Programme Coordinator (Scotland focus)

Job Title:	Programme Coordinator (Scotland focus)
Salary:	£32,000 pro rata (depending on experience)
Location:	Home-based, Scotland. The postholder will be required to attend in-person meetings or events as needed across the UK.
Responsible To:	Programme Manager
Contract:	Part-time (3 days per week), Fixed Term, 2 years, with possibility of extension
Probation Period:	6 months

About Wikimedia UK

A registered charity, Wikimedia UK is the national chapter of the global Wikimedia movement. We work with volunteers, communities and partners across the UK to build and improve Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects, so that everyone can access and contribute to reliable, open knowledge. We empower people to find, use, evaluate, and communicate information online and we advocate for a digital ecosystem that is open, equitable and democratic.

Background

Programme Coordinators at Wikimedia UK lead on partnership work, relationship development, training delivery and volunteer support, usually within particular geographic or topic areas.  We are looking to recruit for a fixed-term, two-year role to deliver and develop our activities in Scotland, and support the wider Programmes team in delivering UK-wide work. For example in 2026, we are planning celebration events across the country for Wikipedia’s 25th, and the post-holder may be involved in their delivery. Apart from the delivery focus on Scotland, there will be scope to get involved with other areas of Wikimedia UK’s programmatic work such as delivering training in other parts of the UK, or supporting minoritised languages (particularly the indigenous languages of the UK), depending on programmatic needs.

We have had dedicated staff support for activity in Scotland for nearly a decade, and have several successful and ongoing partnerships with a number of educational and cultural institutions, as well as community organisations.  Whilst the focus of this role is primarily on Scotland, Wikimedia UK delivers work both nationally and internationally, and the post holder would be expected to hold a portfolio which contributes to and supports this.  

This is a part time post and can be based anywhere in Scotland, and there is an expectation of travel, including quarterly meetings at our office in London.  Some evening and weekend work should also be expected, for which Time Off In Lieu can be taken.  Successful post holders of similar roles in the organisation are skilled in advocacy, creative thinking, and project planning.  

If you would like an informal discussion about this position, please contact Dr Sara Thomas, Programme Manager (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, & UK Volunteering) at sara.thomas@wikmedia.org.uk.

Purpose of job

To lead the delivery of Wikimedia UK’s activities in Scotland, by developing and running projects with partner institutions, involving and empowering volunteers, and delivering training, as well as supporting programmatic work outwith Scotland.

Main duties

Programme Development & Delivery:

• Lead on the development and delivery of Wikimedia UK’s programme in Scotland, in collaboration with the Programme Manager, including seeking new potential opportunities.
• Support other aspects of Wikimedia UK’s programme outwith Scotland as appropriate
• Work with other staff to identify funding opportunities for existing or potential projects, as appropriate

Relationship Management (Particularly in relation to Scotland):

• Act as the main point of contact for partner organisations and volunteers and ensure proactive, effective and regular communications with these stakeholders
• Actively pursue, set up and manage relationships with partner organisations
• Provide support to Wikimedians in Residence
• Develop, deliver or support a range of activities, such as Wikipedia editing events, Wiki Loves campaigns, editor meetups and content donations, in partnership with other staff and external stakeholders

Community Engagement and Development (Particularly in relation to Scotland):

• Encourage the involvement of volunteers in activities, grow the volunteer base, and provide support for community-led activities
• Design and delivery of training to partner organisations and volunteers
• Support the volunteer grants programme

Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact:

• Report regularly on programme plans, outputs and outcomes, in collaboration with other staff in the Programmes team
• Handle documentation and record all programme metrics relevant to the role’s portfolio, including updating CRM records for partnerships, volunteers and activities

Communication and Dissemination:

• Contribute to the promotion and dissemination of our work and impact, in collaboration with the Communications team, and including for example blog posts and conference presentations.
• Manage and update the Scotland mailing list, and Scotland pages on WMUK’s Wiki and website.
• Contribute to knowledge exchange with the international Wikimedia movement

Travel:

• Attend and contribute to regular team meetings, generally held in London (for which costs will be reimbursed)
• Regular travel across Scotland will be required, and occasionally further afield in the UK (for which costs will be reimbursed)

Person specification

Essential:

• Experience in the cultural, education or open knowledge sectors, with a demonstrable understanding of how organisations in at least one of these sectors operate and what they might value in a partnership.
• Proven track record of managing external relationships or partnerships, including initiating and sustaining productive working relationships with a range of stakeholders over time.
• Experience planning and delivering public-facing events or programmes, such as training sessions, workshops, community events, or editing/contribution events, from inception through to evaluation.
• Strong communication skills across multiple formats, including the ability to write clearly and engagingly for different audiences (e.g. blog posts, partner communications, reports) and to represent an organisation in public-facing contexts.
• Experience engaging and supporting volunteers or community contributors, including growing participation and sustaining involvement over time.
• Self-motivated and able to manage a varied workload independently, with strong organisational skills and the ability to prioritise across multiple projects without close supervision.
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly across Scotland and to London quarterly, with flexibility to work some evenings and weekends as required by the programme.

Desirable:

• Familiarity with Wikipedia or other Wikimedia projects, whether as a reader, editor, contributor, or through previous work with the Wikimedia movement.
• Experience of working with or supporting minoritised or indigenous languages, particularly in a Scottish or UK context (e.g. Scottish Gaelic, Scots).
• Experience using a CRM system to manage contacts, activities, or relationship records.

How to apply

Please email recruitment@wikimedia.org.uk a copy of your CV, and a cover letter (of no more than two pages), detailing how you meet the requirements of the role, including examples which illustrate this. In your cover letter, it’s helpful to list each essential point in the Person Specification and briefly explain how you meet it. Please note that applications received without a cover letter cannot be considered.  

The closing date for applications is 9am on Monday 22nd June, and interviews will be held online on Zoom on Tuesday 14th July..

We are aware that increasing numbers of candidates use AI / LLM tools in order to prepare their applications.  If you choose to do this please include with your application the prompts you used to do so. We appreciate transparency, and are interested in your authentic voice.

Wikimedia UK holds equity, diversity and inclusion at the heart of our organisation. We particularly welcome applications from potential candidates from traditionally underrepresented groups, such as those with protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act. As a Disability Confident Employer, we offer a guaranteed interview to any disabled candidate who meets the essential criteria for the post. If you would like to be considered under this scheme, please state this in your covering letter.

If shortlisted, we may share with you some of the interview questions in advance to help you better prepare.