Scottish Target Shooting · Recruitment pack
Regional Club Development Officer (Aberdeen Area)
A practical, collaborative role helping volunteer-led target shooting clubs turn good ideas into completed action, welcome more people into the sport and build a stronger regional club network.
01 · Role at a glance
Regional Club Development Officer
A locally based role supporting Bon Accord Smallbore Rifle Club and participating clubs across the surrounding region, delivered through the Club Support Programme with national backing and local priorities.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Employer | Scottish Target Shooting (STS), acting as employer on behalf of the participating club(s) |
| Lead club | Bon Accord Smallbore Rifle Club |
| Regional remit | A locally based Regional Development Group involving Bon Accord and participating clubs in the surrounding region, supported by STS |
| Location and working pattern | Aberdeen-based; combines work at participating clubs, community partners, regional travel and home/remote administration |
| Hours | 22.5 hours per week |
| Salary | £29,000 FTE, with on-costs and employment arrangements administered by STS |
| Contract term | 3 years, subject to a 3-month probationary period and Club Support Programme funding |
| Responsible to | Agreed line manager |
| Start date | 1 December 2026 |
| Closing date | 21 October 2026, 12pm |
| Interview date | 5 November 2026 |
The core capability we are looking for
The critical “spike” for this appointment is turning relationships and local insight into practical, completed club-development activity. Candidates are not expected to be expert coaches, welfare specialists, publicists and administrators all at once; they should know how to coordinate the right people and keep progress moving.
02 · About the opportunity
National support, delivered regionally
Scottish Target Shooting is piloting Regional Development Groups through sportscotland’s Club Support Programme. The model adds practical capacity where clubs need it most: reducing pressure on volunteers, strengthening day-to-day organisation, supporting welfare and inclusion, growing membership and creating more opportunities for shooters, coaches and officials.
The role is employed and supported nationally by STS but delivered locally. Priorities and intended outcomes will be agreed between STS and participating clubs, while the post-holder will shape activity around each club’s needs, identity and stage of development.
Why the role matters
- Volunteer-led clubs often have the commitment and local knowledge to grow, but limited time to turn ideas into sustained action.
- A dedicated development post can take ownership of agreed coordination, outreach and planning tasks without creating another layer of bureaucracy.
- Regional collaboration can make routes into target shooting clearer while each club retains its own identity and governance.
- Better records, learning and partner links will help clubs and STS understand what works and where further support is needed.
What this role is — and is not
The role will
- Support clubs to identify priorities and complete agreed actions.
- Help clubs develop and review their own policies and practices.
- Reduce volunteer workload by taking ownership of agreed tasks.
- Coordinate people, opportunities and learning with STS and clubs.
The role will not
- Merge clubs or dilute their identities.
- Impose one regional policy on every club.
- Create unnecessary regional administration.
- Provide capital funding for facilities or equipment.
03 · What you will make happen
Role purpose and first-year focus
You will build practical development capacity for Bon Accord Smallbore Rifle Club and other participating clubs in the Regional Development Group. You will help clubs become easier to run, better connected, more welcoming and more able to create opportunities for participants, coaches, officials and volunteers.
What success should look like after 12 months
- Participating clubs have a shared, evidence-led development plan with clear priorities, owners, timescales and review arrangements.
- Volunteers report better practical support, with agreed tasks removed, shared or made easier.
- New and returning participants can see clearer routes into the sport, with recruitment and retention activity being tracked.
- Come-and-try and outreach opportunities are active, safe and shaped around local capacity.
- Clubs are building useful links with local authority sport development, Active Schools and relevant community organisations.
- Coaches, officials and volunteers can access suitable education, qualifications and continuing professional development.
- Participating clubs are sharing practice and coordinating agreed regional opportunities while retaining their own identities.
- STS, clubs and funders receive proportionate, timely information on activity, outcomes, learning and delivery risks.
Indicative examples from the programme proposal
| Area | Example of support |
|---|---|
| Membership | Support locally appropriate recruitment and retention activity, with particular attention to young people, women and girls, and other under-represented groups. |
| Introductory activity | Work with clubs and qualified personnel to support come-and-try and outreach sessions. |
| Workforce | Coordinate coach education, club-instructor, range-conductor, range-safety or other suitable development activity with STS and clubs. |
| Community links | Engage local authority sport development, Active Schools, schools, Scouts, cadets and other relevant partners. |
| Publicity | Work with publicity support to share positive stories about local activity, history, development and achievement. |
Targets will be agreed at project inception
The proposal gives examples such as 10% regional membership growth, three come-and-try sessions, three coach education or CPD sessions, and at least two articles with photographs each year about each participating club. Final targets and baselines must be agreed with participating clubs and STS.
04 · Main responsibilities
The delivery areas you will own
A. Club development and planning
- Build effective working relationships with club committees, volunteers and members.
- Help each club identify strengths, pressures, opportunities and priority support needs.
- Co-produce practical club-development plans aligned to national objectives, with clear actions, owners, timescales and measures of progress.
- Support clubs to improve operating and delivery structures without adding unnecessary administration.
- Identify opportunities to share facilities, expertise, learning and activity while protecting each club’s identity and governance.
B. Participation, membership and outreach
- Plan and support membership recruitment and retention activity with participating clubs.
- Coordinate locally appropriate come-and-try and introductory sessions with qualified club personnel.
- Develop relationships with local authority sport development and Active Schools teams and, where appropriate, schools, Scouts, cadets and other community partners.
- Help clubs make routes into the sport clearer, more welcoming and easier to access.
- Use participation and membership information to understand what is effective and where barriers remain.
C. Volunteer, coach and workforce development
- Reduce pressure on volunteers by taking ownership of agreed development, coordination and outreach tasks.
- Identify local education and development needs for coaches, officials, committee members and other volunteers.
- Work with STS and clubs to support relevant education, qualifications and continuing professional development.
- Encourage clearer volunteer roles, shared working and succession planning where clubs identify these as priorities.
D. Welfare, inclusion and safe practice
- Work alongside relevant welfare and inclusion leads to help clubs review and strengthen their own policies and practices.
- Support practical, club-specific inclusion actions rather than impose a single regional policy.
- Promote STS values by helping create safe, inclusive and respectful environments for members, volunteers and visitors.
- Refer welfare concerns through the appropriate club and STS procedures; the post-holder is not the sole decision-maker for welfare cases.
E. Communications and promotion
- Work with publicity support and clubs to identify positive stories about local activity, history, development and achievement.
- Help clubs plan timely communications for members, prospective participants and community partners.
- Gather suitable text, photographs and consent information for agreed publicity activity.
F. Regional coordination, monitoring and reporting
- Coordinate regular contact between participating clubs and support constructive peer-to-peer learning.
- Maintain proportionate records of activity, outputs, participation and outcomes.
- Provide updates to the agreed line manager and participating clubs in the agreed format and frequency.
- Contribute to annual and end-of-project reporting required through the Club Support Programme.
- Capture learning, identify delivery risks and recommend adjustments to improve impact and sustainability.
05 · Person specification
What we are looking for
The strongest candidates will combine practical club-development ability with relationship-building and delivery discipline. Direct experience of target shooting is helpful but is not the only route into the role.
Essential criteria
| Criterion | What this means in practice |
|---|---|
| Club or community development | Can help a volunteer-led club move from broad ambitions to a realistic development plan and sustained action. |
| Relationship building | Can establish trust with volunteers, committees, coaches, partners and people with different perspectives or levels of capacity. |
| Participation development | Can plan and support recruitment, retention, outreach or introductory activity that responds to local needs. |
| Project delivery | Can organise multiple workstreams, set priorities, manage time and follow actions through to completion. |
| Communication | Can communicate clearly in writing and in person with club members, partners and the public. |
| Monitoring and learning | Can keep proportionate records, use basic participation information and prepare concise progress reports. |
| Volunteer environment | Understands how to support volunteers constructively and avoid adding unnecessary burden or bureaucracy. |
| Inclusion and welfare | Demonstrates a practical commitment to safe, inclusive and respectful sport and knows when to seek specialist welfare advice. |
| Working approach | Can work independently while remaining accountable to an employer, local clubs and agreed programme outcomes. |
| Flexibility | Can attend activities or meetings outside standard office hours when required, subject to the agreed working pattern. |
| Travel | Can travel to participating clubs and community partners across the agreed regional area — arrangements to be confirmed. |
Desirable experience
| Area | Relevant experience |
|---|---|
| Sport development | Experience in sports development, club support, community sport, membership development or a comparable field. |
| Partner engagement | Experience working with local authorities, schools, Active Schools, youth organisations or community partners. |
| Coach or volunteer development | Experience coordinating education, CPD or volunteer-support activity. |
| Target shooting | Knowledge of target shooting clubs, disciplines or the wider Scottish shooting landscape. |
| Publicity | Experience producing straightforward promotional content or supporting social media and local press activity. |
How applications will be assessed
We will assess evidence that candidates can deliver the outcomes of the role, rather than relying on arbitrary length-of-service requirements.
06 · How to apply
Application and recruitment process
Please submit the following using the STS application form:
- A current CV.
- A supporting statement explaining how your experience and approach meet the essential criteria and how you would help volunteer-led clubs make measurable progress during your first year.
Open the STS Job Application Form
Proposed selection stages
- Application: CV and supporting statement addressing the essential criteria.
- Structured interview: The same core questions for all candidates, focused on relationship-building, planning, delivery and learning.
- Short practical exercise: For example, outline the first steps for developing a volunteer-led club’s participation plan.
- References and checks: References and any pre-employment checks required for the final agreed duties.
What to show in your supporting statement
- A specific example of turning a broad goal into a realistic plan and completed action.
- How you have built trust with volunteers, committees, partners or communities.
- How you have supported participation, recruitment, retention, outreach or introductory activity.
- How you organise multiple workstreams, keep records and use learning to adjust delivery.
- How you contribute to safe, inclusive and respectful sport.
Informal conversation
For an informal conversation about the role, contact Oliver Barsby, Chief Operating Officer, at coo@scottishtargetshooting.co.uk or 0131 376 1812.
Safeguarding
Safeguarding and PVG
STS is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and protected adults. This post is a regulated role under Disclosure (Scotland) legislation and requires membership of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme. Any offer of employment will be conditional on satisfactory PVG membership and completion of all pre-employment checks.
07 · Our values and commitments
Safe. Inclusive. Respectful.
STS is committed to providing a safe, inclusive and respectful environment. The post-holder will be expected to work in a way that reflects these values in club relationships, participant experiences, communications and decision-making.
Safe
Promote safe practice, appropriate referral routes and clear responsibilities. Attend relevant induction, training, supervision and review meetings.
Inclusive
Help clubs develop practical inclusion actions, clearer routes into the sport and more welcoming opportunities for people who may be under-represented.
Respectful
Build constructive relationships, protect club identity and work with volunteers in a way that recognises their time, expertise and contribution.
Working relationships
The post-holder will build trusted and constructive relationships with:
- The agreed line manager and relevant national staff.
- Bon Accord Smallbore Rifle Club’s committee, volunteers and members.
- Committees and volunteers from other participating clubs.
- Regional coaches, officials, welfare and inclusion leads, and publicity support.
- Local authority sport-development and Active Schools contacts.
- Schools, youth organisations and community partners.
General responsibilities
- Comply with the employer’s agreed policies, procedures and lawful instructions.
- Manage information appropriately and maintain confidentiality where required.
- Undertake other reasonable duties consistent with the purpose and level of the post.
Appendix A · Detailed job description
Scope and boundaries of the role
- The post will support clubs; it will not merge clubs or dilute their identities.
- The post will help clubs develop and review their own policies; it will not impose a single regional policy.
- The post is intended to reduce volunteer workload and avoid creating unnecessary regional administration.
- The Club Support Programme proposal is focused on people capacity. It does not itself provide capital funding for facilities or equipment.
- Delivery priorities may vary between participating clubs because each club will have different needs and capacity.
Indicative first-year rhythm
| Phase | Typical focus |
|---|---|
| Listen and baseline | Meet participating clubs, understand strengths and pressures, confirm local priorities and establish baseline information. |
| Plan and prioritise | Co-produce club-development plans, agree outcomes, owners, measures and a proportionate reporting rhythm. |
| Deliver and connect | Coordinate agreed recruitment, outreach, education, community-partnership and publicity activity. |
| Review and learn | Track activity and outcomes, capture feedback, identify risks and adjust delivery with clubs and STS. |
Support available through the wider Regional Support Team
The wider proposal describes a flexible Regional Support Team that may include development, talent, welfare and inclusion, and publicity functions. These functions may be delivered by different people or combined into one or more remits. The Regional Club Development Officer should coordinate the right people and avoid duplicating specialist responsibilities.
Appendix B · Performance framework
Indicative performance framework
Final targets should be agreed at project inception after baseline information has been confirmed. The post-holder is expected to support progress across the following areas.
| Outcome area | Evidence of progress |
|---|---|
| Club planning | Agreed priorities, action plans and review arrangements are in place. |
| Membership | Recruitment and retention are monitored against locally agreed baselines; the proposal gives an example target of 10% regional membership growth. |
| Introductory activity | Come-and-try and outreach opportunities are delivered safely and reviewed for conversion and learning; the proposal gives an example target of three sessions. |
| Community links | Relevant local partners are engaged and active referral or delivery relationships are developing. |
| Workforce development | Education and CPD needs are identified and suitable opportunities are coordinated; the proposal gives an example target of three sessions. |
| Volunteer support | Volunteers can identify practical tasks removed, shared or made easier through the post. |
| Regional collaboration | Participating clubs meet, share practice and coordinate agreed opportunities. |
| Publicity | Work with publicity support towards at least two articles, with photographs, each year about each participating club; final target to be agreed. |
| Reporting | Activity and outcome information is complete, proportionate and submitted on time. |
Review principle
The job description may be reviewed with the post-holder as the Regional Development Group pilot develops, without changing the fundamental purpose of the role.