Heritage Outreach and Education Officer

Heritage Outreach and Education Officer

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) would like to invite applications for the post of Heritage Outreach and Education Officer, based at The Museum of Scottish Fire Heritage, McDonald Road, Edinburgh on a fixed term basis for 23 months. This is a full-time position working 35 hours per week, however applications from individuals seeking to work on a part time, job share or flexible working basis would be considered. The successful candidate will be required to work two Saturdays every four weeks as part of their 35-hour working week and will be required to travel across Scotland to support various events and activities.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has an extremely rich cultural history; the world’s first municipally funded fire service was established in Edinburgh in 1824. We hold a diverse collection of items demonstrating evolution of firefighting in Scotland, through the display and maintenance of this collection we highlight the significant impact firefighting has made to the communities of Scotland.

SFRS have recently invested in the development of our new museum site in Edinburgh, which opened in June 2023. This specially designed space showcases our wonderful collections and shares the stories of the people who make up Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

The Museum of Scottish Fire Heritage is a focal point to engage with our existing audiences and tap into new visitor groups. We have a dedicated community space where we can deliver a range of engagement activities for the public, working in close collaboration with our community safety staff across SFRS. The successful candidate will use the history of the fire service to engage communities across Scotland delivering activities within the museum and as part of an outreach programme.

 

Overview of Role

The successful candidate will be responsible for the development and delivery of our outreach and education activity associated with the Museum of Scottish Fire Heritage (MoSFH). Working autonomously, the post holder is responsible for developing and delivering educational workshops, community engagement activities and family sessions to align with the SFRS Heritage collection, the Curriculum for Excellence and the MoSFH exhibits or topical themes where appropriate. The post holder has responsibility for the management of a team of education and outreach volunteers; integral to their workstream. This will include all relevant aspects of managing the volunteer team, including; recruitment, training, health and safety, supervision, and planning and scheduling volunteer work rotas.

The post holder has responsibility for the development and delivery of a learning program integral to the aims of the museum and our wider outreach objectives as part of the Early Intervention Team within the Prevention Function of SFRS. This will include all relevant aspects of undertaking research, delivering events and activities, liaising with external and internal partners, taking into consideration relevant health and safety aspects, and planning and scheduling volunteer involvement alongside the Visitor Experience Team Leader. Partnership working is a key part of the role to raise the profile of the MoSFH and its outreach work, along with the delivery of training to both internal and external stakeholders. As part of a small team, the postholder will on occasion act as Duty Manager to ensure the safe running of the Museum.

 

Experience Required

Applicants are required to be educated to HNC / HND level or hold equivalent experience. They will have experience of working in an engagement or delivery role within the heritage, culture, community or voluntary sector with experience of developing and delivering outreach and education activities aligned with the Curriculum for Excellence. The post holder will have knowledge and understanding of developing and evaluating high-quality events, workshops and family learning sessions and have experience supporting volunteers. The successful candidate should demonstrate excellent verbal and written communication skills, be proficient in the use of packages such as Microsoft & Canva and have the ability to plan and work independently and proactively.

The successful candidate will be required to work two Saturdays every four weeks as part of their 35 hour working week and will be required to hold a drivers licence to ensure travel across Scotland to support various events and activities.  As part of a small team, the postholder will on occasion act as Deputy Manager to ensure the safe running of the Museum. The post is based at the Museum of Scottish Fire Heritage and the post holder will be required to be on site as their duties require.

Full details of the role, including job description and essential criteria, and our recruitment process can be found in the attached recruitment information pack.

Salary on appointment will normally be at the lower salary point, with progression subject to regular review - in line with the SFRS performance appraisal arrangements.  A higher salary placing will be considered in exceptional circumstances subject to experience demonstrated.

This role involves working with adults and children. The successful candidate will be required to join the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is an Equal Opportunities employer and encourage applications from all sectors of the community. In addition, we are committed to being a “Disability Confident Employer” and will ensure that all applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role are invited for interview.

If you have any questions about your application, please email People Services at SFRS.PODVacancies@firescotland.gov.uk.

 Please note, a fully completed application form must be submitted for this position.