This job is brought to you by Jobs/Redefined, the UK's leading over-50s age inclusive jobs board.
Job Description
Job title: 1020-365 - Grants Manager - SMEEF | Grade: E | Vacancy type: Permanent | Hours: 35 hours | Salary £46,682 | Location: Any NatureScot office, with home and hybrid working considered | Closing date: Midnight, 31 March 2025 | Internal Interview date: w/c 21 April 2025. External Interview date: w/c 05 May 2025.
The SMEEF Grants Manager role is a new and important role in the SMEEF team. The post holder will be the driving force in overseeing the design and successful management of the whole SMEEF grants programme. They will directly line manage the Grants Officers.
Job Purpose Summary
The Scottish Marine Environmental Enhancement Fund (SMEEF) is an ambitious and innovative initiative which harnesses private finance to support delivery of marine and coastal environmental enhancement activities in Scottish waters through grant-aided projects.
Hosted by NatureScot, SMEEF administers funds raised in the form of grants and strategic spending on practical projects and research to support marine enhancement in Scotland. To date the programme has sourced and awarded more than £3.5m and has more than £4m in the budget for the next four years.
We are seeking an ambitious, self-starter who can hit the ground running. The ideal candidate will have a sound understanding of grant management, an awareness of the nature finance landscape and a good grounding in marine conservation. They will be an excellent communicator, ready to champion SMEEF to a range of audiences.
The role is designed as a job share/collaboration with the SMEEF Partnerships Manager to ensure we make the most of opportunities to forward the aims of SMEEF. Both roles operate at a senior and strategic level with a wide range of partners and senior representatives in policy, finance and industry sectors.
There is significant scope within the role to explore new approaches to grant making such as considering future involvement in delivery of nature positive measures, carbon codes and biodiversity credits.
The postholder will have a high degree of autonomy in progressing these varied tasks and resolving contentious issues. They will manage resources effectively within agreed budgets, monitor progress and report on outcomes. They will also determine the agenda and, in partnership with the Grants Officers, prepare comprehensive and well-structured papers and reports for the SMEEF steering group, escalating risks where required.
This is a fast-moving role. The successful candidate will be flexible in managing the busy workload as part of a small and dispersed team.
Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:
• Lead on governance and risk management for SMEEF grants
• Work closely with the SMEEF Partnerships Manager on wider SMEEF governance and risk management
• Develop a strategic approach to future grant rounds and agree the types of projects to be funded, including liaison with the SMEEF Steering Group, SMEEF Grants Panel and academic and technical experts
• Oversee the use of systems and processes to ensure the smooth and compliant operation of SMEEF, including project selection, monitoring, claiming and reporting
• Develop quality controls to enable monitoring and evaluation of performance, including milestones, targets, indicators and ensuring that the reported outcomes are accurate and fully evidenced
• Manage budgets effectively
• Develop and maintain a relevant communications and engagement plan, and associated materials
• Provide regular and effective reports to the SMEEF Steering Group, Grants Panel and for reporting to donors
• Be aware of future options for SMEEF, including developments in carbon codes, biodiversity credits and nature positive payments
• Contribute to team management, including staff wellbeing and development
• Relevant line management of the other team roles, particularly the Grants Officers
Skills (Please refer to these in your supporting statement)
1. Knowledge and experience of working with grants as a mechanism for securing outcome delivery.
2. Knowledge and experience of relevant policy areas e.g. Green Finance, credits markets, Scottish Biodiversity Strategy and Blue Economy.
3. Knowledge and experience of working constructively with eNGOs, communities and, government / policy makers within Scotland.
4. Excellent communication skills - clear written and verbal presentation, and ability to convey complex information clearly and confidently to varied audiences.
5. Excellent interpersonal skills including; inspirational leadership, engagement, negotiating, influencing, networking and proven ability to forge strong relationships and partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders.
6. Excellent team management skills with a proven ability to work constructively and supportively in a team environment.
7. Ability to use sound judgement, solve problems and analyse complex information, identifying and managing key risks and escalating these when required.
8. Proven ability to plan and manage workloads, deliver work to deadlines and adapt to changing priorities.
9. Strong experience of project and budget management to ensure delivery of outputs to required standard.
10. An understanding of marine and coastal environmental enhancement approaches.
11. Knowledge of NatureScot's priorities and processes and an awareness of the political environment in which NatureScot operates.
Pre-requisites:
• Right to work in UK
• To undertake a Disclosure Scotland application
• Although Gaelic language is not a prerequisite it is a desirable skill in support of our commitment to our Gaelic Language Plan.
Working for NatureScot
NatureScot offers some great benefits to reward and support you whilst you are working for us. Our benefits package includes the civil service pension scheme, a generous holiday leave allowance plus flexi time, and employee discount scheme. Visit the NatureScot website for further details.
Application Process
Before applying for this post;
* Internal applicants should read the Self Service Guide (eRDMS A3155575)
* External applicants should read the Online Job Application Guide
If you have previously applied for a vacancy with NatureScot you must remove the supporting statement from your profile, before uploading a new version.
Interviews
NatureScot is an inclusive workplace. We will share interview questions for this vacancy prior to interviews as a way of supporting neurodiversity at NatureScot.
External candidates will be invited to interview if we are unable to recruit internally
Contact details for further information on this vacancy:
Name, Sarah Brown, SMEEF Partnerships Manager, 07717 571762, manager@smeef.scot
For further information on the application process please contact recruitment@nature.scot
Nature is vital to us all, so it's important that NatureScot represents the people of Scotland. The more diverse our workforce is, the more effectively we can connect everyone with nature. We encourage applications from candidates of all ages and genders, people from ethnic minority groups, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQ+ community.
#J-18808-Ljbffr