Wasps is recruiting for a full-time Finance Assistant to join our small but dedicated team in Glasgow.

This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic candidate, potentially a recent graduate at HNC/HND level, to grow their confidence and experience in a finance/accounts department. Our finance department is a small team of three, which supports, manages and controls all aspects of the charity’s finances. This is therefore a unique chance to gain valuable hands-on experience across virtually all aspects of an operational finance department.

Thank you for your interest in joining the Board of Wasps.

Wasps has been supporting the arts community in Scotland for 46 years. We have grown to become one of the UK’s largest studio providers and home to Scotland’s largest cultural community. We currently house 1,000 visual artists, 35 arts charities and 33 creative businesses at 20 locations from the Scottish Borders to the Shetland Islands. Their work in turn touches the lives of thousands of people across Scotland and beyond.

The Board is looking to make a number of appointments over the next few months, as some members reach the end of their term as Trustees. We would welcome applications from those with an interest in supporting the arts and creative industries across Scotland.

This is an incredibly exciting time to join our Board – not only will you be joining a group of likeminded experts across diverse sectors with a passion for supporting the arts, but we are about to launch multiple major projects.

We will shortly be opening a new property in Edinburgh, a cornerstone of the city’s Granton Waterfront Masterplan, which will provide much needed creative industry space in the north of the city, in a high quality refurbishment of the former Granton Gas Works Railway Station building (read more).

A second major capital development to transform two disused market halls has just started on site in Glasgow – this is a multi-phase project to breathe new life into Glasgow’s oldest surviving market halls, returning them to their former life as market and events halls, and be a part of the regeneration of the River Clyde as a social asset to the city (read more).

We want our Board to truly reflect the values of Scotland in all its forms, and we are committed to appointment on merit. We value the benefits of having a gender-balanced Board with different points of view and experiences, and actively encourage applications from people located all across Scotland, as well as disabled people, LGBTQIA+ people, people of all ethnic backgrounds and people under the age of 50.

This is an opportunity to make a valuable contribution to the nation’s cultural landscape. The information pack which can be downloaded below contains more information, but please contact our team if you have any questions about the role.

The Chair will lead the Board and the Executive Team to deliver the company’s mission and vision and strategic goals, providing inclusive leadership to enable the Board to fulfil its duties and responsibilities, and ensuring the effective governance of the company. The Chair will support the Chief Executive Officer and be a powerful advocate for the company and the network of creative communities we support. The Chair will embrace and help realise the company’s goals to be antiracist, diverse and equitable.

We are looking for a candidate with the following personal qualities:

• Passionate about property, creative practice, arts, culture, regeneration and historic buildings.
• Forward thinking and fearless in driving change.
• Commercially astute and entrepreneurial.
• Forward thinking.
• Leads by example.
• Committed to equality, diversity and inclusivity.
• Committed to the organisational values of Wasps and values driven.
• Approachable, empathetic leadership style but can be robust when necessary.

Reporting to the Management Accountant the Finance Assistant is a key member of Wasps finance team. The primary purpose of the role is the provision of finance support for Wasps’ three group companies (Wasps Trust, Wasps Ltd and Wasps Creative Industries CIC). Wasps Group has an annual turnover of approx. £2.1m and around 30,000 SAGE transactions per year. The role is supported by the Management Accountant and the Executive Director for Corporate Services. Appropriate training will be provided where required.

As a charity, Wasps is self-financed by rental income, therefore the smooth management of our rental collection and financial transactions is key to the role of Finance Assistant, as part of our small Finance Team. Developing a positive working relationship with tenants, suppliers and staff working in remote locations will be an important part of the role.