About includem…

Founded in 2000, Includem is a Scottish charity working alongside children, young people and families to help transform lives. We provide relationship-based, flexible support that is available when it is needed most, helping young people build on their strengths, make positive choices and move towards the future they want.

We work with children and young people in care, families facing challenges, and those navigating education, mental health, justice or transitions into adulthood.

This is where you come in. Working for Includem means using your skills, experience and leadership to make a meaningful difference in an organisation where relationships, creativity and impact matter.

The Role – Head of Development

Location: Our head office is located in Glasgow but we welcome applicants who could be based at any of our main locations (Glasgow, Fife, Aberdeen). The role will involve occasional travel across Scotland, and we have a hybrid working model with an expected minimum of 3 days office based per week.

Salary: Circa £60,000 per annum

Hours: 35 hours per week

Contract Type: Full-time / Permanent

Direct Reports: Staff working across communications, policy and public affairs, impact and IT

Team: Executive Team

With a focus on external engagement, the Head of Development is responsible for identifying, developing and securing sustainable growth opportunities that enable Includem to extend its impact across Scotland.

As part of the Executive Team, the postholder will lead the organisation’s business development, strategic partnerships, fundraising, communications, policy and influencing activity, ensuring Includem remains at the forefront of supporting children, young people and families. Working closely with service delivery teams, the executive team and board, they will identify emerging opportunities, shape innovative service responses, strengthen external relationships and use evidence and impact data to influence policy and secure future investment.

This role plays a pivotal part in ensuring Includem has a strong external profile, diversified income streams, a robust evidence base on Includem’s model and impact and an influential voice in shaping services and public policy.

This is a diverse role and the key responsibilities include the following. We have a broad range of expertise within the Development Team so don’t necessarily expect our new Head of Development to have skills and experience across all areas:

Strategic Business Development

Drive Includem’s business development activity aligned to organisational priorities.
Build strong relationships with service delivery teams to identify local development opportunities and support colleagues to confidently position Includem with commissioners and partners.
Work proactively with Scottish Government, Local Authorities and other commissioners to understand emerging priorities and develop innovative, costed service proposals.
Lead the identification, assessment and pursuit of new service opportunities across Scotland.
Develop strategic partnerships that enhance Includem’s reach, sustainability and impact.
Provide expert advice to the Chief Executive, Senior Management Team and Board on strategic growth opportunities and emerging risks.

Income Generation and Fundraising

Develop and maintain strong relationships with key charitable trusts, foundations and grant funders.
Build a sustainable pipeline of grant funding opportunities and oversee high-quality funding applications.
Lead engagement with major funders including Corra Foundation, National Lottery Community Fund and other strategic funding partners.
Develop innovative approaches to individual giving, community fundraising and corporate partnerships.
Design and deliver fundraising campaigns throughout the year, including seasonal and themed campaigns.
Monitor fundraising performance and identify opportunities to diversify income.

Tendering and Contract Development

Lead all public sector tender activity from opportunity identification through to submission.
Coordinate tender writing, financial modelling and operational input.
Ensure high-quality, compliant submissions that reflect Includem’s strengths and evidence base.
Support operational teams to understand and evidence contractual requirements, outcomes, performance measures and reporting expectations.
Maintain oversight of contract opportunities and renewal pipelines.

Communications and Brand

Lead Includem’s communications strategy.
Oversee production of engaging internal and external communications.
Oversee the development of website content, social media channels and digital platforms.
Manage organisational messaging to ensure consistent communication of Includem’s values, impact and unique strengths.
Respond proactively to external developments, ensuring Includem contributes to national conversations affecting children, young people and families.
Support the development of marketing materials, publications and annual reporting.

Policy and Influencing

Maintain detailed understanding of local and national policy developments relevant to Includem’s work.
Lead development of organisational policy positions.
Oversee the preparation and positioning of consultation responses on behalf of Includem.
Represent Includem at national policy, commissioning and sector forums.
Build productive relationships with MSPs, MPs, Councillors, Civil Servants and other decision-makers.
Identify opportunities to influence legislation, commissioning and public policy.

Impact, Insight and Organisational Learning

Support development of an organisational monitoring, evaluation and learning framework.
Ensure robust collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative impact data.
Work with operational teams to strengthen quality assurance and continuous improvement.
Analyse organisational data to identify emerging trends and opportunities.
Interrogate organisational systems to generate intelligence that informs strategic decision-making.
Produce reports demonstrating organisational impact for funders, commissioners, Board and external stakeholders.
Oversight of systems administrator who has responsibility for data governance, cyber security, data protection and reporting tools.

Participation and Service Development

Develop a strong understanding of Includem’s model of service delivery and underlying evidence base to articulate this credibly in a variety of forums.
Support meaningful participation of children, young people and families in organisational development.
Ensure lived experience informs service design, policy development and influencing activity.
Promote co-production approaches across organisational development work.

Leadership

Contribute as a member of the executive management team.
Provide strategic leadership across business development, communications, fundraising, policy and impact.
Develop a high-performing culture focused on innovation, collaboration and continuous improvement.
Build strong relationships internally to ensure organisational alignment and shared ownership of growth opportunities.
Present reports and recommendations to the Executive Team and Board.

Key Outputs

The Head of Business Development will be accountable for delivering:

Sustainable pipeline of commissioned service opportunities.
Increased organisational income through contracts, grants and fundraising.
Successful tender submissions and grant applications.
Strong relationships with commissioners, Scottish Government and strategic funders.
Effective communications strategy with increased organisational profile.
Enhanced website, social media and digital engagement.
High-quality policy papers and consultation responses.
Increased political and stakeholder engagement.
Robust organisational monitoring and evaluation framework.
Regular impact reporting demonstrating outcomes and organisational value.
Strategic intelligence reports identifying trends and future opportunities.
Effective participation mechanisms influencing organisational development.
Advice and recommendations supporting strategic decision-making by the Executive Team and Board.

Key Dates and Information

The closing date for this post is: Monday 5th October 2026.

For all application details, please click the APPLY button to visit our website.

If you are shortlisted for the role, you will be invited along to:

First stage interviews: Week commencing Monday 12th October 2026.

Benefits

Includem offers the following benefits:

28 days annual leave, increasing to 31 days with 5 years’ service.
9 public holidays
Employee Assistance Programme
Counselling service
Family friendly leave
SSSC Registration
Blue Light Card
Company pension
Medicash
Charity Worker Discounts
Personal Assurance

A charity registered in Scotland, number SC030233.

1 Includem jobs in Scotland