Inshore Marine Protected Area Policy Officer

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 – Inshore Marine Protected Area Policy Officer

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 . The role will involve significant travel across Scotland to support consultation events and stakeholder engagement.

Grade – B2

Advert type – level transfer

Duration – Temporary till 31st March 2027

Eligibility - Expressions of interest are invited from substantive colleagues on level transfer from Core SG only.

Skilled Worker Sponsorship not being offered

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.

Overview

The Marine Directorate sits within DG Net Zero and is part of the core Scottish Government. Its purpose is to manage Scotland's seas in line with the vision to deliver prosperity and environmental sustainability, working closely with a range of delivery partners. With 61% of the UK sea area, a fishing and aquaculture industry worth over £1 billion, 50,000 jobs in the marine economy and at least 6,500 marine species, this is a high-profile and fast-paced policy area.

The Marine Environment, Planning and Corporate Portfolio is responsible for ensuring the environmental protection of Scotland's marine area. This post sits within the Planned and Protected Seas Programme, which leads on the spatial protection of marine habitats and species and the ecosystems that support them, so that society continues to enjoy the natural goods and resources provided by our seas.

You will play a key role in supporting the development and implementation of fisheries management measures for Scotland's inshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Priority Marine Features (PMFs).

This varied and rewarding role offers the opportunity to work at the centre of marine policy delivery, supporting the publication of public consultations and accompanying evidence, coordinating the completion and clearance of statutory assessments, and helping to develop fisheries management measures from consultation towards implementation. You will also contribute to the development and clearance of statutory fisheries orders, support the management of consultation analysis, and assist with stakeholder engagement, communications and parliamentary business.

This varied and rewarding role offers you the autonomy to manage your own workload and work across teams to deliver transparent, inclusive, and well-governed marine policy. This will ensure policy proposals are evidence-based, legally compliant, and clearly communicated and show the Scottish Government’s approach to marine protection is transparent, consultative, and grounded in sound governance.

Key responsibilities

• Support the management of consultation analysis, working closely with external contractors to ensure consultation responses are transferred, analysed and reported effectively, and that findings are reflected in policy development.
• Support the publication of consultation outcomes and supporting evidence relating to fisheries management measures for Scotland's inshore MPAs and proposed PMF management areas.
• Support the development of final fisheries management measures and site proposals by analysing consultation responses, assisting in the appraisal of options, maintaining decision records, and contributing to advice and submissions for Ministers.
• Support stakeholder engagement and consultation activity, including attending meetings and events, providing secretariat support, maintaining effective relationships with delivery partners and ensuring stakeholders receive clear and timely information.
• Contribute to communications, ministerial briefings, Parliamentary Questions, Ministerial correspondence, Freedom of requests and other casework, ensuring responses are accurate, evidence-based and delivered within agreed deadlines.
• Monitor progress across a range of policy and delivery workstreams, tracking actions, coordinating contributions from partners and supporting the successful implementation of Scotland's inshore MPA fisheries management programme.

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:

• Experience of analysing and synthesising information from multiple sources to support decision-making.
• Experience coordinating and monitoring delivery across multiple workstreams and partners.

Behaviours:

1. Making effective decisions (Level 3)

2. Communicating and influencing (Level 3)

3. Working together (Level 3)

4. Delivering at pace (Level 3)

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours, here: Success profiles: candidate guide - gov.scot

Working Pattern

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. The role will involve significant travel across Scotland to support consultation events and stakeholder engagement.

We have an opportunity for a B2 to join the team on a temporary basis till 31st March 2027.

Further Information

Further information about this opportunity is available from mathew.leslie@gov.scot

How to Apply

Please submit a CV and an Expression of Interest (maximum 500 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 11:59pm on the date displayed in the table, unless otherwise stated on the job advert.

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.

Discussions are scheduled for w/c 30th November, however this may be subject to change.

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.