Strategic Policy Lead

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 – Strategic Policy Lead

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 – C2

Advert type – level transfer

Duration – Permanent

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

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Energy and Climate Change Directorate to lead a team to support the Director to coordinate the Directorates delivery plan, ensuring that we are meeting our agreed outcomes and the needs of Ministers and identifying synergies or improvements we can make to our policy approach across the Directorate and wider DG.

This is a high profile role that requires close working with Senior Management, Ministers and stakeholders across government, the wider public sector and industry. The role provides direct support to the Director of DECC and will be a key part of driving change in the directorate, supporting new ways of working, delivering ministerial priorities and aligning deliverables within available resources.

We require a C2 Strategic Lead that sits within the Directors Office. This role is ideally suited for someone with relevant experience working within a DG or Directorate office where they will have gained substantial experience in co-ordinating a range of strategic policy and business information to support the Director and the wider Directorate in fulfilling their duties. This will include an ability to handle policy and project information, manage policy and programme communications and framing policy and programme plans.

You will have an excellent understanding of governance and business co-ordination and be able to work confidently across the SG, Ministerial and wider public sector networks to aid information flow, unblock issues and ensure the priorities of the Directorate continue to be progressed.

To operate effectively you offer strategic thinking, strong organisational and communications skills and the ability to influence and negotiate at a senior level. In this high-impact role you will work alongside Deputy Directors across 5 divisions to provide strategic oversight, policy and planning insight, and connectivity across the Directorate and Senior Leadership Team. You will play a pivotal role in aligning priorities, enabling informed decision-making, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration.

Being flexible in your approach and comfortable working in new areas for short periods is required as undertaking short term projects across divisions or programmes to ensure delivery of key objectives is envisaged. It is therefore important you possess a broad range of business, project and planning experience and skills and a good understanding of core SG functions. You will actively display the values and behaviours set out in the Service of Scotland as you will lead the Strategy for the Directorate. You will be an active member of our Senior Leadership Team helping ensure that divisions are collegiate, priorities are collectively supported to meet the Directorates objectives, and that business and performance management are considered and prioritised at a Directorate level.

This post reports to the Director of Energy and Climate Change.

The Directors office is currently made up of 1 B3 and 2 B2s and also manages the EA support across the Directorate (currently 2 further B2s). As part of continuous improvement you are expected to work across boundaries supporting Deputy Directors to deliver and prioritise key objectives across the Directorate.

Working closely with the Director, and in partnership with Deputy Directors and others, you will play a key role in ensuring that the strategic priorities for the Directorate are delivered. You will be responsible for:

• Leading the Directorate's team of executive assistants, ensuring good information flow, smooth executive operations, strategic alignment of policy initiatives and supporting the Director to unblock issues and enable progress.

• Acting as a key connector between the Director, senior leadership and wider government by supporting the Director and wider Senior Management Team in collective leadership of the Directorate.

• Working in partnership with the head of DECC Operations (who leads on corporate responsibilities (e.g. workforce planning and management, finance, assurance, accountable officer activities, business planning, business continuity, and risk management)) to ensure that Directorate strategy is underpinned by data and tested for deliverability.

• Developing a comprehensive understanding of Ministerial policy priorities, the strategic context and leadership and using this to inform Directorate strategy.

• You will be central to co-ordinating Directorate Policy and Programme Planning and associated Reporting data and bringing together advice on a range of performance information to understand the overall progress of the Directorate in meeting its strategic priorities.

• You will work with the Directorate and SLT to adjust the strategy and priorities for the Directorate as required, drawing on strategic, programme and policy information and horizon scanning to anticipate challenges, advising the Director on critical issues and enabling informed decision making.
• Providing the Director and others with advice and support relating to strategic duties and responsibilities and providing cover at meetings where required.
• Championing a positive, engaging working environment where Civil Service values are actively promoted and adhered to.

The successful candidate should have significant experience of creating strategy, managing programmes or complex projects and experience of planning and governance arrangements to ensure public sector interventions are driven by value for money, supported by appropriate governance and deliver intended outcomes.

In addition, applicants should demonstrate:

• Excellent communication skills, with a proven ability to explain detailed and complex financial and strategic business planning information clearly and concisely, influencing key stakeholders and maintaining strong working relationships.

• Excellent self motivation and an ability to identify and proactively resolve issues.

• An ability to work at pace from time to time to address the Director or Ministers urgent issues.

• Experience working across multidisciplinary teams and managing complex stakeholder environments.

• Experience developing business cases, governance structures, benefits management approaches and policy delivery plans.

• Experience working on complex agendas, projects or programmes that require cross-boundary collaboration.

• Experience in handling a range of data, understand key trends and make it accessible for wider dissemination.

Working Pattern

The post is a full-time role, but staff with different working patterns are invited to apply, and we will assess proposed working patterns 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 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 geraldine.russell@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 26th October, however this may be subject to change

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.

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Further information

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