New Board Member Wanted For Highlands And Islands Enterprise

5th February 2023

Scottish Ministers are looking to fill a non-executive director position on the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) Board, with the new appointee expected to start a three-year term in May.

With around 300 staff based across the region, HIE aims to grow successful, productive, and resilient businesses; create conditions for growth, and build strong, capable, and resourceful communities.

The agency operates throughout a geographically diverse region that covers more than half of the Scottish land mass, including all 94 inhabited islands, and is home to around 470,000 people.

The board has corporate responsibility for strong governance, ensuring HIE meets objectives set by Scottish Ministers and uses its resources efficiently and effectively.

Chair of HIE Alistair Dodds, said: "HIE is an ambitious organisation with a vital role in supporting businesses and communities across the Highlands and Islands.

“It's important that our board encompasses a range of skills, knowledge and experience to reflect the diversity of our region and the economic and community development challenges and opportunities that exist in this part of Scotland.

“A key theme is the pursuit of place-based opportunities - recognising the role that natural and built capital and cultural assets such as Gaelic can play in growing and sustaining a strong region that contributes fully to the success of Scotland.

“As a board, we come from a range of backgrounds but have at least two things in common: our passion for the Highlands and Islands and our commitment to make a positive difference to the wellbeing and prosperity of all those who live here.
“On this occasion, we’re particularly keen to hear from people with experience in economic and financial analysis, data and analytics, and investment appraisal."

All candidates will be expected to have a very close affinity with the Highlands and Islands and a strong awareness of opportunities and challenges facing businesses and communities across the region.

Scottish Ministers will particularly welcome applications from people with protected characteristics that are currently under-represented on Boards such as women, disabled people, LGBTI+ people, those from black and minority ethnic communities, and people aged under 50.

Members of the HIE Board are expected to devote two days per month to the role.

Full details are on the Public Appointments Scotland website at www.gov.scot/collections/public-appointments

BALL ÙR BÙIRD GA SHIREADH DO IOMAIRT NA GÀIDHEALTACHD ’S NAN EILEAN
Tha daoine le dealas làidir a thaobh àm teachdail na Gàidhealtachd ’s nan Eilean a’ faighinn cuireadh tagradh airson a bhith nam ball de bhòrd buidheann leasachaidh na roinne.

Tha Ministearan na h-Alba a’ coimhead ri dreuchd stiùiriche neo-ghnìomha a lìonadh air Bòrd Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd ’s nan Eilean (HIE), leis an neach a thèid fhastadh a’ tòiseachadh dleastanas ùine de thrì bliadhna sa Chèitean.

Le timcheall air 300 neach-obrach stèidhichte tarsainn na roinne, tha HIE ag amas air gnothachasan soirbheachail, tarbhach agus fulangach fhàs; suidheachaidhean airson fàs a chruthachadh agus coimhearsnachdan làidir, comasach agus adhartach a thogail.

Tha am buidheann ag obrachadh air feadh roinn a tha eadar-mheasgte a thaobh cruinn-eòlas agus a’ còmhdach còrr air leth de thomad fearainn na h-Alba, a’ gabhail a-steach nan 94 eileanan sa bheil mu 470,000 a’ còmhnaidh.

Tha uallach corporra air a’ bhòrd airson riaghladh làidir, a’ dèanamh cinnteach gu bheil HIE a’ coileanadh nan amasan a tha air an stèidheachadh le Ministearan na h-Alba agus gu bheilear a’ cleachdadh nan goireasan gu h-èifeachdach agus gu buadhach.

Thuirt Alistair Dodds, Cathraiche HIE: “Is e buidheann àrd-amasach a th’ ann an HIE le dleastanas deatamach an lùib a bhith a’ cur taic ri gnothachasan agus coimhearsnachdan air feadh na Gàidhealtachd ’s nan Eilean.

“Tha e cudromach gu bheil am bòrd againn a’ gabhail a-steach raon de sgilean, eòlas agus fiosrachadh gus iomadachd ar roinn a nochdadh còmhla ris na dùbhlanan is cothroman eaconamach is coimhearsnachd a tha an làthair sa cheàrnaidh seo de dh’Alba.

“Is e sireadh chothroman stèidhichte ann an àite aon de na prìomh thèaman – a’ tuigsinn na dreuchd sam faod calpa nàdarra is togte agus so-mhaoinean cultarach leithid Gàidhlig a bhith com-pàirteach a thaobh roinn làidir fhàs agus a chumail suas, agus a bhios a’ cur gu h-iomlan ri soirbheachadh na h-Alba.

“Mar bhòrd, tha sinn a’ tighinn bho raon de shuidheachaidhean ach tha co-dhiù dà nì a tha cumanta dhuinn: ar dìoghras co-cheangailte ris a’ Ghàidhealtachd ’s nan Eileanan agus ar dealas a thaobh diofar deimhinneach a dhèanamh air sunnd agus soirbheachas nan uile a tha a’ còmhnaidh an seo.

“An turas seo, tha sinn gu h-àraid dèidheil air cluinntinn bho dhaoine le eòlas air mion-sgrùdadh eaconamach is ionmhasail, dàta agus anailseachd, agus measadh inbheistidh.”

Bithear a’ sùileachadh gum bi dàimh dhlùth aig na tagraichean uile ris a’ Ghàidhealtachd agus na h-Eileanan agus mothachadh làidir do na cothroman is dùbhlanan leis a bheil gnothachasan agus coimhearsnachdan air feadh na roinne, a dèiligeadh.

Cuiridh Ministearan na h-Alba fàilte gu h-àraid air tagraichean bho dhaoine le feartan air an dìon agus a tha gu làithreach fo-riochdaichte air Bùird, leithid boireannaich, daoine ciorramach, daoine LGBTI+, iadsan à coimhearsnachdan dubha agus mion-chinnidheach, agus daoine fo aois 50 bliadhna.

Thathar a’ sùileachadh gun sònraich buill de Bhòrd HIE dà latha sa mhìos anns an dreuchd.

Tha làn fhiosrachadh ri fhaotainn air làrach-lìn Dreuchdan Poblach na h-Alba aig www.gov.scot/collections/public-appointments