visitor experience and to maximize sales opportunities
● Develop, in collaboration with VE and Operations teams, new products- activities, events, attractions and programmes that are market-led, data driven and commercially appealing to target audiences
● Monitor customer and market trends to inform future strategies and identify new opportunities for visitor engagement
● Contribute to the development of the Centre’s marketing strategy, identifying appropriate distribution channels for products
● Coordinate the delivery of visitor products and their marketing strategy:
o Create and manage compelling content for social media, website, paid advertising across multiple channels
o Create or source marketing materials such as ads, brochures, posters and sales collateral
o Ensure photography is current by delegating or contracting photography duties based on programme of events and activities
o Maintain a database of marketing materials, including photography, suppliers and contacts
o Collaborate with the Trees for Life marketing team to coordinate cross-platform sharing for maximum impact
o Work with Trees for Life fundraising team to develop visitor journeys that encourage long term support for rewilding, ensuring on-site donation asks are consistent, appropriate and well-integrated into the journey
o Provide visitor insights and feedback to inform broader organisational marketing and fundraising strategies
● Maintain the booking/ticketing system and website with latest activities, events, pricing, etc., with support from the Business Operations Coordinator
● Oversee the welcome area, either covering or arranging for cover during all business hours
● Occasional delivery of visitor experience, serving as a guide or lead for any number of activities within the visitor programme
● Work with clients/visitors to understand their needs and help plan and execute experiences for them, in collaboration with VE Supervisor and Events & Experience Guide
● Build relationships and liaise with external suppliers and partners who can help deliver unique and profitable guest experiences
● Collect and analyse visitor feedback and provide recommendations to ensure objectives are being met and guest experience continually improved
Person specification
The successful candidate for the role will be able to demonstrate:
● Business Acumen: ability to identify opportunities for generating revenue- an entrepreneurial outlook
● Relevant Industry Background: proven experience engaging with customers within the travel, tourism or visitor attraction sector(s)
● Communication Skills: strong copywriting, content creation, social media and digital marketing skills are essential
● Relationship Building: excellent interpersonal skills to build strong relationships with internal teams, suppliers/partners and the public
● Analysis: ability to use data to understand customers and measure marketing effectiveness
● Creative and Strategic Thinking ability to brainstorm innovative engagement ideas and deliver solutions that meet business objectives
● Attention to Detail: when coordinating projects, creating materials and ensuring consistency across branding, messaging and visitor engagement.
Knowledge and experience
Essential:
● Degree or equivalent experience in tourism and/or events management
● Proven track record of delivering successful events and/or engagement campaigns for events and/or products
● Excellent knowledge of website and social media supervision
● Proficiency in Google and Microsoft software applications
● Ability to learn new software quickly
Desirable:
● Experience delivering and helping to develop strategic marketing plans for products and experiences
● Sales or sales support experience in an attraction or event environment
● Website and social media analytics knowledge
● Gaelic speaker – desired
Personal attributes
● Proactive and self-motivated approach to getting work done
● Comfortable with a degree of autonomy in their role
● Problem solver and strategic thinker
● Reliable
● Positive attitude
● Committed to the ethos and values of Trees for Life
Skills and competencies
● Excellent communication skills to enable effective dialogue with visitors and colleagues
● Knowledge of marketing trends and best practices within the tourism or events industries
● Familiarity or proficiency in software and tools (e.g. CRM systems, social media management platforms) and/or event management software (booking, ticketing, EPOS)
● High level of organisation
● Ability to prioritise workload and adapt to the dynamic needs of a tourism business
● Calmness under pressure, able to perform well and remain professional
● Enthusiastic, with a willingness to learn new skills and a commitment to continuous personal development
● Ability to work within a team or independently, depending on business needs
● Flexibility to adhere to varied working patterns as needed
Working conditions and special demands
● The role will require rota working along with weekends and bank holidays.
● Due to the location of the Rewilding Centre, a full and valid driving licence is essential.
● Due to the nature and seasonality of the business, most annual leave may need to be taken in the quieter times during the year.
-Salary £13.39 per hour plus shift allowance
-37 days holiday, plus 4 Giving More volunteer days
-Closed over festive period
-Save for retirement and invest in your future – pension contributions (employee up to 8.75%, employer up to 14%)
-Share in our success with up to 10% Share Reward scheme (subject to eligibility)
-Private medical insurance that covers the cost of private healthcare and includes round the clock access to GP services and menopause health line
-24/7 support for you and your loved ones to counselling, life coaching and information on financial, mental, and physical wellbeing
-Experience our exceptional brands with a generous annual product allowance, plus at least 20% discount in our staff shop
-Embrace work-life harmony with 26 weeks’ paid maternity, paternity and adoption leave, and up to five paid carers leave days a year
As Kitchen Porter at The Macallan Estate, you will be responsible for all general cleaning duties, and operation of dishwashing and some kitchen machinery, to deliver an excellent service, in a timely manner, whilst ensuring back of house areas are clean and safety guidelines are observed. The Kitchen Porter is a key member of the kitchen team.
Dishwashing: All dishes, ranging from pots and pans to cutlery, are to be either hand washed or loaded into the dishwasher then unloaded and put away.
Delivery Organisation: Responsible for receiving deliveries, ensuring they are correct, raising any issues with the head chef, then organising appropriately in the kitchen area.
Storage Management: Storage must be organised so that all ingredients are easily accessible. Maintain a hygienic working environment so that all hygiene regulations and company standards are adhered to.
Waste Removal: Responsible for emptying all rubbish bins and ensure that all waste is disposed of when required, throughout the day. Responsible for ensuring recycling procedures are followed.
Kitchen Support: If the kitchen is busy, some basic food preparation may be required.
Also, support kitchen team with cleaning down all areas at the end of day.
PPE Compliance: Ensure correct PPE is in place and guidelines are adhered to. Observe COSHH guidelines when handling hazardous substances.
Equipment Maintenance: Deep cleans will be carried out on a weekly basis to ensure equipment is kept in the correct condition, as per kitchen guidelines.
Ensuring a Safe Environment: Cleanliness is directly related to a safe cooking environment; therefore, you will ensure a safe environment by effectively cleaning all cookware and cooking surfaces.
Use your skills and experience to save endangered species from extinction and improve people’s lives through closer connections with nature. Join our small but highly successful fundraising team based in the heart of Edinburgh Zoo and you’ll have an amazing opportunity to make an impact on conservation in Scotland and around the world!
Who we are:
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) is a wildlife conservation charity with a bold vision: a world where nature is protected, valued and loved.
Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park are our gateways to the natural world through which people can experience nature and learn how to protect it.
Our 2030 strategy includes three ambitious pledges: to reverse the decline of 50 species; to create deeper connections with nature for more than one million people; and to enable more than 100 communities to better connect nature. More information on RZSS can be found at rzss.org.uk
The importance of your role:
Grant funding is vital to the delivery of RZSS’s ambitious strategy and the Grants Manager is a senior role in our small fundraising team.
Working with the Head of Fundraising and colleagues across RZSS, the post-holder will generate high value grants to support a wide range of inspiring and innovative projects to care for endangered animals in Scotland and conserve them in the wild, whilst also helping diverse communities to realise the benefits of being close to nature.
This hugely varied role will include responsibility for managing relationships with existing major funders, increasing the volume and success of proposals and applications, managing reports and grant claims as well as identifying new funders and avenues for income generation.
The fundraising team are based in Edinburgh Zoo (albeit this role can be offered as a hybrid position). This is a fixed term, full time position, working 37.5 hours per week, covering for a period of Maternity leave.
Some of the things you’ll do:
Contribute to and support the implementation and delivery of the fundraising strategy and annual fundraising plans to meet agreed individual and team targets.
Manage the RZSS grants programme to support our strategy and business plans, including identifying opportunities as well as setting and monitoring targets/budgets.
Generate annual income in the range of £1m+ to support national and international conservation and engagement initiatives
Account manage and enhance relationships with current major funders and deliver first-class stewardship, including organising site visits and events.
Work on exceptionally large or complex fundraising projects, including defining projects and writing compelling proposals.
Build and maintain a pipeline of UK and global charitable trusts, foundations and major funders through on-going research and horizon-scanning.
Identify and deliver opportunities to promote RZSS as a world class visitor attraction and gateway to nature, and position RZSS amongst major funders as an international leader in conservation and science.
What you’ll bring to the role:
Extensive knowledge of grants management and stewardship principles.
Extensive experience from working in a busy fundraising environment, with a proven track record of generating five and six figure grants.
Excellent communication skills and ability to write compelling and persuasive grant application and reports.
Ability to build and maintain effective relationships and communicate confidently with a range of internal and external stakeholders.
Experience of researching and managing donor information, including managing trust records on a CRM database and building prospect lists.
What you’ll get in return:
Starting salary between £46,634 – £47,800 (offer based on experience) with future salary progression up to £51,979 per annum
34 days annual leave (per annum – will be prorated for the duration of the contract)
Discount in both retail/catering
Access to a healthcare plan
Access to Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), that provide 24-hour counselling and support, including health, legal, finance, wellbeing and family advice
Employer contributory pension scheme
You will receive a staff membership which will give you (and family/friends) free (and discounted) entry to both the Highland Wildlife Park and Edinburgh Zoo as well as a number of other Zoos across the UK.
This role is subject to standard pre-employment checks, including the candidate’s right to work in the UK and Basic Disclosure check
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland is an equal opportunities employer. Our policy is to recruit a diverse workforce following the guidelines of the Equality Act 2010.
Closing Date: Friday 21 November 2025
If you are currently engaged by RZSS (this includes seasonal staff who are currently undertaking work for us) Please discuss with your current line manager prior to submitting your application.
Please see the role profile for further information about this post and essential/desirable criteria.
RZSS offers a range of amazing benefits which can be found at https://www.rzss.org.uk/about-rzss/staff-benefits/’