Change Programmes Lead

fst Federation of Scottish Theatre; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

The Federation of Scottish Theatre is seeking a Change Programmes Lead to help shape and grow Scotland’s performing arts sector through strategic leadership and hands-on delivery. You will work with FST members, partners and colleagues to identify opportunities, develop practical responses and lead programmes across workforce development, mentoring, accessibility, sustainability and leadership development.

Current programmes include bursaries & professional development, mentoring & coaching,

Qualifications

• Ability to understand complex challenges and translate them into realistic plans.
• Capable of building trusted relationships across organisations and sectors.
• Experience in developing and delivering programmes with measurable outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic thinking and partnership-building to shape Change Programmes.
• Identify opportunities, develop practical responses and drive programmes to outcomes.
• Collaborate with members and partners to grow existing programmes and explore new ones.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Partnership development

Relationship management

Practical delivery

Job description

We are looking for a new Change Programmes Lead to join the FST Team!

Salary: £35,329 (full-time) or part-time negotiable (pro-rata)
Hours: 35 hours per week (full-time). Part-time arrangements, including four days per week, can be discussed.
Contract term: Permanent

Scotland’s performing arts sector is full of talented people, ambitious organisations and inspiring ideas. It also faces significant opportunities and challenges that no single organisation can address alone. Increasingly, progress depends on bringing people together, building partnerships and turning shared ambitions into practical action.

That’s why this role matters.

We’re looking for someone who enjoys combining strategic thinking, partnership-building and practical delivery to help shape programmes that strengthen Scotland’s performing arts sector. Someone who can understand complex challenges, build trusted relationships, develop realistic plans and ensure ideas are followed through to meaningful outcomes.

The Change Programmes Lead plays a key role in helping FST turn ideas into action.

Working closely with members, partners and colleagues, you’ll identify opportunities for positive change, develop practical responses and lead programmes that strengthen Scotland’s performing arts sector.

Some programmes are already well established and ready to grow. Others are emerging ideas that require research, partnership development and careful planning. This role therefore combines strategic thinking with practical delivery, helping shape both current and future areas of work.

Current programmes span areas such as workforce development, mentoring, accessibility, environmental sustainability, organisational resilience and leadership development. While every programme is different, they all share a common purpose: helping Scotland’s performing arts sector become stronger, more connected and better equipped for the future.

This isn’t simply a project management role. It’s about understanding complex challenges, bringing people together, building trusted relationships and creating the conditions for meaningful change. You’ll work across organisations, balancing different perspectives while maintaining a clear focus on shared ambitions and tangible outcomes.

Current Programmes & Priorities

The Change Programmes portfolio continues to evolve in response to member needs and emerging opportunities. Some of the current programmes and workstreams you’ll help lead and develop include:

Bursaries & Professional Development

Leading FST’s professional development bursary programme while exploring opportunities to strengthen its impact, reach and long-term sustainability.

Mentoring & Coaching

Refreshing FST’s mentoring offer through reconnecting previous participants, piloting new models and lighter-touch support surgeries and peer learning.

Workforce Development & Training

Developing and delivering programmes around technical skills, leadership, sustainability and Fair Work through partnerships and targeted professional development opportunities.

Access & Inclusion

Working with Birds of Paradise, Creative Scotland and sector partners to support the future development of Access Scottish Theatre, Scotland’s engagement with the UK-wide All-In programme and wider accessibility infrastructure.

Working with FST members and partners to identify new priorities, develop collaborative initiatives and secure partnerships and funding that support the future development of Scotland’s performing arts sector.

The deadline for applications is 12pm noon on Monday 21 September 2026.

You will receive a response from FST by 5pm, Friday 25 September 2026 (via email).

Interviews will be held on Wednesday 7 October 2026 (in Edinburgh).