JOB ADVERT
Community Heritage Leadership
Community Heritage Leadership Trainee
Location: David Livingstone Birthplace, Blantyre
Duration: 14-month paid placement
Bursary: £19,796 (tax-free, with potential increase per MA guidelines)
Application Deadline: Tuesday 12th May 2026 by 5pm
Are you passionate about heritage, community engagement, and storytelling?
Do you want to play a key role in shaping how Scotland’s colonial past is interpreted and presented today?
Join the Heritage Leadership Programme and spend 14 months gaining hands-on experience at the David Livingstone Birthplace – Scotland’s only independent museum dedicated to re-examining Livingstone’s legacy in the context of slavery, colonialism, and African histories.
What’s in it for you?
– A 14-month immersive placement with the museum’s operational and engagement team
– An SVQ Level 3 in Museums & Galleries Practice https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/74396.html
– A Leadership Qualification to boost your career
– Access to specialist training via the Museums Association and CEC Learning Hub
– A £19,796 tax-free bursary to support you during the placement
About the Host Organisation
The David Livingstone Birthplace in Blantyre offers a unique environment for heritage exploration. This award-winning museum and parkland challenges historical narratives, sheds light on Black history, and opens critical conversations around Scotland’s role in slavery and colonisation.
What You’ll Do
As a Trainee, you’ll:
– Welcome visitors and support daily museum operations
– Assist with retail, café, ticketing and enquiries
– Work closely with staff and volunteers on exhibitions, events, and school programmes
– Contribute to community engagement and evaluation activities
– Participate in storytelling and interpretation of sensitive historical content
– Work weekends and occasional evenings as part of a dynamic team
Who We’re Looking For
We’re looking for someone who:
– Has a genuine interest in museums, history, and social justice
– Enjoys working with people from all walks of life
– Is confident, motivated, and open to learning
– Can work independently and in a team
– Is ready to study alongside the role and commit to personal development
Desirable experience includes customer service, community engagement, education/youth work, or previous work in cultural or tourism venues.
Skills You’ll Gain
– Communication & negotiation
– Leadership & decision-making
– Project and event coordination
– Community consultation
– Public interpretation of complex histories
– Use of Microsoft 365 and digital tools
We Welcome Your Application
This opportunity is ideal for individuals from underrepresented or marginalised communities, including those with lived experience of racism, migration, or social exclusion. You do not need a university degree to apply.
How to Apply
Complete an application form and send it with a covering letter. ibrahim@nextstepinitiative.org.uk
Community Archaeology Leadership Trainee
Ref Number: | |
Learning placement name: | Community Archaeology Leadership Trainee |
Host organisation: | Archaeology Scotland |
Base location: Duration: | Newbattle Abbey College / Remote percentage to be agreed 14 months (tbc) |
About the Programme
- Spend 14 months on placement at a host organisation
- Undertake an SVQ3 Museums & Galleries Practice or similar where possible
- Undertake a leadership qualification
- Have access to a bespoke training programme – Museums Association Museums Essential training / CEC Learning Hub courses.
- Receive a £19,000 tax-free bursary- potential to increase based on MA guidelines
Application Deadline: Tuesday 12th May 2026 by 5pm
The Community Archaeology Leadership Placement
This Community Archaeology Leadership placement offers an exciting, innovative opportunity to work with Archaeology Scotland to deliver and improve our learning and employability delivery programmes. The opportunity is there to explore, in practice, how our archaeology programme supports participants to engage with archaeology and learn life skills that support them through archaeology.
Archaeology Scotland is committed to partnership working, becoming a more representative and inclusive Service, and to supporting health and wellbeing through participation with culture in the community.
The postholder will support our work delivering and reviewing archaeological engagement in the field in order to improve the experience of participants, and staff. They will also specifically support our New Audiences Programme to further include existing and currently under-served audiences in the decision-making processes under which our work operates. This will help support our aim to shift from engagement to representation, enabling us to further achieve our aims of creating socially impactful, inclusive and equitable programmes.
The postholder will also be involved in collaborative work to enhance our working practices centred on a range of archaeological activities and engagement in the future.
The postholder will be a member of the Archaeology Scotland Team and will have the opportunity to input on a range of associated, strategic issues such as advocacy and business development. They will be based at Archaeology Scotland’s office, Newbattle Abbey College, however some work in-person in the community, and remotely from home, are anticipated. Some evening and weekend working will be required.
About Archaeology Scotland
Archaeology Scotland is the leading independent charity working to inspire people to discover, explore, care for and enjoy Scotland’s archaeological heritage. We were established 80 years ago and have gained a wealth of experience with community engagement, volunteer management and professional best practice. We work in partnership with all those involved in archaeology (either professionally or through local groups or individual interests) to promote awareness of and active participation in this unique resource. We do this by running field trips and investigations, training people to care for and conserve local heritage, promoting archaeology within education, campaigning for Scottish heritage, hosting events to bring people together, and much more.
W: www.archaeologyscotland.org.uk
X: @ArchScot Insta: @ArchaeologyScotland Facebook: ArchaeologyScotland Linkedin:
Person Specification
Programme Requirements | ||
Essential | Desirable | |
Qualifications | Fluency in English, both written and verbal | |
Work experience | Some experience in a supervisory/management role &/or project management experience either in the workplace, volunteering or lived experience. | Experience or interest in formal/informal learning working with communities, youth groups or schools. Experience or interest working with equalities organisations. Experience in undertaking evaluation activities. Experience undertaking consultation and engagement with the public. Interest or experience in decolonisation of museums or public spaces. |
Knowledge/ empathy | A desire to work in archaeology sector and some demonstrated interest in the heritage sector. Experience or interest in advocating for universal and equal access to heritage and willingness to understand the need of stakeholders. | Experience of using archaeological / heritage resources/ collections to engage with the public |
Skills | Confident communicator, both spoken and written Good interpersonal skills Listening skills Working in a team Managing own activities Ability to combine work and study towards a qualification Decision making Time management Negotiation skills Ability to adapt to the communication needs of a range of audiences & stakeholders. Willingness to take on and implement feedback. | Ability to write and present reports. |
Technical skills | Able to use Microsoft Office or equivalent and communicate by email | Willingness to learn how to use organisational IT systems and software. |
Personal qualities | Conscientious, positive attitude, self-motivated, flexible, persistent, curious, creative, has the ability to learn, has the ability to collaborate | |
Additional requirements | Flexibility around hours will be required on occasion. Some travel within Scotland will be required. Ability and willingness to work from home and in a variety of community settings within Scotland. | |
We Welcome Your Application
This opportunity is ideal for individuals from underrepresented or marginalised communities, including those with lived experience of racism, migration, or social exclusion. You do not need a university degree to apply.
How to Apply
Complete an application form and send it with a covering letter : ibrahim@nextstepinitiative.org.uk
