Appointment of a Member of the Cairngorms National Park Authority Board in Aviemore

We value very highly the benefits of having different experience and points of view on our Boards and we are keen that people from all walks of life apply for public appointments. Scottish Ministers particularly welcome applications from women, disabled people, LGBT+ people, people from ethnic minority communities and people aged under 50. If you have a disability and require an adjustment at any stage of the public appointments process, please get in touch with the Scottish Government, Public Appointments Team by email at public.appointments@gov.scot.

Board and Authority Cairngorms National Park Authority Scotland’s National Parks were established by the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000 to safeguard areas of outstanding and diverse landscapes, habitats and communities. They do this by coordinating the delivery of four main statutory aims:

• to conserve and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of the area;
• to promote the sustainable use of the natural resources of the area;
• to promote understanding and enjoyment (including enjoyment in the form of recreation) of the special qualities of the area by the public;
• to promote sustainable economic and social development of the area’s communities.

This can mean being involved in developing key strategic documents such as:

• the National Park Partnership Plan, which sets out our priorities for the Park’s development in association with partner organisations over a five-year period;
• the Local Development Plan, which guides all future development and the use of land. It acts as a strong catalyst for change and improvement in the area, shaping the environment of the National Park;
• the Cairngorms Nature Action Plan and the Active Cairngorms Action Plan.

Additionally, the National Park Authority has a statutory responsibility for planning. All board members are also members of the Planning Committee, which oversees preparation of the Local Development Plan and takes decisions to determine those planning applications for developments with issues of significance to the Cairngorms National Park aims, and which have therefore been “called-in” by the Park Authority. Planning applications not called in by the Park Authority are determined by the relevant local authority. Significant planning issues for the National Park area include provision of affordable housing, sustainable tourism development, rural economic development and ensuring climate resilient communities and businesses for the future.

The Scottish Parliament is currently scrutinising the Natural Environment Bill which is hoped to be enacted before the Scottish elections in 2026. The Bill proposes some changes to the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000 which include amendments to strengthen the four statutory aims, strengthen the duty of other public bodies both to have regard to the aims and to facilitate the delivery of National Park Partnership Plans; and to enhance enforcement powers to improve byelaw compliance by being able to issue fixed penalty notices. The Bill and a range of amendments being proposed by individual MSPs are currently being debated in Parliament and may lead to further changes being proposed and agreed.

The Board will help guide and shape the organisation’s workstreams, including our work on a Net Zero National Park, Cairngorms Nature, the Cairngorms 2030 Programme (part funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund), the Peatland Restoration Programme, and the wider challenges of delivering a broad portfolio of project actions delivering against national outcomes.

Board Member Role Required

The board members of the CNPA have a key role in ensuring that both the natural environment and the local communities in our Park are cared for and sustained for current and future generations to enjoy. Board members are required to:

• contribute to setting the strategic direction of the National Park Authority in a way which reflects Scottish Ministers’ policies and priorities through the production and oversight of the strategic Corporate Plan;
• approve and oversee delivery of annual operational and business plans, ensuring activity and resource plans deliver against Corporate Plan objectives;
• set the design and strategic direction of major projects and programmes, for example the Cairngorms NPA Board has established the strategic direction of the Heritage Horizons – Cairngorms 2030 Programme, a collection of 20 projects putting the power to tackle the climate and nature crises in the hands of people who live, visit and work in the UK’s largest national park;
• the Board has also approved the implementation of byelaws supporting management of wildfire risk in the Cairngorms, with those byelaws coming into force from 1 April 2026;
• the Board has previously approved the strategic direction of the Cairngorms Capercaillie Project; Tomintoul and Glenmore Landscape Partnership; Net Zero with Nature Strategy; and the Cairngorms Nature Strategy;
• contribute to setting the vision and objectives for the National Park, through the preparation and oversight of key strategic documents, including the National Park Partnership Plans and Local Development Plans and key supporting work such as the Cairngorms Economic Development Strategy, Sustainable Tourism Action Plan and Tourism Infrastructure Plan;
• take strategic lead in the direction of innovation around private finance investment in nature and climate projects;
• add value to the work of the organisation’s staff through support and constructive challenge and advice in Board and Committee meetings, and other forms of joint working with staff, in particular the Board’s standing Sub-Committees covering Planning, Audit and Risk, Resources and Performance;
• take collective responsibility for the Authority’s decisions at board and on planning, development control and other matters, including participating as required in formal decision processes in the planning committee or other committees;
• act as champions for National Parks externally in dealings with the public and with national and local organisations;
• take collective responsibility for the performance of the organisation including developing and promoting the efficient and effective use of staff and other resources in accordance with the principles of Best Value;
• adhere to expected standards of conduct as set out in the Park Authority’s Code of Conduct under the terms of the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc (Scotland) 2000.

Further Information

For further information about the Cairngorms National Park Authority and the role, please contact the Convener, Sandy Bremner, at SandyBremner@cairngorms.co.uk. You can also find more information at www.cairngorms.co.uk/.

Remuneration and time commitment

Remuneration is £262.67 per day. Reasonable expenses incurred will be reimbursed. The appointment is non-pensionable. The time commitment is between a minimum of 32 days and a maximum of 36 days per year. Further information on the time commitment is set out in the Applicant Information Pack.

Skills and Experience

The successful candidate must demonstrate evidence of one or both of:

• Knowledge and understanding of organisational financial and risk management
• Knowledge and understanding of landscape scale nature restoration and landscape scale change management.

They Must Also Demonstrate Evidence Of:

• an understanding of the role that National Parks play in Scotland – both now and the future;
• the ability to contribute effectively to organisational strategy and development;
• the ability to analyse and evaluate complex issues;
• the ability to communicate effectively.

Finally, it would be desirable if candidates demonstrated evidence of the following:

• experience of climate mitigation and adaptation.

Before you start your application please download the candidate information pack. Public appointments are made by Scottish Ministers. The appointments process is regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.

Please follow these instructions to apply for this Member role:

• Download the candidate information pack. This will explain more about the role, the board and the application process.
• Complete the information required on the website, this includes contact details, monitoring information and a declaration of interests.
• Completed applications must be received on or before 6 March 2026 at 1pm. Please note that we recommend you follow the ‘How to Apply’ section of the candidate information pack as you complete your application, this contains more detailed instructions.
• If you require a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the appointments process or if you require further support with your application, please contact the Scottish Government, Public Appointments Team by email at public.appointments@gov.scot.

Further Information

FAQs about the application process are here: Public Appointments - Frequently Asked Questions. Guidance to support applicants is here: Public appointments - gov.scot (www.gov.scot). Find out more about public appointments here: Public appointments - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).

If you experience any difficulties, please contact the Public Appointments Team by email at Public.appointments@gov.scot. This appointment is regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.