1007-379 People and Organisational Development Senior Adviser - Business Analyst - D Grade - November 2026

Job Title: 1007-379 People and Organisational Development Senior Adviser - Business Analyst | Grade: D | Vacancy Type: Permanent | Hours: 35 | Salary: £41,567 | Location: Scotland (hybrid working to be considered) | Closing Date: Midnight 30 November 2026| Interview Date: 10/14 December 2026

Job Purpose Summary

We're looking for an experienced, positive and pragmatic Business Analyst to join our multidisciplinary agile team and help shape the future of NatureScot's digital services. Working as part of our Digital Delivery Programme, you will lead and support user-centred business analysis activities, helping to identify opportunities for improvement and translate business needs into effective digital solutions that deliver measurable value.

To be considered for this role, submit a CV and supporting statement demonstrating how your skills and experience will enable you to fulfil the key responsibilities and requirements below.

Key responsibilities (please refer to these in your supporting statement):
• Collaborate with a wide variety of stakeholders both internal and external to enable NatureScot to build consensus and common understanding of business needs, goals and opportunities.
• Analyse business processes, services and workflows to identify improvement opportunities and develop evidence-based solution options.
• Produce, maintain and manage appropriate business analysis artefacts, including process maps, service models, requirements, options appraisals, cost-benefit analyses and risk assessments, to support decision-making.
• Elicit, analyse, define, validate and manage business, user needs, functional and non-functional requirements, ensuring traceability throughout the delivery lifecycle.
• Assess risks, assumptions, issues and dependencies of proposed changes, providing evidence-based recommendations to support decision making.
• Analyse qualitative and quantitative information to identify trends, risks and opportunities, delivering data-driven insights that support business outcomes and service improvement.
• Work collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams, including technical specialists and service and content designers, sharing business analysis knowledge, contributing to best practice and supporting continuous improvement to deliver user-centred solutions that are aligned to our business objectives.
• Support quality assurance, testing, implementation and business readiness activities to ensure solutions meet user needs and deliver intended outcomes.
• Support business readiness activities and the identification, measurement and realisation of benefits arising from service improvements and digital transformation initiatives.
 
Person Specification:

Essential
• Excellent evidence-based analytical, research and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify root causes and develop and evaluate options that focus on outcomes and strategic implications.
• Demonstrable experience and confidence in managing and influencing a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders, including facilitating workshops, building consensus and managing competing priorities.
• Ability to support decision-making through clear analysis, evidence and recommendations.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to convey complex ideas to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrable commitment to user-centred design principles and experience of translating user needs into practical and accessible digital solutions.
• Ability to facilitate and help create successful solutions that meet end-user needs and deliver greater business value and impact.
• Experience of working with and within agile teams.
• Proficiency with relevant software and tools (e.g. Github and MS Visio).
• Understanding of the external policy, legislative and regulatory environment in which NatureScot operates.
• Experience of business analysis across the end-to-end service lifecycle, including discovery and requirements definition through to testing, implementation, continuous improvement.

Desirable
• Qualification in business analysis (e.g. BCS, IIBA, CBAP, CCBA or equivalent).
• Experience with PowerBI.
• Passion and enthusiasm for digital transformation, software development, web and cloud technologies.
• Experience managing provider transfer and service decommissioning.

Prerequisites Required:
• Driving license or other means of transport.
• Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK and resident in the UK for the duration of the job contract.
• To undertake a Disclosure Scotland application.
• Although Gaelic language is not a prerequisite, it is a desirable skill in support of our commitment to our Gaelic Language.

Working for NatureScot – what we offer you

• NatureScot offers some great benefits to reward and support you whilst you are working for us. Our benefits package includes the civil service pension scheme, a generous holiday leave allowance plus flexi time, and employee discount scheme.  Visit the NatureScot website for further details including below:
• We support flexible working for all roles, including part-time, compressed hours, hybrid working and job share. All vacancies are considered suitable for flexible working unless there is a business reason not to. We encourage applicants to discuss potential flexible working arrangements with us
• A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97% (7.35% employee contributions)https://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/memberhub/joining-the-pension-scheme/benefits-of-the-pension-scheme/
• 41.5 days of annual leave, including 5 fixed public holidays on St Andrews Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and 2nd January
• Equivalent of 2 days paid volunteering leave 
• A focus on wellbeing with access to an employee assistance programme 
• Job satisfaction from contributing proactively to the twinned nature and climate crisis 
• Death in service benefits 
• Cycle to work and electric vehicle salary sacrifice schemes 
• Access to an employee discounts scheme 
• Learning and development tailored to your role 
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

Application Process

Application is by CV and Supporting Statement. Please ensure you have attached these documents when submitting your application.

Before applying for this post;

• Internal applicants should read the Self Service Guide (eRDMS A3155575)
• External applicants should read the Online Job Application Guide

If you have previously applied for a vacancy with NatureScot you must remove the supporting statement from your profile, before uploading a new version.

NatureScot’s Net Zero commitment

Whether working at home or in an office, or travelling to meetings and site visits, as a NatureScot you will contribute to our Net Zero plan, for example through positive carbon travel choices.

For information regarding the vacancy please contact

Anne.Murray@nature.scot

For information regarding the recruitment process please contact:

recruitment@nature.scot

Nature is vital to us all, so it's important that NatureScot represents the people of Scotland. The more diverse our workforce is, the more effectively we can connect everyone with nature. We encourage applications from candidates of all ages and genders, people from ethnic minority groups, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQ+ community