JOIN THE SCOTLAND COMMITTEE

The Scotland Communications Officers are responsible for maintaining the branch’s social media channels and relevant website pages. They are also responsible for coordinating the branch’s monthly newsletter.

Responsibilities include:

• Helping to maintain SYP Scotland’s social media channels by promoting events and sharing/re-posting topical stories and articles, designing social media assets and other marketing material using Canva.
• Curating a monthly newsletter for the SYP Scotland mailing list, promoting events and putting together relevant features.
• A knowledge of, or a willingness to learn about, email and social media marketing is important, as are strong organisational skills. Experience with, or willingness to learn about, Canva and WordPress is also desired.
• Maintain consistent communication with UK Communications Leads and other regional communications officers to refine cross-branch best practices and support one another with overarching SYP communications and inclusivity/ accessibility aims.
• Working closely with the SYP Scotland committee members to coordinate communications across all platforms.
• Ensuring accessible practices on social media, such as providing alt-text and reviewing social media in-built accessibility tools.

An understanding of, or willingness to learn about social media engagement, and design skills are essential. Knowledge of, or a willingness to learn about, the newsletter, communication skills, design, subscriber retention, and promotion techniques also important. This is a fast-paced role that offers opportunities to develop your organisational, communication, creativity, and design skills, and is well suited to someone interested in marketing or publicity.

Time Expectation: 2-4 hours a week.

The Treasurer reports on financial activity across the branch. They also take minutes at monthly committee meetings and distribute these to the team.

Duties include:

• Being the key SYP Scotland branch point of contact for financial related enquiries. 
• Monitoring committee spending for the Scotland committee
• Making timely payments for SYP Scotland committee’s subscriptions and accounts 
• Maintaining consistent communication with UK Treasurer to maintain transaction records
• Reviewing and exploring budget-efficient payment plans for branch accounts and payments
• Ensuring that signatories for the SYP Scotland bank account is changed at the beginning of the role’s tenure 
• Taking minutes at regular committee meetings
• Joining a cross-branch Charity committee to support on organisation developments

This role demands attention to detail and organisation, the ability to use Excel/Google Sheets and work with numbers, be able to respond quickly to time-sensitive requests, and be accountable and reliable. This is a key position that offers opportunities to develop analytical and strategic planning skills, as well as communication and interpersonal abilities.

Time Expectation: 3 hours a week.

The Events Coordinators are responsible for organising and promoting all SYP Scotland events.

Duties include:

• Maintain consistent communication with UK Events Leads and other regional Events Officers to participate in an events calendar rich in events targeted towards those looking to get INTO and AHEAD in publishing, and share best cross-branch practices involving inclusivity objectives, marketing approaches, and cross-branch event collaborations.
• Organising online/ hybrid/ in-person events targeted at members (free and/or exclusive) and non-members in Scotland.
• Liaising with publishing professionals to find a diverse range of speakers, and with various organisations, to organise collaborative events
• Working with SYP Scotland’s committee members to plan and advertise events including uploading comprehensive event information to the site and marketing through a variety of channels, ensuring that events are advertised one month in advance at a minimum 
• Proactively and regularly reaching out to the Inclusivity Officer to ensure that events are accessible and inclusive in terms of content and format.

Great organisational and interpersonal skills are required, as are flexibility and the ability to adapt to unexpected developments. Prior event planning experience would be advantageous, but not essential. This role offers the opportunity to develop several skills often required in publishing: event planning, networking, diary management, promotional skills, and collaborative working. 

Time Expectation: 4 hours a week.

The Podcast Officer is responsible for creating, editing, and promoting podcast episodes for the SYP Scotland branch.

Duties include:

• Maintain consistent communication with the UK Digital Content Lead and other regional Digital Content Officers to taken part in the podcast schedule and develop best cross-branch practices involving marketing, transcription and accessibility
• Curating career-focused and enticing publishing content for our podcast subscribers targeted towards those looking to get INTO and AHEAD in publishing
• Liaising with publishing professionals for podcast interviews
• Creating digital assets using Canva to promote new podcasts and liaise with the communications team to promote the podcast and increase subscribers
• Proactively and regularly reaching out to the Inclusivity Officer to ensure that podcast episodes are accessible and inclusive in terms of content and format.

Excellent organisational, time management and communication skills are essential. Knowledge of, or willingness to learn, how to create and promote a podcast is required. Any previous experience in podcast production could be advantageous. This is an exciting role that offers opportunities to develop your editing, creativity, interviewing, and networking skills. 

Time Expectation: 3 hours a week

The Inclusivity Officer ensures inclusive thinking is intrinsic in all SYP Scotland does in order to allow both members and non-members to feel included and have a voice. Activities range from making venue suggestions for greater accessibility to finding ways to support under-represented people in our community through our applications process, events and digital content.

Duties include:

• Maintain consistent communication with UK Inclusivity Lead and other regional Inclusivity Officers to standardise procedures and discuss best practices across the organisation.
• Work closely with SYP Scotland committee members to bring new procedures and guidelines to fruition. This includes working with Events Officers to ensure all external speakers and event content represent diversity and inclusivity, and the Digital Content Officers to ensure we are offering a range of content.
• Keeping abreast of new research in Diversity & Inclusivity and how this impacts the SYP
• Assisting with and organising the anonymising of applications for application-based events or schemes, such as committee applications and mentorship scheme applications
• Network and collaborate with internal employee network initiatives in collaboration with the UK Inclusivity Lead
• In conjunction with the UK Inclusivity Lead, getting involved with data collection and promotion of the SYP Inclusivity Survey report

Key skills needed for this role include good research, communication, and organisational skills, as well as diplomacy. This role offers research, collaborative working, and an opportunity to work alongside the whole committee to ensure its continual effort in maintaining and implementing inclusive policies and activities.

Time Expectation: 3 hours a week.

The Mentorship Scheme Officer is responsible for overseeing the development of the mentorship scheme in Scotland, including the recruitment of mentors from April, the onboarding of mentors and mentees and the running of the scheme from August through to January.

Duties include:

• Maintain consistent communication with UK Mentorship Lead to oversee the mentorship scheme for the branch
• Working closely with the [Branch] Inclusivity Officer and [Branch] chairs to ensure all applications are fair and represent diverse and inclusive applicants
• Promoting the mentorship scheme in conjunction with the [Branch] Communications team across [Branch] channels
• Keeping in touch with existing mentors and mentees and troubleshooting mentor/mentee concerns throughout the year
• Gathering feedback from mentors and mentees of the branch scheme, and collaborating with other branches and the UK Lead to make improvements to the project
• Supporting the Spare Room/Zoom Project by promoting it in Scotland.
• Proactively and regularly reaching out to the Inclusivity Officer to ensure that the mentorship scheme is accessible and inclusive in terms of content and format.

Excellent organisational, time management and communication skills are essential. This is a great role that allows the successful applicant to take ownership over a long-running SYP initiative and make a difference to those seeking a mentor. The role offers opportunities to network with the wider industry, develop communication and promotional skills, event planning and hosting as well as people skills. 

Time Expectation: 2–4 hours a week but time commitment will be higher in the run-up to the scheme launch..

The Saltires Shadow Panel and Book Club Coordinator is responsible for organising, facilitating, and promoting the branch’s literary engagement activities, including the Shadow Judging Panels for the Saltire Society’s Literary Awards and the branch book club.

Duties include:

• Organise and oversee applications and meetings for the Shadow Judging panels for the Saltire Society’s Literary Awards, known as The Saltires.
• Liaise with the Saltire Society to organise our annual Shadow Judging Panels, by working with the successful applicants to get their books out to them, organise the panels, and collate the blog posts afterwards.
• Coordinate panel meetings, leading the discussion about the books, thinking of talking points, and keeping an eye on time.
• Planning, coordinating, and leading book club meetings, including selecting titles and facilitating discussions.
• Working closely with the Communications Team to promote Shadow Judging Panel opportunities, book club events, and related initiatives.
• Maintaining consistent communication with the SYP UK Podcast Officer and Podcast/Communications Officers across other branches to support collaboration and share best practices.

Excellent organisational, time management, and communication skills are essential. An interest in literary events, book discussions, and collaborative working is highly desirable. This role offers opportunities to develop skills in event coordination, stakeholder engagement, and content creation. 

Time Expectation: 3 hours a week.

Manage and oversee all aspects of SYP Scotland with the other Co-chair.

• Advise/support committee members as and when needed.
• Organise and lead monthly committee meetings.
• Communicate and work together with the Chairs of other SYP branches.
• Maintain contact and relationships with SYP Scotland partners.
• Explore new partnerships with publishing and literary organisations and communities in Scotland.
• Help organise SYP Scotland’s spring conference and deliver opening and closing remarks.
• Send InPrint quarterly updates about SYP Scotland’s activities.

The Conference Leads will plan and execute SYP Scotland’s spring conference, recruiting and leading a conference committee from autumn, up to the conference in March/April. Prior publishing experience is not necessary, but it is expected you will have some knowledge of contemporary issues in the publishing industry, and excellent project management skills – experience of organising events would be highly advantageous. In addition, this role requires the ability to lead and motivate a team. Duties include:

• Arranging for Keynote, Closing Speaker and Closing Performer.
• Finalising venue/digital platform for the conference.
• Overseeing budget including ticket sales, sponsorship and exhibition.
• Any other duties as required to support the committee before conference planning begins.

The Student Liaison Officer is responsible for establishing and maintaining relationships with universities in Scotland, and marketing SYP membership and activities to students.

Duties include:

• Key skills needed for this role include diary management, communication and organisational skills. This dynamic role offers insight into recruitment and job opportunities, develops research and leadership skills, and involves collaborative working with committee members to promote SYP activities to the student community.
• Maintain consistent communication with UK and other regional Student Outreach Officers to report successes, opportunities for growth and best practices.
• Building relationships with universities and student-run organisations over email and through meetings, sending information about the SYP and maintaining the Ireland university contact database
• Exploring event or collaboration opportunities with university professionals and the student community itself, and attending/organising student-focused events
• Feeding regional job roles through to the UK Job Officer for the SYP Jobs Board, making sure that posted roles are compliant with our salary transparency policy
• Working closely with the Ireland Communications team to ensure job roles are advertised on the jobs board
• Keeping abreast of new developments in payments and salaries in the publishing industry