Senior Policy Advisor

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 - Senior Policy Advisor Business Area/Directorate - Onshore Electricity Policy Unit, DG Net Zero Location - Atlantic Quay (Glasgow) / Victoria Quay (Edinburgh) Working Arrangement – Staff in roles compatible with hybrid working should aim to 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 - Permanent 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. Job Description This role sits within the Low Carbon Electricity Policy Team and offers the opportunity to work strategically across the range of onshore renewable technologies, making a vital contribution to the fight against climate change and to support Scotland’s transition to net zero. By leading on aspects of onshore renewables policy, you will play a critical part in tackling climate change, supporting sustainable economic growth, and delivering benefits for communities across Scotland. Key Responsibilities The postholder will be expected to: Lead on the Scottish Government’s development of policy across onshore renewable technologies. Deliver discrete areas of strategy, reform, policy development and programme management, with C-band support. Analyse evidence and work with analytical colleagues to support Ministerial decisions and to inform representations to the UK Government. Build and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders across governments, industry and statutory bodies. Provide high-quality support for Ministers, including briefings, PQs, FMQs, MiCases, FOIs and EIRs, and maintain core briefs. Contribute to wider priorities within the Onshore Electricity Policy Unit and the Division. DECC is committed to ensuring that we manage the balance of workload and staffing. That means we may require staff to support in priority areas as they arise. This area has been confirmed as a current priority for DECC but the postholder may be required to work on other priorities within the this Division or more widely in DECC in the future. Success Profile Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills, experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on, you should provide evidence of how you meet these in your statement. Experience The successful candidate will have: Demonstrated experience of leading and managing policy development, and using evidence to make clear and well-reasoned policy recommendations. Ability to establish and sustain relationships with stakeholders. Ability to work with colleagues across government to ensure policy development and areas of work are aligned and contribute towards the wider organisational priorities. Behaviours: Seeing the bigger picture -Level 3 Making effective decisions- Level 3 Communicating and influencing- Level 3 Delivering at pace- Level 3 You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours, here: Behaviour levels - Success profiles: candidate guide 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. 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. Further information Further information on this opportunity is available from [email protected] How to Apply Please submit 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 23:59pm on Monday 24 August. 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 an informal discussion. Discussions are scheduled for w/c 31 August , 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. Apply before; 24/08/2026 (23:59)