Job profile
Job title: Communications Coordinator
Responsible to: Communications Manager
Principal working contacts
- Communications Manager
- Communications colleagues
- Head of Corporate Policy and Communications
- Managers and employees of the Care Inspectorate
- External suppliers and agencies
Job purpose
To contribute to the development, delivery and success of the Care Inspectorate’s external communications function.
Key responsibilities
- Help implement the external communications strategy.
- Deliver a broad mix of high-quality and,reative communications solutions to tight and demanding schedules.
- Support production and promotion of the organisation’s information and promotional collateral.
- Represent external communications on a range of project groups, taking responsibility to provide dedicated advice and support.
- Write copy in clear conversational style, following the Care Inspectorate corporate style, for a wide range of content and material.
- Edit and proof copy written by others to ensure clarity and consistency.
Relationship management
- Develop supportive and productive working relationships with colleagues.
- Ensure effective working in accordance with Care Inspectorate protocols.
- Liaise and work collaboratively with professionals and external bodies to promote the work of the Care Inspectorate and share good practice.
- Represent the Care Inspectorate as required at meetings and events.
- Ensure effective communication of the Care Inspectorate’s work with people who use care services, carers, relatives and advocates.
- Commit to the Care Inspectorate’s aims, vision and values to put people at the heart of our overall objective to improve care in Scotland.
Other duties
This job may require some travel, overnight stays and unsocial hours.
This job description is a broad picture of the post at the date of preparation. It is not an exhaustive list and jobs can change and evolve over time. The post holder will be required to carry out any other duties to the equivalent level that are necessary to fulfil the purpose of the job, and to respond positively to changing business needs.
Job profile
Job title: Human Resources Adviser
Responsible to: Senior HR Business Partner
Principal working contacts:
- HR business partnering team
- Shared service recruitment and transactions teams
- Care Inspectorate colleagues and management
- Trade Union officials and representatives
Job purpose
The HR adviser will work closely with stakeholders across the organisation to provide expert advice and guidance on a wide range of HR related matters. This includes all employment related matters, employee relations, people management policies and employment regulations.
The HR adviser will play a crucial role in fostering a positive work environment, promoting employee engagement and contributing to the overall success of the Care Inspectorate through the delivery of a cohesive HR service across the organisation.
Key responsibilities
- To provide advice and guidance to managers and staff members on complex case management issues including absence management, wellbeing, disciplinary, dignity at work, capability and grievance matters, during both informal and formal processes.
- Support the Senior HR Business Partner in developing, implementing and evaluating HR policies, practice and procedures in line with best practice and to ensure that statutory obligations and organisational objectives are met.
- Provide advice, guidance and coaching to managers on HR policies and procedures, ensuring that managers are equipped with the knowledge and understanding to effectively operate within the parameters of the policy.
- Design, deliver and evaluate people management training on HR related policies, projects and practice.
- Facilitate and support organisational change initiatives by providing expert advice and guidance. Collaborate with stakeholders to develop change strategies and monitor the effectiveness of these initiatives.
- Promote Equality, Diversity and Inclusion as part of the culture of the organisation and contribute to working groups as required.
- Keep abreast of employment law and best practice issues and be able to advise management on these. Keep abreast of key issues and changes in the social care sector.
- Support the Senior HR Business Partner with HR input into relevant projects, working groups or focus groups, including providing specialist advice and support to managers in a range of complex organisational change and redesign issues.
- Foster productive working relationships and collaborative working throughout the organisation and in all working practices in accordance with the Partnership Agreement with the trade unions.
- Assist in maintaining management information systems to ensure that information for statutory reporting purposes and that additional information for organisational reporting purposes, is collated.
- Assist in preparing written reports to the Board/Committees, and advisory and guidance notes for Line Managers.
- Actively support and develop junior members of the HR team, providing advice and guidance on work related matters.
- Process the necessary administrative tasks associated with the day-to-day HR queries and issues.
- Undertake any other ad-hoc duties as defined by the Senior HR Business Partner or Head of Human Resources.
Other duties
This job may require travel to Care Inspectorate offices throughout Scotland and may involve some occasional overnight stays and unsocial hours.
This job profile is a broad picture of the post at the date of preparation. It is not an exhaustive list of all possible duties, and it is recognised that jobs change and evolve over time. Consequently, the post holder will be required to carry out any other duties to the equivalent level that are necessary to fulfil the purpose of the job, and to respond positively to changing business needs.
Job profile
Job title: Inspector
Location: Local / nearest office base
Responsible to: Team manager
Job overview
Our inspectors have a vital role to ensure that people in Scotland who need care, receive high quality, safe and compassionate care. They are responsible for assuring and improving the quality of care for people who use care services by determining and undertaking appropriate scrutiny, assurance and improvement activities.
Our values
Our values are about clearly establishing what it means to be a Care Inspectorate employee and set the standard for every person and how they play their part. Our values are:
- Person Centred: we will put people at the heart of everything we do
- Fairness: we will act fairly, be transparent and treat people equally
- Respect: we will be respectful in all that we do
- Integrity: we will be impartial and act to improve care for the people of Scotland
- Efficiency: we will provide the best possible quality and public value from our work
- Equality: we will promote and advance equality, diversity and inclusion in all our work and interactions
Key responsibilities
- Plan and deliver timely and high-quality scrutiny activities of registered services aligned with the Public Services Reform Act.
- Provide feedback, report on findings and work with providers to support improvement and innovation and signpost good practice.
- Apply specialist knowledge and skills to gather, analyse, assess and share information and intelligence on care services and service providers to help target scrutiny and improvement activities.
- Apply specialist knowledge, skills and expertise to authoritatively and credibly provide advice and guidance to service providers and their staff to support continuous improvement in the quality of care they deliver.
- Work in partnership with people who use services, family carers, scrutiny delivery and policy partners to act as a catalyst for change and innovation and promote the Health and Social Care Standards and good practice guidance.
- Support the strategic scrutiny activities of adult or children’s services or shared scrutiny activities with other scrutiny bodies as required.
- Support enforcement activities, attending legal hearings or other types of constituted hearings to give evidence or advice.
- Produce evaluative reports, within required timescales, to include clear evidence-based outcomes that direct and contribute to improvements in the care and protection of service users.
- Work collaboratively and effectively with a range of stakeholders, including partner scrutiny bodies and Scottish Government staff and officials.
- Participate in supervision arrangements, team meetings, appraisal and learning and development as required and appropriate.
- Provide relationship management support to allocated providers.
- Take a lead role on designated projects and other initiatives that require specialist knowledge, expertise and experience.
- Support the induction of new start inspectors and colleagues through peer learning and other learning and development activities within your team and directorate.
- Participate in and support quality assurance activities of the work of the care inspectorate.
- Work flexibly to meet the needs of the business and the availability of providers (for example evening and weekend working and travel and overnight stays across Scotland, where required).
- Undertake such other duties as may be required by the organisation to fulfil the role of Inspector.
Key accountabilities
- Ensure accurate records of all registered services are prepared and maintained, and share intelligence, in accordance with the requirements and procedures of the Care Inspectorate.
- Maintain a high standard of records in relation to work undertaken, producing reports, letters and instructions.
- Work to relevant professional codes of practice and ensure national occupational standards are achieved.
- Follow processes and duties relating to enforcement action against registered services
- Build and maintain productive working relationships, both internally and externally with providers and partners.
- Share and maintain knowledge and understanding of current developments in your specialist area (early learning and childcare, adults or children and young people).
- Participate in all learning and development activities relevant to your role, including the professional development award (PDA) and/ or other qualifications as deemed necessary.
- Maintain professional registration with the relevant professional regulatory body.
- Meet performance management indicators and performance management objectives of the organisation as relevant to your role.
Job profile
Job title: Inspection Planning Manager - Workforce Planning and Data
Responsible for: Planning Co-ordinator
Principal Working Contacts
- Executive Director of Scrutiny and Assurance
- Chief Inspectors
- Service Managers
- Team Managers
- Strategic Inspectors
- Inspectors
- Business Support staff
- Managers and employees of the Care Inspectorate
- External agencies/service providers/service users and carers
- Education Scotland
Job purpose
To manage and co-ordinate the delivery of national inspection planning across a wide range of social care services and services for children and adults to ensure that the Care Inspectorate makes the best use of its resources and performs effectively and efficiently as an independent scrutiny and improvement body.
Key responsibilities
Strategic management
- In conjunction with key stakeholders, develop and manage systems and processes to support effective national inspection planning in order to meet corporate aims and objectives.
- Build and maintain effective partnerships with Education Scotland, Healthcare Improvement Scotland and other scrutiny and improvement partners to support effective and efficient joint inspection planning.
- In conjunction with key stakeholders develop and deliver strategies, action plans and targets for inspection planning in support of corporate aims and objectives.
Operational management
- Manage and co-ordinate the effective and efficient delivery of scrutiny and improvement planning activity.
- Manage and maintain scrutiny plans for the current year and draft plans for subsequent years, ensuring inspection planning activities are consistent with the Care Inspectorate’s objectives and targets.
- Ensure that the provision of the inspection and capacity planning information is accurate, up-to-date and reliable for managers and staff throughout the organisation to support the planning and delivery of the Care Inspectorate’s scrutiny and improvement functions.
- Plan and execute the strategic objectives for inspection planning systematically in alignment with the Care Inspectorate’s business objectives.
- Promote continuous improvement in all aspects of inspection and capacity planning, including quality assurance and consistency of practice.
- Participate in the recruitment and selection of staff as required.
- Prepare and present reports to the Chief Inspectors and Executive Director of Scrutiny and Assurance or Executive Team as required.
- Deputise for senior managers and undertake such other duties as may be required.
People management
- Lead and manage a team, ensuring that they work effectively and efficiently to meet the aims, objectives and targets of Care Inspectorate.
- Provide advice, guidance and support to team members through regular one-to-one supervision, performance development reviews and personal development plans to ensure continuous improvement in their work and support their personal and professional development.
- Coordinate and monitor administrative support to the team
- Promote consistent, high quality practice amongst team members, manage their performance and monitor their standards and behaviour.
- Promote the health, safety and welfare of staff in accordance with Care Inspectorate policies, procedures and guidance.
- Promote diversity and equality of opportunity, ensuring that these principles are upheld across all areas of work.
Relationship management
- As a manager, model corporate behaviour and demonstrate a strong commitment to organisational values.
- Develop effective working relationships within the team and with managers and staff across the organisation ensuring effective collaborative and cross-directorate working.
- Develop and maintain effective working relationships with partner scrutiny and improvement bodies and other key stakeholders.
- Contribute to the continuous development of the Care Inspectorate and manage change effectively and creatively.
- Promote the work of the Care Inspectorate and raise aware of its work in a positive manner.
- Ensure effective working protocols in accordance with the Care Inspectorate’s Communications, Human Resources, Finance, IT and Operations function.
- Demonstrate a commitment to the Care Inspectorate’s aims, vision and values and to the Care Inspectorate’s overall objective of improving care in Scotland.
- Ensure effective communication of the Care Inspectorate’s work with people who use care services, carers, relatives and advocates.
Other duties
This job may require some travel and may involve some overnight stays and unsocial hours.
This job description is a broad picture of the post at the date of preparation. It is not an exhaustive list of all possible duties and it is recognised that jobs change and evolve over time. Consequently, the post holder will be required to carry out any other duties to the equivalent level that are necessary to fulfil the purpose of the job, and to respond positively to changing business needs.
Job profile
Job title: Applications Manager
Responsible to: Head of IT Service Delivery
Principal working contacts
Director of IT & Digital Transformation Head of IT Service Delivery
IT Service Operations Manager
IT Customer Service & Transition Manager
IT Service Operations Team
Other key IT Teams and contacts (Security & Compliance Team, Development Team, and Project Managers)
Job purpose
The Applications Manager will lead and manage a development team, responsible for the delivery of technical solutions, in support of IT services and Digital Transformation at the Care Inspectorate.
The Applications Manager is an operational management role leading a team to deliver the planning, software development, integrations, implementation, release and on-going support of business applications, with a support model that ensures the delivery of service standards to agreed service levels and leading the development of digital standards through continual service improvement.
Key responsibilities
- Lead the team responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining all business applications at the Care Inspectorate, overseeing analysis, planning, testing, and documentation.
- Lead a team ensuring the continuity, integrity and availability of all business apps.
- Manage the ongoing monitoring and maintenance of digital apps usage.
- Coordinate knowledge management processes to support the sharing of relevant app service information effectively.
- Assist the Enterprise Architect in developing system architectures aligned with design principles.
- Collaborate with the IT Customer Service and Operations Managers to ensure smooth release, transition, and management of digital apps.
- Partner with the IT Service Operations Manager to efficiently manage infrastructure and utility costs related to digital apps delivery.
- Work with Customer Service Manager to integrate app support service with the wider Service Desk team.
- Support procurement activities necessary for maintaining continuity and development of business applications.
- Support project delivery, resource management, and environment management processes as part of the IT management team, while ensuring regular reporting on achievements and plans.
- Deputise for the Head of IT Service Delivery as necessary.
Relationship management
- Support the Head of IT Service Delivery to maintain healthy and effective relationships with senior stakeholders, business service owners and staff at all levels, to ensure a positive, collaborative working environment.
- Maintain an effective app support and development team ensuring that performance management, professional development and employee engagement are key areas of focus.
- Maintain and develop a healthy team dynamic, encouraging skills and knowledge sharing, ensuring a consistency of standards and service
- Promote the principles of partnership working throughout the organisation and in all working practices in accordance with the Care Inspectorate's Partnership Agreement.
- Be proactive in raising public awareness in the work of the Care Inspectorate.
- Demonstrate a commitment to the Care Inspectorate’s aims, vision and values and to the Care Inspectorate’s overall objective of improving care in Scotland.
People management
- Lead and manage a team, ensuring that they work effectively to meet the aims, objectives and targets of Care Inspectorate.
- Provide advice, guidance and support to team members through regular one-to-one supervision, performance development reviews and personal development plans to ensure continuous improvement in their work, supporting their personal and professional development.
- Coordinate and monitor administrative support to the team
- Promote consistent, high-quality practice amongst team members, manage their performance and monitor their standards and behaviour.
- Promote the health, safety and welfare of staff in accordance with Care Inspectorate policies, procedures and guidance.
- Promote diversity and equality of opportunity, ensuring that these principles are upheld across all areas of work.
Other duties
This job description is a broad picture of the post at the date of preparation. It is not an exhaustive list of all possible duties, and it is recognised that jobs change and evolve over time. Consequently, the post holder will be required to carry out any other duties to the equivalent level that are necessary to fulfil the purpose of the job, and to respond positively to changing business needs.
Job profile
Job title: Personal Assistant
Responsible to: Executive Support Officer
Principal working contacts
- Executive Support Officer
- Members of the Strategy and Improvement Directorate
- Strategic Management Team
- Senior Managers
- Executive and Committee Support Manager Executive and Committee Support Team Corporate Support Team
- Scottish Government and other external bodies and partners
Job purpose
To provide high quality, confidential PA support to the Executive Director of Strategy and Improvement.
Key responsibilities
- Check and prioritise all email correspondence and meetinginvitations on behalf of the Executive Director.
- Develop and administer a system for dealing with enquiries and correspondence on behalf of the Executive Director, including composing responses to routine correspondence.
- Monitor progress of the preparation of replies by colleagues to correspondence to the Executive Director, within appropriate timescales.
- Manage and co-ordinate the Executive Director’s diary, making appointments and arranging meetings, events, booking venues, organising catering and hospitality for visitors as necessary.
- Make all travel and accommodation arrangements for the Executive Director.
- Prepare and circulate agendas and paperwork for meetings, as required.
- Attend meetings as required at our head office and at various locations across Scotland, in order to take notes/minutes and prepare action records.
- Assist in the preparation of PowerPoint presentations/speeches as required.
- Establish good working relationships in regular communication with other officers of the Care Inspectorate, external partners, Scottish Government and members of the public.
- As part of the wider Executive Support team, provide PA support cover in the absence of the other PAs.
- Carry out your duties in accordance with our Health and Safety policies, procedures, guidance, practices and legislative requirements, taking reasonable care for your safety and that of others who may be affected by what you do or fail to do while at work.
Relationship management
- Ensure productive and smooth working arrangements and protocols between staff delivering directorate support and all other Care Inspectorate employees.
- Develop and maintain constructive and co-operative working relationships with internal and external stakeholders to ensure effective and efficient directorate support.
- Demonstrate a commitment to the CareInspectorate’s aims,vision and values and to the Care Inspectorate’s overall objective of improving care in Scotland.
- To ensure effective communication of the CareInspectorate's work with people who experience care, carers, relatives and advocates.
Other duties
This job may require some travel and may involve some overnight stays and unsocial hours.
This job description is a broad picture of the post at the date of preparation. It is not an exhaustive list of all possible duties and it is recognised that jobs change and evolve over time. Consequently, the post holder will be required to carry out any other duties to the equivalent level that are necessary to fulfil the purpose of the job, and to respond positively to changing business needs.
Job profile
Job title: Senior Improvement Adviser - Registered Nurse (focus on health and wellbeing)
Reporting to: Quality Improvement Manager (Health and Social Care Improvement Team)
Principal working contacts
Internal
- Quality Improvement Manager and Chief Nurse
- Health and Social Care Improvement Team
- Chief Inspectors
- Head of Quality Improvement and Participation
- Quality Improvement Support Team
- Involvement and Equalities Team
- Senior Leadership Team
- Scrutiny and Assurance Service Managers, Team Managers, and Inspectors
- Policy Team Intelligence Team and Communications team
External
- Scottish Government policy leads
- Service providers and care service staff
- Other regulatory, scrutiny and improvement bodies
- NHS boards staff and agencies, local authorities, partnerships, and integrated joint boards
- National specialist groups, e.g. Continence specialists, Nutrition specialists
- Members of the public and other stakeholders
- Professional Bodies and Royal Colleges
Job purpose
Working alongside the Care Inspectorate’s Chief nurse and Quality Improvement Manager and under the umbrella of Quality Improvement and with close collaboration with Scrutiny and Assurance. The post holder will promote standards and good practice in nursing-based care and support:
- Provide all round knowledge of the health and wellbeing of adults and older people in addition to specialist skills and knowledge in one of the following areas:
- tissue viability
- nutrition
- promoting continence
- palliative and end of life care
- frailty
- Provide general health and wellbeing advice, guidance to all teams in across the Care Inspectorate, and signpost where appropriate to specific support.
- Lead and develop aspects of the Care Inspectorate’s health and social care quality improvement functions based on current and emerging models of delivery that will facilitate improvements in practice in care services and improve the outcomes for people experiencing care.
- Build the capability and confidence of inspectors across inspection, complaints, and registration teams, in specific topic areas, supporting their learning and development and keeping the evidence base of practice current.
- To support and shape scrutiny methodology as needed.
- Develop resources to support the health and wellbeing of people experiencing care for use both internally and externally.
- Build and develop strategic partnerships across the health and social care landscape to support the delivery of health and wellbeing improvement advice and quality improvement support.
Key responsibilities
- To build capacity for health and wellbeing quality improvement in the care sector and in the Care Inspectorate, across all scrutiny and quality improvement activities.
- To ensure professional advice is provided and sourced to support the Care Inspectorate in the delivery of its scrutiny and improvement activities.
- To lead the development of specific health and wellbeing focused quality illustrations / indicators, tools and improvement support materials to support the current inspection frameworks for use by inspectors and in care services.
- To develop and maintain the relationships with national bodies/improvement bodies to co-create developments in health and social care improvement, developing guidance, sharing good practice, and expert advice and support.
- To lead in ensuring the development of effective practice materials for use by inspectors and care services.
- To advise on quality improvement design and delivery to ensure the scrutiny and improvement plan is met, and to determine impact, ensuring that health and wellbeing priorities are addressed.
- To provide expert advice and guidance to internal and external stakeholders on health and wellbeing improvement in social care.
- To promote the Care Inspectorate’s improvement work and to maintain the organisation’s reputation for supporting the development of high-quality, safe, compassionate care.
- To establish and maintain robust working relationships with stakeholders across the health and social care sectors.
- To maintain and further develop skills in quality improvement and safety including coaching, mentorship and facilitation of staff and managers both internally and externally.
- To challenge outdated and unsafe practice directly with service providers, sharing evidence from research and expert advice to shift practice and achieve the necessary improvement in care quality.
- To support the delivery of the Care Inspectorate’s corporate plan.
- Monitor, evaluate, and report on all key areas and tasks advising on progress and challenges regularly.
- To carry out any other reasonable tasks necessary to support the Care Inspectorate’s business.
Relationship management
- Work with the Care Inspectorate’s Chief Nurse, Quality Improvement Manager, Head of Improvement Support and Chief Inspectors to develop and facilitate a comprehensive approach to relationship management between the Care Inspectorate and various parts of the health and social care sector.
- Ensure effective communication of the Care Inspectorate’s quality improvement support role in social care to practitioners and managers in the health sector.
- Demonstrate a commitment to the Care Inspectorate’s aims, vision and values and to the Care Inspectorate’s overall objective of improving care in Scotland.
Other duties
This job may require extensive travel and involve overnight stays. This job profile is a broad picture of the post at the date of preparation. It is not an exhaustive list of all possible duties and it is recognised that jobs change and evolve over time. Consequently, the post holder will be required to carry out any other duties to the equivalent level that are necessary to fulfil the purpose of the job, and to respond positively to changing business needs.
The post holder will be expected to work autonomously in the main but also within a group, with agreed priorities and objectives. Objectives for this post will be agreed jointly with the relevant line manager and Head of Improvement Support and will be reviewed on a regular basis.
Job profile
Job Title: Communications Co-ordinator (Safe staffing programme)
Responsible to: Communications Manager
Principal working contacts
- Communications Manager
- Communications colleagues
- Head of Corporate Policy and Communications
- Chief Nurse
- Safe staffing programme lead and team
- Managers and employees of the Care Inspectorate
- External suppliers and agencies
Job purpose
To provide communications advice and deliver communications activity to support the promotion and understanding of the safe staffing programme. Communications activity to support other projects will also be required.
Key responsibilities
- Help create and deliver a communications plan for the safe staffing programme, which aligns with the communications strategy.
- Work with the safe staffing programme team to promote its work and engage with the sector on this important area of legislation.
- Deliver a broad mix of high-quality communications solutions to tight and demanding schedules.
- Support production and promotion of the organisation’s information and promotional collateral, primarily for the safe staffing programme and for other projects as required.
- Represent external communications on project groups, taking responsibility to provide dedicated advice and support.
- Write copy in clear conversational style, following the Care Inspectorate corporate style, for a wide range of content and material, primarily for the safe staffing programme and for other projects as required.
- Edit and proof copy written by others to ensure clarity and consistency.
Relationship management
- Develop supportive and productive working relationships with colleagues.
- Ensure effective working in accordance with Care Inspectorate protocols.
- Liaise and work collaboratively with professionals and external bodies to promote the work of the Care Inspectorate and share good practice.
- Represent the Care Inspectorate as required at meetings and events.
- Ensure effective communication of the Care Inspectorate’s work with people who use care services, carers, relatives and advocates, primarily for the safe staffing programme and for other projects as required.
- Commit to the Care Inspectorate’s aims, vision and values to put people at the heart of our overall objective to improve care in Scotland.
Other duties
This job may require some travel, overnight stays and unsocial hours. This job description is a broad picture of the post at the date of preparation. It is not an exhaustive list and jobs can change and evolve over time. The post holder will be required to carry out any other duties to the equivalent level that are necessary to fulfil the purpose of the job, and to respond positively to changing business needs.
Subcategories
Inspector - Early Learning and Childcare (ELC)
The early learning and childcare expansion…
Role: Inspector - Early Learning and Childcare (ELC)
Location: Forth Valley, Borders, Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, Edinburgh & Glasgow
Salary: £31,083 - £39,069 plus excellent benefits
Hours: 140 hours to be worked over a 4-week period
Contract: Permanent or 2-year secondment (would be considered)
Join us and make a difference – for you, for everyone
It’s our job to ensure care for everyone, everywhere in Scotland is as good as it can be. If you are as passionate about high-quality care as we are, and you’re experienced in your field, we’d love to hear from you.
About us
As a national scrutiny body that supports improvement. We inspect care services and partnerships across Scotland, report on the quality of care people experience, and support improvements in services to facilitate improvements in outcomes for people.
We inspect care services individually. We also work with other scrutiny bodies to inspect the social care and social work services people are experiencing in local areas.
We champion high-quality care whenever we encounter it across the thousands of inspections, we carry out each year, and we work closely with all care providers to support them to improve all the time. We collaborate with other organisations too, supporting improvement across public services. Our work plays a big role in reducing health and social inequalities between people and communities.
We are looking for talented people to join us in making a difference - specialists who understand how to put people’s needs, rights and choices at the heart of delivering social services – and how to lead improvement too. Our 600 staff work with services across the public, voluntary and private sectors. We have offices across Scotland and many of our staff work from home.
About you
Whether early or established in your career, you will share our determination that care, social work and justice services should work well for people – every time. You’ll be confident about what good-quality care looks like and how to deliver it. You’ll be good at analysing information and evidence. You will have excellent writing skills for narrative inspection reports that are clear, concise and focused on outcomes. You will be confident in working with a wide range of people and at supporting and advising on improvement.
You’ll currently be working, or have significant experience in, social care, social work, health, children’s services, early learning, child protection, or community learning and development. You will be registered or eligible to register with a professional body like the SSSC, NMC or GTC.
About the role
Our care inspectors work with care services: childminders, nurseries, care homes, care at home, housing support and a host of other specialist services. A specialist in your field, you may have helped lead a service and have a strong track record in delivering quality. You’ll be adept at leading improvement and influencing others. You will work with people experiencing care, and care service providers, managers and staff.
Why join us?
We strive to be a great employer, knowing that competitive salary, leave and pension schemes are only part of that. We pride ourselves on the values we hold, person-centred; fairness; respect; efficiency and integrity - all supported with a culture of care and kindness.
We believe in collective leadership and innovation. You’ll have a lot of autonomy to manage your own work and use the professional skills you’ve honed during your career – but in new ways. Starting on day one, our learning and development support will help you become confident in the craft of scrutiny and in supporting improvement. Because a lot of your role is about sharing effective practice across Scotland, the impact you can have on experiences and outcomes for people is significant. You will draw on management and leadership skills you’ve developed in the past.
We’re proud to be a progressive, supportive employer – we’re happy to talk about flexible working with you and we’re members of the Disability Confident Scheme, aiming to make the most of the talents disabled people can bring to the workplace.
New appointments will normally be placed on the minimum grade for the role; a higher starting salary may be offered in exceptional circumstances only.
ELC expansion
The Scottish Government is committed to expanding the provision of funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) from 600 hours to 1140 hours per year by 2020. The expansion of ELC is aimed to support the reduction in the poverty-related attainment gap and improve long term outcomes for children and families.
Due to the ELC expansion programme we are looking for 7 further ELC Inspectors in addition to the “business as usual” Inspector campaign launched recently.
Principles and aims
The priority for the expansion to 1140 hours is to improve children's outcomes and close the poverty-related attainment gap. In addition, the expansion aims to support parents into work, study or training. The Scottish Government's four principles of the ELC expansion are: quality, flexibility, affordability, and accessibility.
The Scottish Government has stated that quality is 'at the heart' of the expansion and that achieving a high-quality ELC experience for children is a key objective.
Use and provision
A 2018 survey found that the main reason why parents use funded ELC is that they consider it beneficial for their child's learning and development. In addition, parents reported using the funded hours to either work, increase the number of hours they work, or look for work.
Funded ELC in Scotland is delivered by a wide range of providers including nurseries, crèches and playgroups, from across the public, private and third sectors. A small number of childminders also deliver funded ELC, but the Scottish Government hopes this number will increase under the expansion to 1140 hours.
Criteria to apply
- We require you to hold a relevant qualification (minimum SCQF Level 9), register with either the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) or any other relevant professional body and undertake PVG checks.
- You must also be prepared to do a Professional Development Award in Scrutiny and Improvement (Social Services) at SCQF level 10 with appropriate support from the organisation.
- You will have a minimum of three years recent and demonstrable management experience in a relevant field. You must also be willing to travel with overnight stays as required.
Before you apply
- Please contact the relevant body directly to resolve any queries you have regarding registration or eligible qualifications for registration (SSSC, NMC and so on) before submitting your application.
- For an informal chat about the job role, please contact (Who?) You or Kim Connolly, Team Manager on 07766133161
- For all other queries, please contact Human Resources at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
To apply
- If you are interested, please see the minimum criteria to apply as an Inspector and the specific guidance and directions to apply. Thereafter, click on the gateway questions link to apply.
- Your completed application form (campaign number C39 only forms) and equal opportunities form should be returned to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.no later than Monday, 14 October 2019 at 8.00am.
- We anticipate that selection days will take place in the week commencing Monday, 18 November 2019.