Our jobs
We are hiring for the below vacancies:
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Quality improvement adviser - closes 08:00 Monday 17 March 2025
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Information governance analyst - closes 08:00 Monday 31 March 2025
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Organisational and workforce development (OWD) assistant - closes 08:00 Thursday 20 March 2025
Work with us
Who we are and what we do
As the scrutiny and improvement body for social care and social work in Scotland, we exist to ensure services are of the highest quality and meet people’s needs.
The Care Inspectorate is a dynamic and rewarding place to work. Our staff are passionate, talented and knowledgeable with experience from a range of different backgrounds. We share a common commitment to high-quality care and we make a real difference to people’s lives.
If you want to make a difference and champion high-quality care that meets the needs, rights and choices of people across Scotland, join us at the Care Inspectorate.
Whatever role you have, your experience and contributions are valued, and you will be a vital part of our unique and influential organisation.
Our values are at the heart of our organisation and guide everything we do. You can find more about our values in our Strategic Workforce Plan.
Our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion
We want future employees to understand and recognise the importance we give to equality, diversity and inclusion and we would like to attract candidates who can demonstrate this commitment too.
Please read our Equality, diversity and inclusion statement of intent.
We want to increase the diversity of our workforce. We especially welcome applications from people with disabilities, people with care experience, people from a minority ethnic background, young people, men (we currently have 79% female workforce) and people from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans community. We want a workforce that reflects the wider Scottish population that we serve.
As a human rights organisation, we recognise that protected characteristic groups face multiple barriers in the employment sector. We take evidence-based positive action steps to ensure our workforce (including volunteers) is diverse, inclusive and respects human rights. This aligns with the Equality Act 2010.
We invite protected characteristic groups to explore any recruitment challenges and connect with us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to arrange a meeting.
Disability confident - guaranteed interview scheme
The Care Inspectorate has achieved Disability Confident Level 2 status (The Employer Award). We are continuing to take steps to help disabled people to fulfil their potential. 
In practical terms this means, if a candidate has a disability and meets our essential criteria for a job, they are eligible through the guaranteed interview scheme and would automatically be shortlisted for interview. It also means that we will plan for, and make reasonable adjustments to, the assessment and interview process – for example, small things such as allowing candidates to complete a written test using a computer or by giving more time can make a substantial difference to how well a candidate can perform at interview. We will also make sure that people involved in the interviewing process understand the Disability Confident commitment and know how to offer and make adjustments.
By offering an interview to an applicant who declares they have a disability may not mean that all disabled people are entitled to an interview. They must meet the minimum criteria for a job as defined by the by the Care Inspectorate. It is important to note that there may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for a job. In certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal, and high-peak times, the Care Inspectorate may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. In these circumstances recruiting managers, may select the disabled candidates who best meet the minimum criteria for the job rather than all of those that meet the minimum criteria, as they would do for non-disabled applicants.
Our action plan will be collaborated on and shared to ensure we commit to the level 2 status. Further information about the Disability Confident Award and what this means is available on their website.
If you have a disability and require a reasonable adjustment(s) to apply for a job with us, please reach out to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to arrange a discussion. For support with the interview process and/or during employment, please note this on your application form.
Care experienced - guaranteed interview scheme
We recognise care experience as someone who has been formally looked after by a local authority, in the family home (with support from social services or a social worker), in kinship care with family, friends or relatives (including informal kinship care), foster care, residential or secure care or legally adopted.
We want to encourage applications from individuals who are care experienced, enabling access to employment, education, experiences, and volunteering opportunities.
We are committed to offering care experienced candidates an automatic interview if they meet the essential criteria detailed in the job profile. It could also mean that we will plan for, and make reasonable adjustments to, the assessment and interview process, for example, allowing candidates to see the interview questions in advance of the interview, or by asking questions in a different way. These small adjustments can make a substantial difference to how well a care experienced candidate can perform at interview, for instance help with travelling to interview, adjusting timing and format of interview. We will also make sure that people involved in the interviewing process understand our commitment to care experienced people and know how to support the adjustments, not only at the recruitment stage but during employment too.
By offering an interview to an applicant who declares they are care experienced may not mean that all care experienced applicants are entitled to an interview. They must meet the minimum criteria for a job as defined by the Care Inspectorate. It is important to note that there may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all care experienced people who meet the minimum criteria for a job. In certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal, and high-peak times, the Care Inspectorate may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both care experienced people and non-care experienced people. In these circumstances recruiting managers, may select the care experienced candidates who best meet the minimum criteria for the job rather than all of those that meet the minimum criteria, as they would do for non-care experienced applicants.
Support can be provided where a care experienced candidate has given consent. Individuals can choose to disclose whether they are care experienced or not; and choose to accept additional support or not at any stage of recruitment and or employment. Where support is requested, we are able to deliver tailored support in an appropriate way.
If you are care experienced and need support prior to applying or with the application process, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. For support with the interview process and/or during employment, please note this on your application form.
Minority ethnic communities
We are committed to initiatives to create organisational and cultural change around race equality and to foster an environment which encourages diversity, including anti-racism in the workplace. The Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Organisations (CEMVO) Scotland and a number of staff networks (including our race equality in employment group) have helped develop our race equality in employment plan.
We are keen to receive applications from people from minority ethnic communities. If any support is needed with our application and interview process, please don’t hesitate to get in touch at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Young people
We encourage applications from all ages and want a workforce that reflects the wider population that we serve. We especially welcome applications from young people to align with our commitment to the Young Persons Guarantee in providing opportunities for young individuals to secure employment or training. We recognise by diversifying the age demographic within our workforce this will contribute to building a stronger, more resilient workforce for the future and acknowledge our vital role in creating opportunities for Young People as they prepare for and take their first steps into the world of work.
We are committed to supporting the Young Person's Guarantee and work closely with Skills Development Scotland to offer modern apprenticeships.
If you need assistance with applications or interviews, feel free to reach out to us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Awards and charters
We are proud to have achieved a number of awards and accreditations of recognition and accomplishment. We believe that the work undertaken and time invested in attaining these awards and accreditations grows and embeds and inclusive culture within the Care Inspectorate. These also represent our commitment to embracing best practices and our responsibility to keeping our skills and knowledge up-to-date.
You can click here to view all of our awards and charters.
More than just a job
We’ve got a lot to offer and you’ll be joining a great team where you’ll be able to contribute right from the start.
We’re passionate about our work and making a difference
Our expert workforce champions high-quality care and we work collaboratively with other organisations and the care sector to share good practice and support and spread improvement and innovation across Scotland. We also use the evidence and intelligence we gather to help shape and influence local and national policy and practice.
We value and listen to our staff so we can learn together
We work hard to make sure everyone feels involved and appreciated, with a sense of belonging. Learning and improvement are at the heart of what we do. We go out of our way to listen to all of our staff and act on what they say, so we can learn and improve together.
We invest in our staff to make sure you can give your best
We know that to perform at our best we need great people. So, we provide training and support you to be the best you can be and provide opportunities to learn, develop and share your skills and experience with others. You can also participate in our coaching programme which offers access to one off or blocks of coaching with a coach of your choice.
If you’re registered with a professional body, we provide support for continuing professional development (CPD) and
re-validation. Everyone participates in regular supervision through our LEAD (learn, experience, achieve and development) performance and development process.
If you join us as an inspector, we will also offer you an accredited and highly respected professional qualification through our scrutiny and improvement practice development award.
We’ll make sure you fit right in
You will be warmly welcomed and have access to a range of activities including induction to your team, the organisation and your role. We offer a friendly and supportive place to work, where our values underpin the work we do and how we work together. Find out more about our induction process here.
We work hard to create a healthy working environment where your wellbeing is supported
We encourage a healthy work-life balance. We have a number of policies in place that support flexible working and time off when you need it, such as flexi-time, flexible hours, home/hybrid working, carers leave and special leave. The vast majority of our people work flexibly and value how this supports their work-life balance. We also offer access to a wide range of wellbeing initiatives, including specialist webinars, videos, podcasts, counselling, a listening service and access to the unmind app.
As we open up our offices again, you’ll be able to work from home and the office, as part of our hybrid working model.
Total rewards package
We offer an excellent total rewards package – it is a comprehensive and strategic approach to employee compensation and benefits, that aligns with the Care Inspectorates’ aims. It encompasses various elements that will contribute to your overall employee experience, including compensation, benefits, work-life balance, and development.
Please see our total rewards package.
Our offices
We have offices all over Scotland.
Sign up to our enewsletter and select ‘vacancies’ as a topic of interest to stay updated with our vacancies.
Follow us on social media
About us
The Care Inspectorate is a scrutiny body which supports improvement. That means we look at the quality of care in Scotland to ensure it meets high standards. Where we find that improvement is needed, we support services to make positive changes.
Our vision is that everyone experiences safe, high-quality care that meets their needs, rights and choices.
Our 600 staff work across Scotland, specialising in health and social care, early learning and childcare, social work, children’s services, and community justice.
Meet our Board and our senior leadership team.
We inspect individual care services
We register more than 11,000 registered care services in Scotland and our inspectors visit every one. Higher-risk services are inspected more often. Our inspectors talk to people using the service, staff and managers. We want to make sure that people experience high-quality care, and that care services are making a positive impact on people’s lives, based on their needs, rights and choices.
We give care services grades when we inspect them, and look at key areas like care and support, physical environment, quality of staffing, and quality of management and leadership. Each area of each care service is assessed on a scale from 1 to 6, where 1 in unsatisfactory and 6 is excellent. After every inspection, we publish an inspection report showing our findings, which is helpful if you are using service or thinking of doing so.
We inspect how care is provided across areas
We work with other scrutiny and improvement bodies to look at how local authorities, community planning partnerships and health and social care partnerships are delivering a range of services in their communities across Scotland. These inspections look at how well services are working together to support positive experiences and outcomes for people. This helps partnerships understand what is working well, and what needs to improve. You can read our joint inspection reports here.
Supporting improvement and driving up standards
Our job is not just to inspect care, but help the quality improve where needed. This means we work with services and support them, offering advice, guidance and sharing good practice to help care reach the highest standards. You can find lots of advice for care professionals on our dedicated website, The Hub.
We want everyone to experience high-quality care that meets their individual needs. Scotland’s Health and Social Care Standards describe what people should expect from care. The Standards are what we refer to when we are assessing how well care is performing.
What if things are not good enough?
If we find that care isn’t good enough, we take action. We can make recommendations for improvement and issue requirements for change and check these have happened. If a care service doesn’t improve, we can carry out enforcement action including, as a last resort, closing it down subject to the decision of a sheriff.
If you think a care service isn’t good enough you can share your concern or make a complaint to us. Find out more about concerns and complaints here.
The Scottish Regulators’ Strategic Code of Practice
The Care Inspectorate is required by the Regulatory Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 to follow the Scottish Regulators’ Strategic Code. The Code is issued by the Scottish Ministers and sets out the approaches we should take in dealing with those we regulate. We comply with the requirements of the Code in all that we do, ensuring that we always prioritise the safety, health and wellbeing of vulnerable people over commercial or business interests.
Care services in Scotland must be registered with the Care Inspectorate and a broad range of the individuals who work in those services must be registered with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC). You can find more information about the SSSC on their website.
Our staff
Our workforce is highly skilled and experienced in all aspects of social care. Over 600 staff work across Scotland, inspecting thousands of services.
Our inspectors work in specialist national teams that allow best practice to be shared across the country. We also want to make sure that the people inspecting care services have frontline experience in the same sector.
We believe that people in Scotland should experience a better quality of life as a result of accessible, excellent services that are designed and delivered to reflect their individual needs and promote their rights.
Our values are:
1. Person-centered: we put people, empathy, compassion, and kindness at the heart of everything we do
2. Respect: we value everyone's dignity and are respectful in everything we do
3. Equity: we embrace diversity and nurture an inclusive environment where everyone is supported to achieve equal outcomes
4. Integrity: we act impartially, fairly, and consistently, upholding transparency and accountability in all our actions
5. Impact: we focus on making a positive impact for everyone experiencing care in Scotland whilst ensuring our work delivers the best value to the public
Our offices are based throughout the country. Find an office near you.
It is important to remember that all Care Inspectorate staff carry identification and you should ask to see this. If you are not sure of the person who has called or visited you, you should call us on 0345 600 9527 to confirm their identity.
Our Executive Team
Our Executive Team is responsible for the management and strategic leadership of the Care Inspectorate.
Jackie Irvine, Chief Executive
Jackie qualified in Scotland before starting her career in London, moving back to Scotland in 1991.
Jackie has been a Chief Social Work Officer for over 10 years and comes to the Care Inspectorate from her current post as Service Director, Children and Families and Justice Services within the City of Edinburgh Council.
Jackie has over 30 years’ experience of working in the public sector and has also managed community health services for children.
Edith Macintosh, Executive Director of Strategy and Improvement
Edith was appointed as Executive Director of Strategy and Improvement in August 2020 after acting in the role as an interim from December 2018.
Edith qualified as an Occupational Therapist in 1983 and worked across health and social care holding a variety of roles across Scotland predominantly in the NHS and latterly was service manager for Occupational Therapy services in the NHS in Perth and Kinross until 2009. From there she joined the Care Inspectorate (then Care Commission) in September 2009 as the Rehabilitation Consultant and provided leadership and improvement expertise for several national initiatives and publications to support providers and partnerships to improve health and wellbeing in the social care sector.
Edith was in her previous role as Head of Improvement Support since January 2017 and had strategic oversight for developing and strengthening the Care Inspectorate’s improvement support role across Scotland supported by a team of improvement advisors. She designed the CAPA improvement programme and was the programme lead. Edith’s great passion is to inspire people and services to improve, realise their full potential and to make a positive difference to the lives of others.
Follow Edith on Twitter @EAMacahp
Kevin Mitchell, Executive Director of Scrutiny and Assurance
Kevin was appointed Executive Director of the Care Inspectorate’s Scrutiny and Assurance Directorate in February 2016 and led the directorate’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
He has lead responsibility for all the regulated care service inspections (children and adults) and the complaints and registration functions. He also has lead responsibility for the strategic scrutiny of services for children, justice and protection as well the joint inspections of integrated health and care services and services for adults.
Kevin joined the Care Inspectorate in 2011 from the then Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) having been involved in the programme of joint inspections of child protection from 2005. He was appointed Head of Analysis and Business Planning at the Care Inspectorate in March 2013 and Acting Deputy Director of Inspection (Children's Services & Criminal Justice) in January 2015.
Kevin was previously a senior detective officer in Lothian and Borders police and graduated MSc in Advanced Practice Child Protection from Edinburgh Napier University in June 2014.
Follow Kevin on Twitter @CIKevinMitchell
Jacqueline Mackenzie, Executive Director of Corporate and Customer Services
Jacqueline was appointed as Executive Director for Corporate and Customer Services in November 2020.
Jacqueline has a BA in Accountancy and Business Law from the University of Stirling and is a graduate member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland with extensive experience of leadership and strategic management having held a variety of roles in both the public and private sectors.
She has excellent experience in financial and resource management, change management and team building. Jacqueline is skilled at understanding complex organisations and providing the leadership and influencing skills to motivate staff across functions and disciplines to work together to achieve the strategic goals.
Gordon Mackie, Executive Director of IT & Digital Transformation
Gordon was appointed as Executive Director of IT & Digital Transformation in July 2021 after acting in the role as interim from April 2020.
As an experienced IT & transformation leader with a wealth of experience and a sustained record of success across diverse sectors both in the public and commercial environments.
Gordon boasts a wealth of exposure within aligning technology to business strategies; leading specialist teams and delivering complex, full-cycle business change, transition and transformation projects. Adept at building and maintaining key relationships at all levels, including clients, stakeholders and suppliers; effectively translating requirements and overseeing all issues through to completion. Well versed in managing the end-to-end delivery of complex projects across conflicting programmes and proven ability to drive businesses forward. Experienced in engaging and communicating with relevant internal and external stakeholders, inclusive of C-Level management in all programmes of work. Both a team player and an independent thinker, with valuable problem solving and decision-making skills and the ability to coordinate with senior leaders to ensure needs are identified and fully addressed.
Volunteering
Become an inspection volunteer
Our work is improved by involving people who use services and their carers. We have many innovative ways that people can get involved with us and can influence our work. Our involvement and equalities charter outlines how we involve people who use care services and informal carers in our work.
We’re recruiting for adult inspection volunteers. To qualify to become a volunteer, applicants must have experience of using care or supporting a relative or friend using a care service. You can apply to become an inspection volunteer by completing our application form:
- online (Microsoft Forms)
- by printing a paper copy (PDF) and posting it Participation and Equalities Team, Care Inspectorate, Compass House, 11 Riverside Drive, Dundee, DD1 4NY
- or we can support you to complete your application.
If you would like to find out more about becoming an inspection volunteer, need help to complete the application form or would like us to post you an application form, please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Inspector (registration)
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 and learning as we are, and you’re experienced in the field, we’d love to hear from you. We are looking for talented people to join us in making a difference.
About you
We are looking to add resource to a team of Inspectors to support the work of the Registration teams.
You will be able to achieve significant improvement in outcomes for people and children and families through the range of day-to-day responsibilities. The role is different and very varied:
- give advice on registration matters both internally and externally
- assess registration and variation applications across the full range of care service types
- assess allegations of illegally operating services and take forward regulatory action in this respect.
You’ll be improvement focused, confident in your professional knowledge base and able to apply it to influence others. You will be flexible, able to prioritise, to respond to short-notice deadlines and manage an ever-changing caseload. You will work closely with inspection and complaints colleagues in our inspection teams.
We are a national team so would welcome applications from candidates across mainland Scotland. As an inspector you must be able to travel with occasional overnight stays as required.
About us
We are different because of our great benefits, our investment in learning and development, and the opportunity this role will give you to help shape high quality experiences in childcare across Scotland.
What you will be doing as an inspector
Making a difference through working with services delivering care for children and adults. You’ll work with people experiencing services, service providers, managers and staff and be confident in supporting and advising on improving outcomes for children and adults.
Click here to watch a short video on what one of our inspectors has said about their role.
The skills you need
If you think this job is where you can make a real difference to service user’s experiences, there are a few things you need. Whilst it’s important to have the basics, we will support you in developing your skillset as an inspector throughout your journey with us.
You’ll be confident about what good-quality care and learning looks like and how to deliver it across the sector. You’ll be resilient and adaptable, can work on your own initiative or as part of a team, manage competing priorities, build effective networks with partners, and have strong communication skills. Equally, you’ll be good at analysing information and evidence, and you’ll have excellent writing skills to produce reports that are clear, concise, and focused on outcomes. You will have a sound and insightful understanding of the challenges facing the sector and be an advocate for service users recognising what is important to them.
We need you to have a relevant qualification (minimum SCQF Level 9) and be registered or eligible to register with a professional body like the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) or General Teaching Council (GTC). Please see further information at the bottom of this advert on recent updates to the registration process for the SSSC.
All new entrants will start on the grade minimum for the role however we have a generous benefits package which is highlighted below.
Salary and benefits
- Salary: £46,569 - £54,975 plus excellent benefits.
- Network of offices across Scotland.
- Flexible Hours: 140 hours to be worked over a 4-week period.
- Up to 37 days annual leave (after 5 years’ service) + 6 fixed public holidays.
- Contract: Permanent, two-year secondment, or locum (where candidates have previously worked for us as inspectors).
We desire to achieve an effective and balanced way of working, that enables us to meet organisational needs and achieve a work-life balance that promotes wellbeing and collaboration opportunities. Our hybrid working policy gives you the flexibility to mix working from home with attendance at your base office and other work locations, spending no more than 60% of your working time working from home, measured over a 4-week period.
In addition to our excellent benefits package, we also pride ourselves on the values we hold, person-centred; fairness; respect; efficiency and integrity - all supported with a culture of care and kindness. We’re proud to be a progressive, supportive employer, and equality, diversity and inclusion are important to us.
What next?
Click here to find out more on our careers site. You can also contact the Recruitment team at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for further information.
If you’re ready to apply now, please click here to access our gateway questions and application form. access the application form. Your application should be received no later than Monday 3 March 2025 at 08:00.
The Care Inspectorate is committed to recruiting, retaining and developing a workforce that reflects the diverse communities that we serve. It is vital that we monitor and analyse diversity information so that we can identify how we can improve the way we meet the needs of our applicants and staff. To assist us to monitor the effectiveness of our equality and diversity practices, we would encourage you to complete the equalities monitoring form at the end of the application form.
We anticipate holding Stage 1 of our assessment process between Friday 14 - Monday 17 March, and Stage 2 no earlier than Monday 7 April 2025 over a 2 week period at one of our main offices.
If you successfully complete our selection process, we’ll either confirm you’re the preferred candidate for a suitable vacancy (based on your specialism and location) or you’ll be invited to join our talent pool for future vacancies that would be suitable for you.
Registration information and process
As an Inspector you will support the Assurance and Improvement Directorate to ensure that the Care Inspectorate meets its responsibilities as defined by the Public Services Reform Act 2010 and other relevant legislation.
The successful applicant must be registered with a professional body (this can be NMC, GTCS, NMC, HCPC, SSSC), within three months of appointment.
For SSSC registration, there is a specific registration category for Care Inspectorate Authorised Officers (AO). Regulated Care Inspectors who register with SSSC will do so as a Primary Authorised Officer under both types of work (Social Care and Children & Young People). Primary Authorised Officers will require to complete a Professional Development Award in Scrutiny and Improvement Practice within 5 years of initial registration.
Employees will be expected to maintain registration with the same professional body throughout their employment in the Care Inspectorate. This includes employees working in authorised officer roles who are recruited to the Care Inspectorate based on their registration with the NMC, GTCS, HCPC or other recognised professional body. It is a contractual requirement to maintain registration with the same professional body and employees should not transfer their registration to the SSSC from another recognised professional body, including the NMC, GTCS or HCPC.
Job profile
Person specification
Our Board
The Chair and the members of our board set the strategic direction of the Care Inspectorate, taking into account legislation and policy guidance set by the Scottish Government. Each member of the Board brings a wealth of experience and wide-ranging skills, along with a passionate interest in social care. Read our Board members biographies below.
The Care Inspectorate’s Board and Committee cycle runs from 1 April to 31 March each year. Our public Board meetings are held at least four times a year and members of the public are welcome to join us at these meetings. You can download a copy of the papers from our Board meetings. The minutes of Board meetings do not appear within the published papers until after they have been approved.
Our public Board meeting dates for 2024/25 are:
- 9 May 2024
- 15 August 2024
- 14 November 2024
- 13 February 2025
All meetings run from 10:30-13:00.
The meeting is open to members of the public to join, as observers only, via Microsoft Teams video-conference. In order to enable members of the public to join for the public business of the meeting, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. no later than seven calendar days prior to the date of the meeting. In this event, in providing your email address you are consenting for us to use your contact details to invite you to the Teams meeting for the duration of the Board proceedings that are being held in public. Please note that members of the public and representatives of the press who attend a meeting of the Care Inspectorate Board will do so in an observer-only capacity, and may not participate in the meeting unless invited to do so by the Chair. If you do not have a Microsoft Teams account, you can find instructions on how to join here. Papers for our Board meetings will normally be published seven days in advance of the date of the meeting and will be available to view here.
Read the Board’s Code of Conduct and the register of members interests 2025.
The Care Inspectorate has two committees which meet on a quarterly basis and report to our Board. These are:
Audit and Risk Committee
This committee supports the Board in its responsibilities for issues of risk, control and governance and associated assurance through a process of constructive challenge. The Committee meetings are not held in public, but the approved minutes of these can be viewed here.
Finance and Resources Committee
This committee was formed in late 2024 and is responsible for advising the Board on a range of strategies, policies and plans related to finance, budget, staff and resources. These meetings are not held in public but the approved minutes can be viewed here.
Biographies
Doug Moodie, Chair
Doug Moodie has Chaired the Board of the Care Inspectorate since 1 September 2022.
Doug has been a Chartered Certified Accountant since 1994, and a Management Consultant since 2012, working in senior roles and leading teams across a range of sectors. Doug brings experience from a variety of different businesses that he has established, which include early years childcare, property management and private equity.
Doug is currently a Chair of Falkirk Children’s Panel, Chair of Clackmannanshire Business Improvement District (BID), and Chair of Bfriend in South Ayrshire.
Naghat Ahmed
Naghat is a Law and Accountancy graduate. Her current role at Glasgow City Council includes corporate policy, programme and project management. She has previously worked on policy and strategy development, equality and diversity, change management, corporate governance and utilising project methodologies.
She previously worked in the Commission for Racial Equality and NHS24, specialising in equality and diversity. Naghat is a carer for relatives who have disabilities.
Since 2018 Naghat has also been a member of the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland and since September 2021 has been a non-executive member for Social Security Scotland.
Carole Wilkinson
Carole Wilkinson was appointed to the Chair of Healthcare Improvement Scotland in October 2018, for a term of four years and was appointed for a further four years from October 2022. She is a former Non-Executive member of NHS Education for Scotland and a former Chair of the Board of Scottish Children's Reporter Administration. She was also Chief Executive of the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) from 2001-2009, establishing the organisation and overseeing the implementation of the regulation and registration of social services workers.
Before moving to the SSSC, Carole held the post of Director of Housing and Social Work for Falkirk Council and during her career has held a number of senior management posts in England and also spent a period in higher education teaching social workers and social care staff. She has also served on a number of Scottish Government working groups advising on workforce development matters and on future workforce needs and how health and social care staff could be supported to work and learn together.
Carole was elected Vice Chair of the NHS Chairs Group in May 2021 and took up the role of Chair of the NHS Chairs Group in August 2023.
Dr Bill Maxwell
Bill has extensive experience of developing quality improvement strategies for national education systems and leading public sector reform. After working as an educational psychologist, Bill joined the Scottish Education Inspectorate in 1994. Following a range of roles and a two-year secondment to the Scottish Government, Bill was appointed as HM Chief Inspector of Education for Wales in 2008.
He returned to Scotland as HM Chief Inspector of Education for Scotland in 2010 and shortly afterwards was appointed as Chief Executive to lead the creation of Education Scotland, a new public service improvement agency which brought the functions of an inspectorate together with a wider range of services to promote national improvement and the effective delivery of the Government’s major reform programmes in education. Bill retired from Education Scotland in 2017 and is now consulting on education quality assurance, including projects for the European Commission and the OECD in Europe and the Middle East.
Bill is a Board member of OSCR, the Scottish Charity Regulator, and a Director of the High School of Dundee.
Rognvald Johnson
Rognvald commenced his career working for The Royal Bank of Scotland, serving in a number of branches/departments, including the Bank’s Internal Audit Department, before retiring as Senior Manager for the Orkney Branches. After a spell working at Orkney College as Development Officer, he was engaged as Project Director, successfully developing and delivering a Business Improvement District in Kirkwall. Rognvald was appointed as a Non- Executive Director with NHS Orkney in July 2012 until June 2018, during which time he served as Chair of the Finance and Performance Committee, as well as Vice Chair of the Audit Committee. During the latter part of his term, Rognvald represented NHS Orkney on Orkney Integrated Joint Board, responsible for the provision of Health and Care in the County, also serving on its Audit Committee.
Rognvald is also a Director on the Board of Orkney Hyperbaric Trust, a Charity Registered in Scotland, and which provides decompression facilities, if required, to divers.
Rona Fraser
Rona has over 30 years of experience as a social worker and manager within the field of criminal justice social work. Her commitment to partnership working, the values of social work and public service remain as strong now as when she started working as a social worker. She was formerly the Senior Manager for Community Justice for the City of Edinburgh Council. She has a particular interest in cross-cutting issues such as domestic abuse, women in the criminal justice system and the development of trauma informed services and leadership and has had a key role in developing services in these areas. She has also had extensive experience of the risk assessment and management of offenders, including establishing the Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements within Edinburgh, working closely with partners across key agencies.
In 2023, Rona was appointed as a member of the Scottish Advisory Panel on Offending Reduction.
Professor Paul Gray
Paul is an experienced senior executive leader at CEO level. He places a strong emphasis on ethical and compassionate leadership, transparency and collaborative working. Committed to public accountability, he is experienced in leading delivery and change in complex systems and has had significant exposure to scrutiny in highly visible and politically contested sectors. Paul is currently an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the University of Glasgow College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, a Senior Faculty Member at the Royal College of Physicians (Edinburgh), Scotland’s member of council at the Open University, a Civil Service Commissioner, and a Board member of the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland. He is also a Senior Adviser to strategic communications firm Charlotte Street Partners, Patron of Medics Against Violence, and a coach and mentor to a number of senior executives.
From December 2013 to February 2019, Paul was Chief Executive NHS Scotland and Director General for Health and Social Care in the Scottish Government, responsible for the delivery of health and care services through 22 Health Boards, and partner organisations, with accountability for an annual budget of £13bn and a staffing complement of around 160,000.
Charlotte Armitage
Charlotte is a recent graduate of the University of Glasgow. She obtained her History and Sociology MA with a first-class classification in June 2024. She has just started her MSc in Museum Studies also at the University of Glasgow.
Aside from her passion for history, Charlotte brings to the Board her extensive knowledge of the care system in Scotland gained from her own lived experience, as well as five years of professional experience within the third sector, having previously worked for Who Cares? Scotland. This is further strengthened by her experience as a former consultant for CELCIS and The National Leadership Network, and as a previous group member of the Workforce focus group of the Independent Care Review.
This knowledge ranges from a deep understanding of local delivery through her work with East Lothian Champions’ Board, to high-level project development skills that have seen internationally recognised campaigns emerge; as well as legislative and policy changes, such as the guaranteed offer to university for Care Experienced applicants and the extension of free childcare for Care Experienced parents, implemented under her leadership during her time working for Who Cares? Scotland.
These skills and experience are further complemented by her five years of professional experience working for the Scottish Parliament and the House of Commons, which have provided her an in-depth understanding of the political landscape and its functions in the United Kingdom.
Audrey Cowie
Audrey is a trustee and governor at St Columba’s Hospice Care in Edinburgh. She has also held non-executive director roles with the Scottish Social Services Council and the General Teaching Council for Scotland. Audrey is a first level registered nurse with over 40 years experience and was appointed in May 2022 as the nurse to sit on the Care Inspectorate Board. During her career, Audrey has held senior managerial roles in the NHS; advisory roles in Scottish Government; and regulatory and quality assurance roles nationally, regionally and locally.
Audrey has extensive experience in the professional regulation of nurses and other professions, and in the scrutiny and improvement agenda in both Scotland and Europe and has an enduring personal professional interest in governance, regulation, scrutiny and inspection.
Maria McGill
Maria McGill has 40 years’ experience as a nurse, leader and Chief Executive working in the NHS and voluntary sector.
For the last 10 years of her career Maria was Chief Executive of Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS), Scotland’s only children’s hospice organisation.
Maria is also a member of The Promise Scotland Oversight Board, a Trustee of Marie Curie UK and a Non-Executive Director of NHS NSS.
Rosanna Moore
Rosie Moore is a qualified Social Worker with First Class Honours from the University of Strathclyde. Having grown up in care herself, she has a particular passion for working with looked after children and young people and their families.
In 2017, Rosie was nominated by the Coalition of Care Providers Scotland to become a Discovery Group member for the Independent Care Review. She was then asked to stay on for the duration of the Review, becoming a co-chair of the working group for LOVE and latterly as the participation lead for those with seldom heard voices and young people in secure care.
Rosie is currently at the Centre for Excellence for Children’s Care and Protection (CELCIS), where she has worked for several years, with a focus on social policy and participation of those with lived experience.
Rosie has won several awards for her work in the sector, including Young Scot’s 30under30 and Strathclyde’s Women in Leadership. Rosie also holds positions on the Management Group of the Each and Every Child Initiative and as a Board Member for Scottish Throughcare and Aftercare (STAF).
Edward McGrachan
Ed McGrachan has had an international career in IT, Telecommunications and Business Transformation, with time spent working for Nortel Networks and BT on major projects in North America, Continental Europe and the UK. He also served as Non-Executive Board Member and Chair of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee at the Student Awards Agency Scotland, with board oversight of the digital transformation of systems and processes aligning with the Scottish Government’s Digital First strategy.
Ed has worked with various public and charitable organisations; Member of the Diocesan Board of Education for the Church of England in Devon; Treasurer of Citizen Advice in Devon and elected Lead Governor of South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust; providing him with a broad spectrum of Governance experience. He was appointed Chairman of the Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committee for West Scotland, a Non-Departmental Public Body working across both devolved and reserved Government sectors in support of Veterans issues.
Currently, he serves as Non-Executive Member at Glasgow Colleges Regional Board, where he chairs the Audit and Assurance Committee. He is an Appointed Member on the Partnership Board of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, where he is a member of the Strategy and Programmes Committee, and the Audit and Standards Committee.
Jennifer Marshall
Jenny Marshall is an experienced unpaid carer who has spent the past 11 years managing a team of carers in her family home to provide high-quality care for her disabled son. She is a strong advocate for inclusion and equality, and she has a passion for promoting excellent care standards for all.
Jenny was the founder director of Mecoco, a social enterprise that provided disabled adults and young people with valuable workplace experience. In addition, she has extensive experience in residential dementia care and community brokerage.
Jenny is now Head of Operations for the Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living. Through her work, Jenny is committed to making a positive impact on the lives of those around her.
Peter Murray
Peter Murray has been appointed as Interim Convener of the Scottish Social Services Council with effect from 1 October 2024. He was appointed as SSSC Council Member in September 2019, for a term of three years and was appointed for a further three years from September 2022.
Peter has extensive governance experience having served as a board member of NHS Lothian for eight years, finishing his second term in 2024 as Vice Chair. Peter is currently the Chair of Bon Accord Care an adult social care provider in Aberdeen. Peter is also a member of the Judiciary Advisory Board for Scotland.
Peter has considerable experience in leadership and management from his 30 years in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. He retired as an assistant Chief Fire Officer in 2016. Peter has a MA in Political Studies from Aberdeen University.
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.