Advertised from 20 March 2026

Role

The Robertson Trust is looking for a Programmes Manager (Social Change Movements) to lead a new Programmes team. Based primarily at Robertson House, Glasgow, with hybrid working available, this is a leadership role supporting The Trust to secure big change that lasts in preventing and reducing poverty and trauma in Scotland. 

Over the next decade, we are committed to using all our tools and resources to reduce poverty and trauma across four themes: 

• Education Pathways 

• Financial Security 

• Nurturing Relationships 

• Work Pathways 

As a senior member of the team, you will lead the design and delivery of our new approach to ‘social movement funding’, a new part of our Programme Awards funding stream. You will lead the team to work to proactively build cohorts of projects, aligned to our strategic priorities, utilising knowledge of the full range of social change activity (including influencing, campaigning, policy work and community empowerment).  

For further details, including the full job description and person specification, please visit: Job Vacancies | The Robertson Trust 

The Role 

This role supports the Head of Programmes and Practice and leads the development and delivery of our ‘social movement funding’ approach, our most proactive Programme Award work, aligned to our long-term change priorities. It will contribute to spending a planned budget rising to up to £10m per year for Programme Awards as a whole. 

You will play a key role in delivering the Trust’s approach to direct and indirect influencing, strengthening strategic relationships across policy and practice, and ensuring our funding and influencing activity is coherent and aligned. 

You will line manage the Social Change Movements team, including our direct influencing capacity, and contribute as a member of the Management Team, working collaboratively across the organisation to support delivery of our strategic priorities. 

Key responsibilities 

• Lead the development and delivery of our new ‘social movements funding’ approach – our most proactive Programme Award cohorts aligned to long-term change priorities 

• Contribute to shaping and delivering the Trust’s approach to direct and indirect influencing 

• Build and sustain strategic relationships with policymakers, sector leaders, funders and experts by experience 

• Ensure coherence across proactive and responsive Programme Awards and the wider organisational strategy 

• Oversee programme budgets, governance and strategic risk 

• Line manage and develop the Social Change Movements team 

• Embed participation and co-production with people with lived experience in strategy and delivery 

• Represent the Trust externally and contribute to cross-cutting organisational priorities 

About You 

We are looking for an experienced and thoughtful leader with a strong understanding of poverty, trauma and the policy landscape in Scotland. 

You will bring: 

• Significant experience contributing to long-term social change through influencing, policy, systems change, campaigning and/or advocacy 

• A strong understanding of poverty and poverty-related trauma as both a subject and policy area 

• Experience shaping and delivering strategic programmes, including managing substantial budgets 

• Experience leading and developing high performing teams 

• Strong political and strategic judgement, including the ability to assess reputational and strategic risk 

• A deep understanding of the third sector and independent funding landscape in Scotland and across the UK 

• Experience building networks and working collaboratively across sectors 

• A commitment to embedding lived experience in strategy and delivery 

• High emotional intelligence and the ability to build trusted, strategic relationships 

You will be collaborative, values-led and motivated by securing long-term change that prevents and reduces poverty and trauma in Scotland. 

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 particularly welcome applications from people with experience or knowledge of how poverty or trauma impact lives.  

Benefits 

• Salary £49,951 to £56,006 FTE 

• 35 days holiday per calendar year, inclusive of public holidays 

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

• Additional employee benefits package (currently under review) 

• This role is advertised as full-time, but we are open to applicants who wish to work part-time. 

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

Application notes

How to apply 

To apply, please email hr@therobertsontrust.org.uk with your CV and a covering letter, of no more than two-pages, outlining your interest in the role and how you meet the criteria. 

Please clearly state which role you are applying for in your email subject line. 

The closing date for applications 3rd April 2026. Interviews will be held shortly after the closing date. 

We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications, so we encourage early applications.