Project Officer – North East Scotland

WEBRECRUIT; Remote; GBP 22,000 - 26,000; Part time

Job summary

A community-based organization is seeking a Project Officer to engage audiences in reading across North East Scotland. This part-time, home-working role involves mobilising and training volunteers, providing project support, and coordinating activities in Aberdeenshire. Candidates should have experience in a charity or educational context, a passion for reading and writing, and knowledge of local communities. Benefits include a competitive salary, generous leave, and pension contributions.

Benefits

Generous leave allowance

Pension contributions of 8%

Cycle to work scheme

Employee assistance programme

Qualifications

• Experience in recruiting, training and supporting volunteers.
• Familiarity with early years settings, schools or community organisations.
• Excellent understanding of local communities in Aberdeenshire.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate a campaign to engage audiences in reading.
• Mobilise and support volunteers in North East Scotland.
• Provide training and manage book stocks and resources.

Skills

Recruiting volunteers

Training volunteers

Community mobilisation

Knowledge of safeguarding practices

Education

Experience in charity or educational context

Job description

Project Officer – North East Scotland

£26,000 per year pro rata (0.6 FTE)

Part‑time, 21 hours per week

Fixed‑term contract to end of February 2027

Based in Aberdeenshire as a home‑working role

Our client empowers people with the skills they need to succeed in life. Together, they're helping people change their stories.

What you’ll be doing

Our client will lead, develop and coordinate a campaign to engage new audiences in reading and change the national reading culture for good, ensuring it is powerful and engaging and redefines reading for a new generation.

A core part of their plans is to mobilise volunteers across the UK, including through their own project, which identifies, trains and supports volunteers to promote reading and writing in their local area. This may be in person or online. Some of those volunteers take on a planning and coordination role, working with others.

Our client wants to expand the number of volunteers who, in turn, will engage other volunteers through their networks and connections. You will coordinate this work across North East Scotland, with a focus on the Aberdeenshire area. You will identify and engage existing groups of volunteers and suitable organisations, providing training.

This is an opportunity to build a new network of volunteers promoting reading and enhancing the many offers and opportunities in Scotland.

This is a home‑working role based in Aberdeenshire and will involve regular travel around the area. There will also be some national travel for our client’s organisational away days, which take place in London three times per year, as well as approximately three team days per year. All travel expenses will be covered.

What our client is looking for

You will be experienced in recruiting, training and supporting volunteers, and providing project support in a charity or educational context. You will also have experience of working with early years settings, schools or community organisations, and good knowledge of safeguarding practice in this context.

Experience of community mobilisation, and developing resources and training materials, would be an advantage, as would excellent knowledge of reading and writing issues.

You will need to live in or around Aberdeenshire and have an excellent understanding of the communities and families in the area. Due to the nature of delivery, you will need a full clean driving licence and access to your own vehicle. This role will involve managing book stocks and other resources.

Why our client’s work is so vital

Reading and writing change everything.

They give you the tools to get the most out of life, and the power to shape your future. They’re the key to knowledge, confidence and inspiration. They’re better results at school, and better jobs. If children grow up without the tools to communicate, without books to read or opportunities to write, it’s harder to get where you want to go.

Our client helps people overcome these challenges and change their life chances through the power of words – reading, writing, speaking and listening. From first words, through school days to training, jobs and beyond.

• They work collaboratively in local communities, focusing their work in areas of the UK that are facing the biggest challenges.
• They support schools, developing the most effective tools and techniques and providing resources and programmes to engage and inspire children.
• They campaign to make reading and writing a priority for politicians and decision-makers.
• They support vulnerable adults, people in the criminal justice system and young offenders’ institutions to build their skills.

What our client offers you

Our client’s team are passionate about their mission and have a strong and positive working culture, based on shared values and respect. They offer a range of flexible working options and promote a workplace where you can be yourself and contribute to their success, whoever you are.

As well as a competitive salary, they offer benefits, including a generous leave allowance totalling 39 days (including bank holidays and office closure between Christmas and New Year), pension contributions of 8% of annual salary, a cycle to work scheme, employee assistance programme and other health and wellbeing benefits.

Application details

Our client’s people are their most important asset, and they value and respect diversity in all its forms (seen and unseen). They particularly welcome applications from those from Black and Asian backgrounds, as well as candidates with disabilities and from the communities in which they work. They would like to increase representation of these groups among their staff as they know greater diversity will lead to an even greater impact for their work.

To apply, please select the apply button shown.

Closing date: 10am, Thursday 15 January 2026

Please note our client does not accept CVs. No agencies or recruitment sites.