Chief Executive Officer for JustRight Scotland
- Published:
Job description...
- Location: JustRight Scotland, Robertson House, 152 Bath St, Glasgow G2 4TB - Flexible including home and hybrid working. Expectation of presence in office at least 2 days a week
- Salary: £70,000
- Status: Permanent Contract
- Hours: Full time, 35 hours per week.
- Reports to: Board of Trustees
- Closing Date: Sunday 28th June 2026 at midnight
- Interview Date: 14th July 2026
Welcome from our Board
Every day, we witness injustice across Scotland and the UK.
The fight for rights is as urgent as ever – and in many cases, even more so. The gaps that drove our founders to establish JustRight Scotland still exist: from racialised communities fearing for their safety, to people fighting destitution; from young people at risk of detention, to survivors struggling to have their voices heard in systems that create more and more barriers; from disabled clients unable to access legal aid, to grassroots groups whose right to protest is increasingly restricted.
But now, almost ten years into our journey, we have a dedicated team working to address those gaps. Our solicitors and caseworkers provide advice, represent clients, and collaborate closely with support services – helping to bring justice to people who would otherwise have nowhere to turn. Alongside them, our operational, communications and participation teams support the strategic direction of the organisation, backed by a strong and committed Board.
From this work, we gather evidence that we share with those who make laws and policies, helping to change the system for the better. We campaign for something fairer, something more humane and a more compassionate society. This work is essential – and in these times, more challenging than ever.
When we look back, we can see the difference we’ve made: from landmark legal victories, to campaigns that have improved the lives of thousands, to the quieter but equally important successes for individuals we support every day.
The world has changed significantly since we began – from recent elections in Scotland and across the UK, to the profound impact of inflation and the cost‑of‑living crisis. We have grown in a fast‑moving environment, with flexibility, resilience and passion. We are proud to have come through our early growth and “difficult teenage years” in strong shape. Our new CEO will be instrumental in guiding us forward with maturity, clarity and ambition and a demonstrable commitment to inclusion and participation.
We are building an organisation that is more resilient, future‑focused, and well-positioned to meet the needs of the communities we serve.
Our next CEO, guided by the Board and supported by the senior leadership team, will steward the organisation into its next chapter, delivering our strategy with purpose, integrity and a commitment to collective decision‑making.
We hope you feel excited about the prospect of joining this incredible team. We look forward to hearing from you,
Annika and Maria
JustRight Scotland is a human rights charity founded in 2017 by a group of solicitors passionate about using the law to drive systemic change. Our vision is a Scotland where everyone’s human rights are realised and where structural barriers to justice are dismantled.
We work towards this by using the law to defend and extend people’s rights, particularly for those who are furthest from justice and face the greatest barriers to accessing it. Last year, we directly supported thousands of people and indirectly benefited many more.
We do this by:
- Providing free specialist legal advice – confidential support and representation for people who need it most.
- Publishing accessible “know your rights” information – empowering people to understand and assert their rights.
- Taking strategic legal cases – widening access to justice through precedent‑setting litigation.
- Developing partnerships with frontline organisations – strengthening support networks across Scotland.
- Working alongside people with lived experience – ensuring our work is shaped by those directly affected.
- Using frontline evidence to influence policy – driving systemic change.
- Training public authorities and third‑sector organisations – improving rights‑based practice across sectors.
We currently operate four specialist legal centres: the Scottish Women’s Rights Centre, the Refugee and Scottish Migrant Centre, the Scottish Anti‑Trafficking and Exploitation Centre, and the Scottish Just Law Centre.
We also run a successful policy, communications and participation hub, which strengthens and further develops the implementation of our strategy through communications, participation, and fundraising.
In almost ten years, we have grown from a small group working around a kitchen table to a team of around 20 staff, based in our Glasgow office.
Having invested heavily in strengthening our organisation in recent years, we are now embarking on the next stage of our development. With our bold five‑year strategy, Paving Routes to Justice, well underway (2024-2029) – and with several strategic challenges ahead – this is the right moment for a change in leadership, bringing new energy and fresh perspective.
As JustRight Scotland continues to mature as a nationally significant human rights organisation, the CEO will lead the next phase of development—delivering our current Paving Routes to Justice strategy and preparing for our next beyond 2029, strengthening organisational sustainability, establishing a more visible and impactful policy presence, and scaling impact.
The CEO of JustRight Scotland is the organisation’s strategic lead, with oversight of our four centres of legal excellence and our policy, communications and participation work. The CEO is responsible for leading implementation of the organisational strategy to deliver JustRight Scotland’s mission to use the law to defend and extend people’s rights in Scotland. Reporting to the Board of Trustees, the CEO is the accountable officer for the charity, responsible for strategic planning and financial sustainability. The CEO is the primary link between the organisation’s committed and dynamic staff team and the Board.
The CEO is an ambassador for JustRight Scotland. As a strategic leader in the Human Rights sector, the CEO will represent JustRight Scotland at senior levels across civil society and government. They will build and sustain strategic relationships to influence policy and systems change, and to build the profile and reputation of the organisation in Scotland, the UK and internationally.
JustRight Scotland operates in a dual structure of SCIO and LLP, which requires collaborative governance between senior leaders to ensure alignment across these structures. The organisation operates a distributed leadership model in which the Senior Executive Team, comprising the CEO, the Chief Operating Officer and the two Legal Directors (who are also the LLP Partners), share authority and responsibility for senior leadership of the organisation. This is intended to ensure wellbeing, innovation and adaptive capacity at leadership level, aligned with shared values and strategy. The CEO will therefore work closely with the Legal Directors, building on their significant expertise, ensuring a clear and consistent organisational voice.
For further information or to arrange a confidential discussion about this vacancy, please contact either Donna McKay or Alan Surgeon at AWS Executive:
Please submit a tailored CV and cover letter that clearly addresses the personal specification via the Apply button at the form below:
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