Advertised from 30 July 2025

Role

The Robertson Trust is looking for a Project Lead (0.6 FTE, fixed term for three years) to manage our new Grassroots Leadership Awards (GLAD).

This initiative will support 12–14 emerging changemakers with lived experience, helping them tackle the issues of poverty and trauma that matter most to them and their communities - creating long-term, meaningful change.

As Project Lead, you will work directly with changemakers, as individuals and as a cohort, identified as a good match for the initiative by nominating partners. The role will involve understanding the needs and goals of participants, developing timely and practical support which removes barriers and enables them to achieve their plans.

The role holder will work as part of a cross-team group at TRT, benefit from specialist coaching support from Ten Years Time, engage with peers and the appointed learning partner, and work with an advisory circle of nominating partners and stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and support changemakers to take action towards social change

Build trusted relationships with GLAD changemakers, offering 1:1 and group support rooted in understanding the impact of poverty and trauma. Apply your knowledge of grassroots social change to help participants grow, adapt, and reach their goals. Support their self-awareness, self-care, and resilience, and deliver or source relevant training with input from Nominating Partners and Ten Years’ Time.

• Manage GLAD in ways aligned to purpose

Work collaboratively to build a shared understanding of what helps or hinders the people and places GLAD aims to support. Maintain regular planning with the Senior Manager, Advisory Circle, and Learning Partner to ensure strategic alignment and purposeful delivery. Balance clear priority-setting with flexibility to meet the evolving needs of GLAD changemakers.

• Lead collaboration aligned to vision, mission and values

Work collaboratively in line with the Trust’s Mission, Vision and Values, embedding our commitment to Equity, Diversity, Participation and Rights in all you do. Contribute to a strong learning culture by engaging with colleagues on impact, insight, and related programmes - using feedback to support continuous improvement and draw on relevant practice from across the Trust.

• Develop trusted relationships with peers and partners

Build trusted relationships with peers and other partners engaged in social change initiatives with individuals and communities.

• Manage risk and to build assurance

Work with the Senior Manager and team to manage risk and identify opportunities within GLAD. Build trust and assurance across changemakers, partners, staff and Trustees through regular updates. Use learning and insight to drive continuous improvement.

The full job description can be viewed on our website.

The Person

We are looking for someone who has a commitment to our mission to prevent and reduce poverty and trauma in Scotland and who will embody the values of The Trust.

You should have knowledge and experience of grassroots social change initiatives, and a track-record in working with individuals and communities at grassroots level.

Experience of working in a strong Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging environment is essential, alongside excellent inter-personal skills, demonstrating a high degree of adaptability as well as cultural competence, care, consistency, and presence in working with people from diverse backgrounds.

You should have excellent project and budget management skills in taking primary responsibility for delivery of this fund. We are also looking for someone who is strategic, creative, and clear in their planning, day-to-day work, and communication.

We are an Equal Opportunities employer. We want to encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds to work with us. We believe that greater diversity of experience, skills and ways of thinking will challenge our thinking and practice on poverty and trauma and broaden our collective knowledge and networks. We encourage applications from suitably qualified candidates from all parts of the community, regardless of age, disability, race, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief or socio-economic background. We also encourage applications from those with experience or knowledge of how poverty or trauma impact on people’s lives.

Benefits

• Salary £24,662 (£41,104 FTE)

• Annual leave (pro rata based on FTE 35 days), inclusive of public holidays, which can be taken on a flexible basis apart from the Christmas and New Year holiday when the Trust closes. 

• Pension - 10% employer contribution or 14% if employee contribution is 7%

• Additional employee benefits – an attractive benefits package on offer, which is currently under review.

The Robertson Trust is committed to hybrid and other forms of flexible working. The Trust is open to reasonable adaptations to overcome barriers. We are a Living Wage employer accredited by the Living Wage Foundation.

About GLAD

Our mission at The Robertson Trust is to prevent and reduce poverty and trauma in Scotland. Through our work, we’ve seen that those with first-hand experience of these issues often have the clearest sense of what needs to change and how to make it happen.

GLAD is about backing those individuals. People who are already active in their communities, already building solutions, and who are ready to grow their impact.

Rather than an open application process, GLAD takes a relational approach. Working closely with Ten Years’ Time, we’ve invited five trusted organisations to act as nominating partners:

• Inspiring Scotland (Link Up programme)

• Sistema Scotland

• Dundee Fighting for Fairness/Faith in Community Dundee

• The Poverty Truth Community

• Social Action Inquiry

These partners are deeply connected to community- driven change and well-placed to identify people already showing strong grassroots leadership.

Over the last year, we’ve co-designed the programme with people who have lived experience of poverty and trauma, alongside our partners.

What GLAD Offers

Participants will receive tailored support over two years, including:

• Up to £25,000 flexible funding to support their community work and/or personal development

• One-to-one coaching and a dedicated mentor

• Monthly peer learning sessions with other participants

• Bespoke training in areas like public speaking, advocacy and systems change

• Access to trauma-informed wellbeing support, plus up to £5,000 for caring responsibilities, travel, specialist training or accessibility needs

While everyone’s pathway will be different, GLAD focuses on more than just individual growth by nurturing the shared resilience and connections that drive lasting change.

Find out more about GLAD

Application notes

To apply please email recruitment@therobertsontrust.org.uk with your CV and covering letter explaining why you want to work for The Robertson Trust and how you are suited to each point on the person specification for this role, along with a completed equality monitoring form. The equality monitoring form will be treated with the strictest confidence and will not be used to make any decisions within the recruitment process.

The closing date for applications is Monday, 25th August.

Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

Downloads