Community Cohesion Policy Manager
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- United Kingdom
- Work type
- Hybrid
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This is an Expression of Interest (EOI) opportunity, available on a lateral move basis only. Applications are open to Core Scottish Government employees only.
Job Title - Community Cohesion Policy Manger
Business Area/Directorate - Inclusion and Mainstreaming Division
Location - Victoria Quay
Working Arrangement – Staff in roles compatible with hybrid working should spend 40% of their contracted working time working in person at their contractual workplace. More information can be found within Hybrid Working Policy
Grade - B3
Advert type - Level Transfer
Duration - 12 months
Eligibility - Expressions of interest are invited from substantive colleagues on level transfer from core SG only.
Sponsorship: Skilled Worker sponsorship is not available for this role. As a result, we are unable to appoint candidates who require Skilled Worker sponsorship now or in the future. Applicants must have an existing and ongoing right to work in the UK.
The Community Cohesion Policy Manager leads Scottish Government work to strengthen and promote a coherent national approach and narrative to community cohesion. The role is responsible for developing and embedding aligned language, narrative and policy approaches across government, ensuring that strategic intent is reflected in practical delivery. Working collaboratively across policy areas and with external partners, the postholder builds shared understanding of community cohesion, informs policy development and supports coordinated action that strengthens inclusive, resilient and connected communities.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead policy development to strengthen and align Scottish Government narrative, language and approaches on community cohesion across portfolios and areas of delivery.
- Build and maintain strategic relationships with stakeholders, community representatives and delivery partners to inform policy, support co-design and enable collaborative delivery.
- Maintain dialogue and post-publication coordination of the Joint Statement on Community Cohesion with COSLA as the main point of contact for this work
- Work closely with key partners, including COSLA, Police Scotland and the third sector, to develop and deliver shared priorities on community cohesion.
- Act as Chair and Secretariat for the Scottish Government Cohesion Group, driving cross-government collaboration and strategic coordination
Work closely with communications and marketing colleagues to shape the strategic approach, policy intent and narrative underpinning community cohesion campaigns and engagement activity across Scotland, ensuring messaging aligns with wider policy objectives and responding effectively to feedback from stakeholders, communities and members of the public.
- Lead the delivery of the £500,000 Community Cohesion Fund (2026-27), working with STV Children's Appeal as fund distributor, including programme oversight, evaluation, stakeholder engagement and Ministerial visits.
- Organise and coordinate Stronger Communities Week 2027, working across government and with external partners to maximise engagement and impact
- Support and contribute to work associated with the Ministerial Taskforce for Cohesion, ensuring effective policy alignment and delivery across related workstreams.
- Attendance at groups such as Good Relations Reference Group and other governance structure meetings that focus on community cohesion
- Attendance at meetings with UKG/MHCLG and other Devolved Government counterparts on cohesion to understand UK wide policy focus and emerging issues, maintaining good and communicative relationships
- Work closely with colleagues leading Hate Prevention, Community Reassurance, Faith and Belief, and Hate Crime policy to embed community cohesion considerations within policy development and key deliverables.
- Increase cross-government awareness and understanding of community cohesion, supporting greater consistency of language, policy direction and delivery across areas including community safety and prevention, health, housing, culture and justice.
- Provide strategic advice to Ministers and senior officials on emerging issues, opportunities and evidence relating to community cohesion.
- Line management responsibility for 1x B2 policy officer for cohesion and 0.5 task management responsibility of 1x B1 policy officer for cohesion/faith and belief.
Success Profile
Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of behaviours, experience and technical criteria (if applicable) that candidates will be assessed on.
Experience
You will have:
Experience of developing, implementing or influencing policy, programmes, projects or strategic initiatives.
Experience of building and maintaining effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders and partners.
Experience of providing clear, evidence-based advice and recommendations to senior leaders or decision-makers.
Experience of managing competing priorities and delivering high-quality outcomes within tight timescales.
Experience of working collaboratively across teams, organisations or sectors to achieve shared objectives.
Behaviours - Level 3
Communicating and Influencing
Working Together
Delivering at Pace
You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours, here: Behaviour levels - Success profiles: candidate guide
Working Pattern
This role is a temporary position with an expected commitment of 12 months.
This post is a full-time role, but we welcome applications from staff with different working patterns, proposed working patterns will be assessed against the business requirements for this post.
Our standard hours are 35 hours per week and we offer a range of flexible working options depending on the needs of the role, including Flexi-leave. Scottish Government staff in hybrid-compatible roles should aim to work in-person 40% of the time, either in an office or other agreed work location. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us.
Further Information
Further information about this opportunity is available from lara.cook@gov.scot
How to Apply
Please submit an Expression of Interest (maximum 750 words) outlining your suitability for the role, relevant skills and experience, and what you would bring to the team. Please align this to how you meet the behaviours, experience and technical skills listed in the Success Profile above.
Vacancies close at 23:59pm on Thursday 29 October.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application, but all statements and examples provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.
Please see our candidate guidance for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment.
If invited for further assessment, this will consist of a light-touch interview, scheduled for w/c TBC.
Recruitment Principles
As a government organisation, we adhere to the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles and we investigate any complaints received in relation to recruitment cases.
About us
The Scottish Government is the devolved government for Scotland. We have responsibility for a wide range of key policy areas including: education, health, the economy, justice, housing and transport. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles.
Our staff are part of the UK Civil Service observing the Civil Service Code and working for Ministers and senior stakeholders to deliver vital public services which improve the lives of the people of Scotland.
We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer.
As part of the UK Civil Service, we uphold the Civil Service Nationality Rules.
Security checks
Successful candidates must complete the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), before they can be appointed. BPSS is comprised of four main pre-employment checks – Identity, Right to work, Employment History and a Criminal Record check (unspent convictions).
You can find out more about BPSS on the UK Government website, or read about the different levels of security checks in our Candidate Guide.
Equality statement
We are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.
Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them.
Further information
Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers Website.
Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.
Apply before: 29/10/2026 (23:59). This role is open to substantive B3 staff from core SG only.
