Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS), the country’s largest civil society coalition on climate, has opened applications for a pivotal Coalition Manager role starting spring 2026. The £40,000 pro-rata post signals a major push from the alliance of over 70 organisations at a time when Scotland’s climate credibility is under intense scrutiny.
The job advert, launched on 4 February 2026, comes as the Scottish Government faces growing criticism for missing eight of the last twelve annual emissions targets and abandoning its 2030 75% reduction commitment. Campaigners say the next Coalition Manager will be crucial in holding ministers to account and driving the rapid policy shifts needed to regain public trust.
This is not just another charity job. It is the engine-room role at the heart of Scotland’s climate movement.
Who Are Stop Climate Chaos Scotland?
SCCS brings together an unusually broad alliance: environmental giants like WWF Scotland and Friends of the Earth, trade unions, faith groups, development charities, health organisations, and community bodies. Together they speak for hundreds of thousands of Scots and stand in solidarity with communities on the frontline of climate impacts worldwide.
The coalition played a key role in securing the world’s first legally binding climate targets in 2009 and has consistently pushed for faster, fairer action ever since. Recent campaigns forced the Scottish Government to strengthen just transition plans for oil and gas workers and helped secure £33 million for loss and damage at COP29 in Baku.
Yet with Holyrood’s climate ambition visibly faltering, members say they need stronger coordination than ever.
The Person Who Will Hold the Movement Together
The successful candidate will replace current Coalition Manager Becky Kenton-Lake and become the central figure keeping this diverse alliance united and effective.
You will chair coalition meetings of sometimes competing organisations, manage a small staff team, handle seven-figure budgets, speak to journalists, lobby ministers, and occasionally appear on TV or radio. You will also lead strategy development for the crucial period running up to the 2026 Holyrood election and beyond.
One serving SCCS member board director told us: “This person becomes the glue. When tensions rise between environmental and justice groups, or when a big campaign needs rapid sign-off from 70 organisations, the Coalition Manager makes it work. We have never needed that diplomacy and drive more than we do right now.”
What the Job Actually Involves Day-to-Day
The role is deliberately broad because the coalition must respond fast to political opportunities. Typical responsibilities include:
- Crafting joint strategy with the board and delivering it through campaigns and advocacy
- Managing annual budgets, fundraising bids, and financial reporting
- Line-managing staff and consultants
- Chairing full coalition meetings (usually 3-4 times per year) and smaller working groups
- Acting as spokesperson when needed
- Building relationships with sister coalitions in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland
- Ensuring diversity and equality remain central to everything SCCS does
The post is home-based in Scotland with travel to Edinburgh and occasional trips elsewhere. Flexible four-day working patterns will be considered.
Why This Job Matters More Than Ever
Scotland once led the world on climate ambition. That reputation has taken heavy blows in the last two years. Annual emissions are no longer falling fast enough, new oil and gas licences continue, and the Scottish National Party has lost its overall majority, making climate legislation harder to pass.
The next Coalition Manager will help decide whether Scotland gets back on track or slides into climate irrelevance.
Applications close at midday on Friday 27 February 2026. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed in Edinburgh on 4 March.
Anyone who cares about climate justice and believes civil society can still force governments to act should seriously consider putting themselves forward. Scotland’s biggest climate coalition needs its next leader. Could it be you?
Tell us in the comments: Would you apply for this role? What kind of person do we need at the heart of Scotland’s climate fight right now?
