Volunteering & Employability Manager

About Us

Scottish Canals are the custodians of the nation’s canal network and surrounding estates. Our vision is to invest in the canal network to generate lasting benefit for people and communities; celebrating their industrial heritage, ensuring they offer quality green and blue spaces for people and communities and contribute to Scotland’s resilience in tackling climate change.

Our success is rooted in valuing the contributions of our entire team - we care, we create, and we collaborate to continue to deliver a whole range of activities and services, from boating, and mooring, paddling, walking and wheeling, to living and playing and improving what the canals have to offer to our visitors and communities. We also work collaboratively with our partners and stakeholders to contribute to a wealthier, fairer, greener and more resilient Scotland.

As an employer, we offer a truly unique opportunity to join our team, help us realise our vision, and play a vital role in safeguarding Scotland’s canal heritage — ensuring our waterways flourish now and for generations to come.

Lock 16 - Centre of Excellence for Canals and Traditional Skills is a transformational, heritage led regeneration project that will breathe new life into one of the most historically significant stretches of the Forth & Clyde Canal. Delivered in partnership with Historic Environment Scotland, the centre will combine specialist workshops, training spaces, volunteering programmes and skills pathways that support the long term care of Scotland’s canals and the wider traditional built environment. It will open up new opportunities for people and communities across Falkirk and beyond.

Volunteers, trainees and apprentices will play a vital role in shaping the future of the canal network and Scotland’s heritage assets, contributing to environmental stewardship, heritage conservation, and a renewed sense of connection and pride along the canal corridor.

The Volunteering & Employability Manager will be key to realising this vision. This role will lead the volunteering and employability programmes at the heart of the Lock 16 Centre of Excellence and across the wider network, building strong partnerships, supporting high-quality volunteer engagement, and creating progression routes into skills development, training and employment.

Lock 16 – Scotland’s Centre of Excellence for Canals and Traditional Skills activity programme has been made possible with support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we’re delighted to be recruiting for this exciting new role.

About the Role

We currently have a fantastic opportunity for a Volunteering & Employability Manager to join our People Team in Falkirk. We’re looking for an enthusiastic, proactive leader to shape and deliver volunteering and employability initiatives across Scottish Canals. In this role, you’ll work closely with canal societies, community organisations, and corporate partners, building strong relationships that help expand our impact.

You’ll lead the organisation and deployment of volunteers, trainees, and work‑placement groups, enhancing both the Scottish Canals workforce and the estate itself. Alongside this, you’ll take the strategic lead on volunteering and employability, ensuring these programmes continue to grow and thrive.

The role is offered on a permanent, full -time basis, working Monday - Friday, 35 hours per week (with some flexibility as required).

Primary responsibilities of the role:

• Develop and implement a Volunteering and Employability Strategy, aligned with the People Strategy, and with the overall Corporate Plan.
• Overall management responsibility for volunteering and employability.
• Lead on the development and maintenance of a highly effective volunteer engagement capability & support service for Scottish Canals.
• Oversee the effective engagement of volunteers, including recruitment, training, recognition, reward, and retention.
• Build collaborative relationships with canal societies, riparian community organisations, and other partners invested in our blue and green spaces.
• Develop a corporate offer – ‘Team Engagement Days’ or similar – and work with corporate clients to secure their investment.
• Create opportunities for young people – including students and school students – to get involved on the canals, as volunteers, trainees, apprentices, and in work experience
• Devise and manage a corporate apprenticeship programme.
• Create development pathways for members of the extended workforce to progress from volunteering and placements to paid work and full employment.
• Manage the effective functioning of the Volunteering and Employability team, including reporting, budgetary support, and line management of the volunteer co-ordinators.
• Provide advice and guidance on all matters relating to volunteering and employability.

About the Reward

This role offers a progressive starting salary of £47,911 - £52,354 (Band F) (increasing to £49,588 -. £54,187 from April 2026).

Scottish Canals offer a generous annual leave entitlement of 32 days, plus 6 public holidays, along with enhanced sick pay, discounted shopping vouchers, health cash plan and a contributory pension scheme with up to 10% employer contribution.

About You

Qualifications and knowledge required:

• You will be educated to degree level or equivalent.
• Ideally have a professional or post graduate qualification in volunteering or a related discipline.
• Knowledge of volunteering, the voluntary sector and canal-side communities.
• Have an understanding of the funding context for volunteering in Scotland.
• Knowledge of corporate social responsibility and its application to volunteering.
• Full UK Driving Licence (desirable).

Skills and experience required:

• Strong influencing and persuasion skills when working with key stakeholders and decision makers.
• Ability to work independently, using your own initiative and manage your workload effectively.
• Capable of applying strategic thinking and communicating effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Excellent presentation and IT skills including the use of Microsoft Office.
• Experience of working with volunteers, partnership working and building relationships at various levels including senior management, colleagues and customers.
• Project management experience would be advantageous.

Qualities & abilities required:

• Ability to build effective relationships that generate confidence, respect and collaborative working.
• Highly focused on service delivery and customer satisfaction
• Leads by example in demonstrating our values of We care, We create, We collaborate, encouraging colleagues to embed these behaviours in their work.

Scottish Canals reserve the right to close this vacancy before the closing date if a sufficient number of applications are received.