Communications and Operations Manager for Ariane Burgess MSP

The job requirements are detailed below. Where applicable the skills, qualifications and memberships required for this job have also been included.

Primary Location: The primary working location is at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, with the potential for some flexible hybrid working.

Salary: £39,550 - £45,966 FTE.

Hours: 30 hours with flexibility

Reporting to: Ariane Burgess MSP.

Working for an MSP

MSPs are employers in their own right. Under this employment, you will become part of a small team supporting Ariane in carrying out her duties as a regional MSP. You will work in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, providing an outstanding service for constituents and communities across the Highlands and Islands.

This role will support Ariane and her established team with communications – broadcasting the work Ariane is carrying out, staff development and day-to-day operations. The ideal candidate will have experience of managing and working with hybrid teams, be confident in dealing with a range of stakeholders and constituents, and have strong communication and media skills.

Ariane’s team works in a mix of in-person and remote, using online tools to collaborate and stay connected. You are expected to have a strong collaborative ethos and be self-motivated and able to work independently. Candidates sympathetic to Ariane’s parliamentary aims and values would be desirable.

About the Role

Ariane Burgess is the Scottish Green MSP for Highlands and Islands. Her work is rooted in the communities of the region — amplifying local voices, running proactive campaigns, and making the connection between what happens in parliament and what it means in people’s lives.

The Communications and Operations Manager plays a central role in making that work visible and impactful. Working closely with Ariane as a communications partner, the postholder leads the office's communications — developing and growing Ariane's public presence, overseeing media relationships, and ensuring the team's output tells a coherent and compelling story about the difference her work is making. Alongside that, they manage the operational core of the office: supporting and developing a small, experienced team of four — two full-time and two part-time — and maintaining and evolving the systems that allow everyone to do their best work.

The role suits someone who leads with communications instincts, is motivated by the challenge of reaching and building an audience, thrives in a structured and iterative working environment, and has the people skills and organisational judgment to manage a capable team with clarity and care.

Responsibilities

Communications

The communications function of this role is about ensuring that Ariane’s work — in parliament and across the region — reaches and resonates with the people it is meant to serve.

• Building and growing Ariane’s public presence across social media, with a focus on audience growth and engagement
• Overseeing the office's content output, collaborating with the team to plan, coordinate and produce material that translates parliamentary, casework and regional activity into accessible communications for a public audience
• Managing media relationships and acting as the main press contact for the office, including identifying opportunities and coordinating responses
• Coordinating and contributing to Ariane’s public written outputs and ensuring they are integrated into the wider communications programme
• Planning and coordinating campaign-linked events as part of agreed campaign cycles

Team Management and Development

The postholder manages the team on a day-to-day basis and is responsible for supporting staff to develop and thrive in their roles.

• Managing the team, including regular one-to-ones and ongoing performance conversations
• Supporting the professional development of team members, identifying training opportunities relevant to their roles and helping staff grow in their areas of work
• Supporting Ariane’s time and diary management, ensuring commitments align with agreed campaign priorities and the team’s forward plan
• Overseeing health, safety, and staff wellbeing across a hybrid working environment
• Convening and contributing to regular team planning and review sessions that keep the office's work on track

Office Operations

• Monitoring budget allocations to ensure spend stays within the Scottish Parliament’s Members’ Expenses Scheme provisions
• Maintaining office systems and ensuring documentation and processes are accessible and up to date
• Liaising with parliamentary officials and representing Ariane as required
• Ensuring the team completes mandatory training requirements as stipulated by the Scottish Parliament

This description indicates the nature and level of responsibility associated with this job. It is not exhaustive, and you may be required to undertake other duties as needed.

As a guide, the portion of focus across each area is:

• 60% Communications
• 25% Team Management and Development
• 15% Office Operations

About You

Requirements

You will:

• Have a proven track record of growing social media audiences and increasing reach and engagement, with the ability to demonstrate the results you have achieved
• Understand how different communications channels work together to build and sustain a public presence
• Have excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write clearly and accessibly for a public audience
• Have experience of successfully managing people (staff or volunteers), with the confidence and care to support people effectively
• Have a genuine interest in and commitment to supporting people’s professional development
• Have the organisational judgment to manage competing demands, develop effective processes, and maintain strong working relationships across a remote team
• Be self-directed and well-organised, with the ability to manage competing priorities in a busy environment
• Be comfortable with structured, iterative ways of working and an appetite for regular planning and review
• Have an interest in politics and public affairs, with the confidence to act as a media contact
• Be flexible, adaptable, and able to use good judgement on your own initiative

Desirable

• Knowledge of and genuine connection to the Highlands and Islands
• Experience of working in a political, public sector, or campaigning environment, including familiarity with the Scottish Parliament or similar institution
• Experience with video content creation, including capture and editing

How to Apply

For any questions about the role please contact: Jenny.Smith@Parliament.scot

To apply, please click “Apply Online” and upload your CV along with a supporting statement as a single document. Please note that the system does not allow you to upload your supporting statement separately. 

Your supporting statement should outline how you meet the requirements detailed above for this role. Applications that do not include a supporting statement may not be considered.  Your statement should include what specifically interests you in this role, in this team, at this time.

And provide examples of:

• A communications project you have led, and evidence of the audience or engagement results it achieved
• Your successful people management experience
• Managing projects and workstreams, keeping yourself and the team organised and on track

Please cross-reference your supporting statement to relevant experience in your CV, so it is clear where and how you developed the skills and experience you describe.

Applications must include this supporting statement to be considered.

Candidates invited to interview will be asked to prepare a short presentation on how they would approach growing Ariane’s social media presence in the first 90 days. Details and a brief will be provided with the interview invitation. Presentations should be submitted by Wednesday 10 June and will be discussed at interview. Candidates will also be asked to complete a short written exercise on the day.

Deadline to apply: Thursday 28 May 2026.

Notification of interview: Thursday 4 June, and presentation brief provided.

Presentations due: Wednesday 10 June.

Interviews will take place on Friday 12 June — please confirm your availability for this date when applying.

Job share applications will be considered.

Ariane is a Living Wage and Fairer Hours Accredited employer.