Strategic Policy Officer

This role is situated in the Strategy and Corporate Governance Unit of the NSWA, working closely with our team of Professional Social Work Advisers to input social work advice across the Scottish Government teams developing policy and legislation which impact on social work statutory duties and practice.

Reporting to the Strategic Policy Team Leader these 2 posts will work across the agency to support the policy aspects of our Senior Professional Advisers (across Children, Justice, Adults and Mental Health) to ensure the business of government is fulfilled to the highest standard.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to a strategic overview of social work policy and practice, engaging and collaborating with other relevant areas across government to explore, support and progress joint policy outcomes.
• Alongside the Strategic Policy Team Leader, maintain strategic oversight of national policy developments and planned legislation as it impacts on the social work profession, reviewing their impact on the profession and ensuring that NSWA is engaged and provides input as required.
• Work alongside Scottish Government policy teams across the social work disciplines, to develop and deliver policies, designed to safeguard some of Scotland’s most vulnerable people.
• Lead on the development of relevant social work policy and guidance, building strong working relationships with colleagues across the National Social Work Agency, ensuring policy closely aligns with the Agency’s objectives.
• Work closely with Professional Social Work Advisers within the Agency to lead the production of strategic social work advice for Ministers and Scottish Government colleagues and to inform contributions to wider policy and legislative developments.
• Provide a consistently high level of support for Ministers and senior officials, drafting and coordinating regular communications, including preparing responses to related Ministerial correspondence, PQs, FOIs etc and supporting Ministers at visits, if required.
• Ensure policy and advice is built upon a robust evidence base, engaging with stakeholders and analysts, as required.
• Management and monitoring of grants that support the delivery of social work policy.
• Support the work of the Scottish Social Work Partnership, ensuring alignment between the NSWA objectives and supporting the development of the SSWP Strategy.
• Work closely with the Strategic Policy Team Leader to have oversight of cross cutting commissions that impact on the Agency, identifying where pieces of work need progressed and alerting colleagues of the implications on their areas of national policy developments.

Success Profiles
Success Profiles have been developed by the Professions and can be found in the Job Profile for the individual role.

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

1. Experience of policy impacting on social work (practice/services)
2. Experience of developing and implementing cross-sector national strategy or policies
   

Behaviours

• Making Effective Decisions – Level 3
• Communicating and Influencing – Level 3
• Working With Others – Level 3
• Delivering at Pace – Level 3
  

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours here.

How to apply
Apply online, providing a CV and supporting statement (of no more than 1000 words) providing evidence of how you meet the behaviours, experience and technical skills listed in the Success Profile above. Both the CV and the supporting statement provided will be assessed against the criteria for the role.

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 Interview and Presentation.

Expected Timeline (Subject to change)
Sift - week commencing 19th October 2026
Interviews - week commencing 2nd November
Location - Online via MS Teams

This post is open to internal candidates and Common Citizenship Organisations only (external candidates and staff from UK Other Government Departments are not eligible to apply for this vacancy).

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, 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.

Working Pattern
Our standard hours are 35 hours per week and we offer a range of flexible working options depending on the needs of the role. From October 2025, the Scottish Government will require staff in hybrid-compatible roles 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.

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.

If you experience any difficulties accessing our website or completing the online application form, please contact the Resourcing Team via recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot 

If you have any queries about the role please contact Tara Clark Tara.Clark@socialwork.gov.scot or Shona MacPherson Shona.Macpherson@socialwork.gov.scot.

Apply before 23:55 pm on 13th October 2026