Communications Co-ordinator (Safe staffing programme)

Published: 31 May 2024

Job title: Communications Co-ordinator (Safe staffing programme)

Salary: £38,553 to £42,597

Hours: 35 hours per week

Location: Flexible - Any Care Inspectorate office

Contract: Temporary until 31 March 2025


About us

We are the independent scrutiny and improvement support body for social care and social work services in Scotland. We provide assurance for people who experience care services, their families, carers and the wider public, as well as supporting delivery partners to improve the quality of care for people in Scotland. Our vision is for world-class social care and social work in Scotland, where everyone in every community experiences high-quality care, support and learning, tailored to their rights, needs and wishes.

We inspect individual care services, and we also work with other scrutiny bodies to inspect the social care and social work services people are experiencing in their local areas.

Our desire is 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. We are moving towards an expectation that all staff will work collaboratively, within and across teams, in person, for approximately 40% of their working week.

About the role

We are offering an excellent temporary opportunity for an energetic and creative communications coordinator to join our communications team at the Care Inspectorate. You will be a key member of our team, providing a wide range of skills, experience, knowledge, and advice to support communications activity around the safe staffing programme, and for other projects as required.

In April 2024 the new Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019 came into force. The Safe Staffing Programme team are working in collaboration with stakeholders to support care services in Scotland to have the right people, in the right place, with the right skills at the right time working to ensure people experience the best health and care outcomes. The Communications Coordinator will work with the team to promote its work and engage with the sector on this important area of legislation.

About you

You will be educated to degree level or equivalent, you will have a successful record of accomplishment in communications with extensive experience of delivering a wide range of creative solutions across the broad spectrum of communication channels.

You will be highly motivated and enthusiastic with excellent interpersonal skills along with the ability to react to changing priorities and conflicting demands while building effective working relationships.

Next steps

You’ll find more information in the job profile and person specification.

If you would like more information or an informal chat about the role please contact Vanessa O'Loughlin (Communications Manager) at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please include a contact telephone number and times that would be best to reach you in your email.

If you believe that you are a suitable candidate for this post, please download and complete an application form and an equal opportunities form and submit by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 08:00 on Monday 17 June 2024

*Please note that if we receive a sufficient number of applications, the advert may close earlier on Monday 10 June 2024.

Assessment and Interviews are expected to be in person at our Dundee Headquarters office, Compass House, 11 Riverside Drive, Dundee, date to be confirmed.

Downloads: 2624

Business Support Assistant - Complaints

Published: 12 November 2021

Location: Flexible    

Salary: £20,448 - £21,789

Hours: 35 hours per week

Contract: Temporary until 31 March 2022


About us

We are the national regulator and scrutiny body responsible for providing assurance and protection for people who experience care services, their families, carers and the wider public, as well as supporting delivery partners to improve the quality of care for people in Scotland. Our vision is that people across Scotland experience high quality care that meets their needs, rights and choices.

We are a scrutiny body that supports improvement. We inspect individual care services and we also work with other scrutiny bodies to inspect the social care and social work services people are experiencing in their local areas.

About the role

Working as part of a team, you will provide comprehensive administrative and clerical support within a scrutiny and assurance business support role in line with the Care Inspectorate’s policies and procedures. Whilst this particular post will predominantly be working to support the complaints function and its inspectors the post holder will also require to undertake the wider general administrative duties and tasks required as part of the office business support team. These duties will be varied and will include the provision of e.g. customer service; telephony, reception, filing, word processing, data input and general clerical duties.

Due to current Covid-19 restrictions, it is expected that you will be undertaking duties predominantly from home but with an expectation that, where deemed necessary, you will be available to work from the office on an ad-hoc or longer-term basis in due course. We will consider applications on a reduced hours basis.

About you

We are looking for an organised individual who has good attention to detail, is customer-focused and enjoys working in a busy and supportive team. You will have a positive attitude and be keen to develop your skills and take on new challenges.

The successful individual will have:

  • A good working knowledge of O365/Microsoft Office suite to include Word, Excel and Outlook.
  • Excellent telephone and customer service skills.
  • Good interpersonal skills.
  • Excellent organisational skills.
  • Ability to work on own initiative and prioritisation of workload.
  • Ability to meet deadlines.

Next steps

You’ll find more information in the:

If you require any further information or for an informal chat, please contact:

Fiona Naris, Business Support Officer, by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or tel 01786 432944

If you believe that your expertise, skills and motivation make you suitable for this post, please complete an application form (and an Equalities Monitoring Form where you are an external applicant) and return by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by no later than 8am on Monday 29 November 2021.

Downloads: 2443

Accountant

Published: 22 July 2024

Job title: Accountant          

Salary: £38,553 - £42,597

Location: Flexible – any Care Inspectorate office

Hours: 35 hours per week

Contract: Permanent


About us 

We are the national regulator and scrutiny body responsible for providing assurance and protection for people who experience care services, their families, carers and the wider public, as well as supporting delivery partners to improve the quality of care for people in Scotland.  Our vision is that people across Scotland experience high quality care that meets their needs, rights and choices. 

We are a scrutiny body that supports improvement.  We inspect individual care services and we also work with other scrutiny bodies to inspect the social care and social work services people are experiencing in their local areas. 

Our desire is 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. We are moving towards an expectation that all staff will work collaboratively, within and across teams, in person, for approximately 40% of their working week. 

About the role

We have a permanent vacancy for an Accountant within our busy Finance and Corporate Governance Department within the Accounting Team.

Working in a busy team you will: 

  • lead, manage and provide professional advice to the accounting team
  • compile financial information and support budget managers in the management of their budgets
  • prepare monthly budget monitoring reports for senior managers and the Board as required
  • help compile the Care Inspectorate annual budgets
  • assist in the production of the Care Inspectorate statutory annual accounts
  • prepare financial reports
  • review monthly balance sheet reconciliations
  • compile information for financial or statistical returns
  • play a key role in ensuring resources are managed as efficiently and effectively as possible
  • train and develop finance and non-finance staff.
  • assist in other financial activities, such as monthly payroll and cashflow.

About you

To succeed in this role, you will ideally have the following: 

  • a degree level qualification
  • membership of the Association of Accounting Technicians or part qualification with a Committee of Consultative Accountancy Bodies (CCAB) or equivalent, or a commitment to work towards this.
  • strong financial management experience with the ability to generate, identify and interrogate financial data to support decision making.
  • strong analytical skills with the ability to analyse complex data, identify trends and make decisions based on findings.
  • be a strong communicator and be able to demonstrate your commitment to excellent customer service.
  • be able to work on your own initiative and with minimal supervision.
  • excellent problem solving and analytical skills.
  • be able to work flexibly as part of a team.
  • experience of line management including the training and development of team members.

Please note if you don’t meet the essential qualification criteria listed in the person specification, but feel you have relevant experience and would be willing to work towards achieving them, then we would welcome an application.

Next steps

You’ll find more information in the job profile and person specification below.

If you would like to have an informal chat regarding this role, please contact Dawn Johnston, Senior Accountant on tel: 01382 317977, or Gillian Berry, Accounting & Procurement Manager, on tel: 01382 207140 or via e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

If you believe that you are a suitable candidate for this post, please complete our online application form by 08:00 on Monday 30 September 2024.

We expect interviews to take place on 17 October at our Dundee office.

Downloads: 2177

Service Manager (early learning and childcare)

Published: 05 September 2024

Job title: Service Manager - Early Learning and Childcare

Salary: £35,730 (£71,460 FTE)

Hours: Part-time (10 days per 4-week period)

Location: Flexible (Any Care Inspectorate office)

Contract: Temporary for 18 months (with the possibility of further extension)


About us

We are the national regulator and scrutiny body responsible for providing assurance and protection for people who experience care services, their families, carers and the wider public, as well as supporting delivery partners to improve the quality of care for people in Scotland. Our vision is that people across Scotland experience high quality care that meets their needs, rights and choices.

We are a scrutiny body that supports improvement. We inspect individual care services and we also work with other scrutiny bodies to inspect the social care and social work services people are experiencing in their local areas.

Our desire is 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. We are moving towards an expectation that all staff will work collaboratively, within and across teams, in person, for approximately 40% of their working week.

About the role

Due to flexible retirement, we are looking to recruit a temporary part-time Service Manager to join our Early Learning & Childcare Team.

This role will oversee the work of Team Managers, who manage Inspectors to carry out scrutiny activity of early learning and childcare services including shared inspections with Education Scotland. Team Managers and Inspectors also play an important role in supporting quality assuring care services and providing professional advice to assist in developing the quality of service delivery. Acting as relationship managers, they provide support and challenge to local authorities, and providers of multiple services with the aim of supporting continuous improvement.

The successful candidate will manage projects and support the work of the directorate including overseeing the quality assurance of our scrutiny work. The role also involves liaison with external stakeholders, promoting the work of the organisation and contributing to national initiatives.

The role holder will be expected to support the Scrutiny and Assurance Directorate to ensure that the Care Inspectorate meets its responsibilities as defined by the Public Services Reform Act 2010 and other relevant legislation.

This senior role works with other leaders and colleagues to support significant cultural change, consolidate excellence in the Care Inspectorate’s activities and continue to invest in our competent, confident workforce in a way that puts collaboration at the core of our work.

About you

You will have significant experience in services for early learning and childcare and experience of scrutiny and assurance activity. You must be able to work well with colleagues to achieve shared aims, support innovation and make best use of resources. You will demonstrate the ability to provide leadership and direction to a diverse, multi-disciplinary team of professional staff and be highly effective in working creatively and collaboratively across organisational and professional boundaries.

Adept at challenging traditional thinking in a positive and constructive way, you will be an articulate and positive communicator, both verbally and in written form, with the ability to engage, influence and lead the development of a wide range of key stakeholder relationships, both internally and externally.

You will also be politically astute and demonstrate a broad knowledge of trends and relevant issues within health, social care, and education.

  • You will be educated to SCQF level 9 (e.g. degree, graduate diploma/certificate, etc.)
  • You will have a secondary Authorised Officer qualification - either PDA (Professional Development Award), RoCA (Regulation of Care Award), EFQM (European Foundation for Quality Management) or PSIF (Public Sector Improvement Framework)

We are looking for someone who has:

  • Proven track record of effective management and leadership of staff in the area of health, social care, or education.
  • Demonstrable experience of strategic planning and delivery of services and supporting and embedding sustainable business and transformational change.
  • Extensive experience of collaborative and values-based leadership including working with partners.

Next steps

You’ll find more information in the job profile and person specification.

If you would like more information or an informal chat about the role please contact the recruitment team in the first instance - please include a contact telephone number and times that would be best to reach you in your email.

If you believe that you are a suitable candidate for this post, please download and complete an application form and submit it by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 08:00 on Monday 23 September 2024.

It is anticipated that interviews will be held in the week commencing Monday 7 October.

Professional Registration Information

As a Service Manager you will support the Scrutiny & Assurance and Strategy & Improvement directorates 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 or the SSSC).

For SSSC registration, there is a specific registration category for Care Inspectorate Authorised Officers (AO). There will be two levels of AO registration (Primary AO and Secondary AO), and identification of types of work undertaken (Social Care and Children & Young People).

If you are a SSSC registrant, on appointment as a Service Manager you will be required to register with SSSC as a secondary AO under both types of work (Social Care and Children & Young People) or be registered with another appropriate registration body (NMC, GTCS, HCPC).

We would expect non-SSSC staff to hold or gain the appropriate AO qualification (in this case EFQM would be the minimum qualification).

Downloads: 1993

Total rewards package

Published: 03 April 2024

Recruitment banner total rewards package

We offer an excellent total rewards package - it’s 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.

Competitive salary

We offer competitive salaries for each job role with incremental pay progression for most roles. Salaries are reviewed annually and reward skills, qualifications and contributions to the Care Inspectorate’s success. New entrants will normally start on the minimum of the pay range.

Continuous service

Continuous service is recognised either where there are no breaks in service or if there is a break, it does not exceed 7 calendar days.

Continuous service is currently recognised with the following employers for the purpose of calculating statutory entitlements e.g. notice periods and redundancy entitlements: Local Authorities, National Health Service and all employers listed on the Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government, etc) (Modification) Order 1999 (as amended).

Continuous service with the following sectors in addition to the above, is currently recognised for the purposes of calculating entitlements to occupational sick pay, maternity leave and annual leave: further and higher education sector and the voluntary and private providers of the care sector.

Hours of work

We have a standard working week of 35 hours for all employees and managers and 40 hours for senior manager roles. Inspectors work 140 hours over each 4-week period.

Flexible working

We have several policies in place that support flexible working and time off when you need it, such as flexitime, flexible hours, carers leave and special leave.  Most of our people work flexibly and value how this supports their work-life balance. 

Our flexitime system gives you the flexibility to temporarily change your times of work each day to meet your personal requirements. You can use or accrue up to half a day as flexi on any day without requesting time off from your manager, further time off should be planned in discussion with your manager.

Hybrid working

You’ll be able to work from home and the office, as part of our hybrid working approach. Our desire is 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. We expect all staff to work in person for at least 40% of their working time. This is two days a week for those on a standard 35 or 40 hour contract.

Annual leave

You’ll receive a generous 37 days annual leave (after five years’ service) as well as six fixed public holidays. Also, our offices are closed over the Christmas period!

Family focussed

We have a family friendly policies in place including maternity, adoption and shared parental leave. We also aim to create a supportive working environment for carers in the workplace.

Wellbeing

Should you become ill or be unable to work due to an injury we will continue to pay sick pay for authorised periods of absence dependent on your level of service allowing you to focus on getting better.

We supply an employee assistance programme, supplying unlimited access to a range of specialist support and information on finances, relationships, health, legal and family care.

We also offer a wide range of wellbeing initiatives, including specialist webinars, counselling, and a listening service. 

Employee development

We are committed to the development and learning of all our staff. Everyone takes part in regular supervision through our LEAD (learn, experience, achieve and development) performance and development process. We provide training and support so you’ll be the best you can be and provide opportunities to learn, develop and share your skills and experience with others.

  • Secondments - Secondments help develop and nurture talent and help colleagues to reach their full potential. We offer three types of secondment opportunities: 1. Internal assignment, where existing Care Inspectorate employees undertake work for a fixed period that is not their usual job. 2. Incoming secondment, where a person comes from another organisation to fill a post. 3. Outgoing secondment, where a Care Inspectorate employee undertakes work for another organisation.
  • Career Breaks - Your circumstances may change, for a variety of reasons, and you may need to take time out or take up another development opportunity. Our Career Break Policy allows eligible employees to take an unpaid break, of between six months and two years. Our career break scheme enables employees to take an extended period of unpaid leave and provides a guaranteed return to work later.

Travel expenses

We have access to a nationwide network of offices. Where your role includes travel, you will be able to claim up to 45 per mile (per the policy) and subsistence allowances where you must stay overnight. Overnight stays and public transport bookings (which are preferable) can be made and paid in advance by the organisation.

Saving schemes

My Lifestyle provides our cycle to work and childcare voucher schemes along with discounts to a huge range of retailers including supermarkets, restaurants, holiday operators, cinemas and much more.

All staff can claim a financial contribution of up to £70 towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses where needed for Display Screen Equipment (DSE) purposes.

There is also access to credit union membership (a community loans and savings organisation, an alternative to a high street bank usually with helpful terms).  

Pension

We offer a defined benefit pension scheme (CARE) on a career average basis. 

The scheme is administered on our behalf by the Tayside Pension Fund where you will find full details of the scheme and how benefits are calculated.

Flexible retirement

If you are age 55 (or over) and you have at least 2 years membership with the Tayside Pension Fund you can request flexible retirement. This is a choice where you can access all, or a proportion of your pension earned to date but at the same time as receiving your pension you can continue working for the Care Inspectorate. Flexible retirement is an attractive way it can help with work life balance and the transition into full retirement.

To qualify you must reduce your working hours and/or grade to the extent that your revised salary is no more than 80% of your current salary.

Downloads: 1960

Person specification

Published: 23 April 2024

Job title: Human Resources Adviser

Attributes

Essential

Desirable

Experience

  • Significant Human Resources (HR) generalist experience, with proven experience of managing complex employee relations matters.
  • Extensive working knowledge of employment legislation and its practical application.
  • Previous experience of restructuring and change management.
  • Demonstrable experience of developing and updating people management policies and procedures.
  • Previous experience of designing and delivering HR related training for staff at all levels.
  • Previous experience producing high quality written work including policies, procedures and meeting invite and outcome letters.
  • Previous experience working in the Care sector.

Education, qualifications and training

  • Hold a degree or similar equivalent qualification to a minimum of Level 9 of the SCQF Framework along with proven experience held in an HR Adviser/Business Partner roles.
  • Member of the CIPD
  • Relevant management qualification
  • Coaching qualification/experience
  • Mediation qualification/ experience
 

Skills and knowledge

  • Ability to build effective working relationships with stakeholders at all levels across the organisation.
  • Demonstratable interpersonal, communication and influencing skills.
  • Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
  • Strong problem-solving skills with an ability to implement solutions
  • Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
  • Detail-orientated with strong organisational and time management skills. An ability to evidence working under pressure and meeting deadlines.
  • Proficiency in MS Office and HRIS systems.
  • Experience of working collaboratively with trade union representatives.

Key performance outcomes

Essential

Desirable

Effective communication

  • Demonstrate clear and concise verbal and written communication skills.
  • Ability to select appropriate communication style and methods depending on the needs and abilities of the audience.
  • Empathy and sensitivity in dealing with employee issues

Partnership working

  • Respect others, recognise and value difference and diversity and be aware of the impact of your views on others.
  • Ability to quickly build rapport and collaborative working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Team working

  • Ability to contribute to and support the work and decisions of the team.
  • Ability to work co-operatively and supportively with others. 

Objective decision making

  • Demonstrate analytical and systematic approach to problem solving.
  • Ability to make appropriate and realistic judgements based on professional expertise, relevant, up-to-date and verifiable information.
  • Ability to act consistently with the Care Inspectorate values to achieve the desired outcomes.
  • Ability to analyse complex information.

Planning and organising

  • Ability to plan and deliver own workload effectively in the short, medium and long term.
  • Able to prioritise effectively and achieve deadlines in a changing environment.
  • Demonstrate initiative, drive and determination to complete tasks and achieve objectives.
  • Ability to show initiative and work without close supervision.
  • Proactive and solution-orientated

Understands and uses appropriate methods and tools to meet targets.

 

Please note – these are key performance outcomes to be used to recruit into the role. Successful applicants will be assessed against all the performance indicators used in the Performance Development Review System once established in the role.

Downloads: 1815

Solicitor

Published: 21 February 2022

Salary: £42,954 - £47,505 pro rata

Location: Flexible

Hours: 21 hours per week

Contract:     Temporary until 20 February 2024


About us

We are the national regulator and scrutiny body responsible for providing assurance and protection for people who experience care services, their families, carers and the wider public, as well as supporting delivery partners to improve the quality of care for people in Scotland. Our vision is that people across Scotland experience high quality care that meets their needs, rights and choices.

We are a scrutiny body that supports improvement. We inspect individual care services and we also work with other scrutiny bodies to inspect the social care and social work services people are experiencing in their local areas.

About the role

Reporting to the Head of Legal Services, you will have the opportunity to play an influential role in the regulation and improvement of care services. You will provide legal advice to operational staff within the Care Inspectorate. You will provide legal support for a wide range of team based corporate projects and contribute to the development of policy and guidance. You will also undertake some appearance work, representing the Care Inspectorate at Court hearings and inquiries.

About you

The ideal candidate will be confident, articulate and have excellent communication skills. You will have at least 2 years’ post qualifying experience but could be an experienced solicitor interested in a challenging and varied post. You should have Sheriff Court experience, preferably in relation to statutory licensing or regulatory matters and you will hold, or be entitled to hold, a full Practising Certificate issued by the Law Society of Scotland.

To apply

You’ll find more information in the:

For an informal chat about the role please contact Kenneth McClure, Head of Legal Services on 07979 060716 or email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

If you believe that your expertise and motivation make you suitable for this post, please download and complete an Application Form (and an equalities monitoring form where you are an external applicant) and return by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  by no later than 8am on Monday 14 November 2022.

 

Downloads: 1700

Job profile

Published: 23 April 2024

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.

Downloads: 1563

Subcategories

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.