Communications Manager
Job title: Communications Manager
Salary: £49,227 to £54,441
Hours: 35 hours per week
Location: Flexible (Any Care Inspectorate office)
Contract: Permanent
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
This exciting opportunity has become available due to the retirement of the existing post holder. Your role will be to support the Care Inspectorate on the direction, delivery and implementation of the communications strategy of the Care Inspectorate - alongside the Media Manager, Strategic Communications Adviser and other members of the communications and policy team - and to implement innovative communication methods which ensure all stakeholders are kept well informed and support new media development.
About you
You will be educated to degree level or equivalent and have proven communications experience at all levels across an organisation and experience of line management of staff. You should possess a comprehensive understanding of various communication strategies and techniques. For success in this role, you should possess exceptional interpersonal skills and have the ability to collaborate effectively with internal teams and external 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 Lisa Rooke (Head of Corporate Policy & Communication) 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 equal opportunities form and submit it by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 8:00 on Monday 29 April 2024. Assessment and interviews are expected to be after 8 May 2024.
Our recruitment process
How we recruit
How we recruit inspectors
How we recruit inspectors
We are currently recruiting inspectors for adult services and early learning and childcare servies. Find out more from the job adverts here.
How we recruit inspectors
Our inspector recruitment process also follows the same model as our other roles with the addition of a two-step selection stage, detailed below.
Selection assessment 1
If you’re shortlisted, we’ll invite you to complete our online selection assessment. This is a written exercise designed to test your potential to be an inspector.
Selection assessment 2
If you successfully complete the online assessment, you’ll be invited to attend an interview and to speak to your written exercise response on how you would give feedback.
If you’re successful at this stage, we’ll let you know and confirm next steps. 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.
For more information about our talent pool please see the FAQs below.
FAQs about inspector recruitment
What qualifications do I need to become an inspector?
To become an inspector, you must be registered with, or able to register, and hold a qualification that meets the registration requirements of one of these regulatory bodies:
- Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)
- General Teaching Council (Scotland) (GTC)
- Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
- General Medical Council (GMC) Health and Care Professions Council (applies to the following roles only: occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists and practitioner psychologists)
- Other equivalent professional bodies for the UK nations
Inspectors eligible to apply for registration with the SSSC must hold a suitable practice qualification at SCQF level 9. For more information on the list of suitable qualifications please see the section below.
Inspectors must also hold or undertake one of these appropriate regulator's awards:
- Regulation of Care Award
- PDA Scrutiny and Improvement Practice (Social Services) SCQF level 10
Qualifications that meet the Scottish Social Service Council’s (SSSC) registration requirements
SCSWIS authorised officer – Care Inspectorate inspector (primary and secondary officer)
There are two qualification requirements
1. Practice
2. Regulatory
Practice qualifications
BA Childhood Practice
Postgraduate Diploma in Childhood Practice
BA Social Pedagogy (University of Aberdeen)
BA (Hons) Social Work (or equivalent)
PDA Childhood Practice at SCQF Level 9
SVQ Social Services and Healthcare at SCQF Level 9
SVQ Social Services (Children and Young People) at SCQF Level 9
Regulatory qualifications
PDA Scrutiny and Improvement Practice (Social Services)
Regulation of Care Award (ROCA)
European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM)
Practice qualifications we also accept
SVQ 4 Children's Care Learning and Development at SCQF Level 9
SVQ 4 Health and Social Care at SCQF Level 9
Qualification meeting requirements of other regulatory bodies (practice requirement)
A qualification meeting the registration requirements for the following professional groups regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council:
• occupational therapists
• physiotherapists
• speech and language therapists
• practitioner psychologists.
A qualification meeting the registration requirements of the General Teaching Council (Scotland), Nursing and Midwifery Council or the General Medical Council
Degree/Diploma in Community Education as recognised by the Standards Council for Community Learning and Development for Scotland Approvals Committee
Qualifications which are no longer available, but we continue to accept (regulatory requirement)
Public Service Improvement Framework (PSIF)
If you have not found the information you need about your qualification and SSSC registration, please contact the SSSC using the web form on their contact us page.
What experience do I need to become an inspector
To become an inspector, we need you to have senior professional experience, expertise and knowledge of adult social care or health care, early learning and childcare or children and young people sectors.
You should also have experience of lead responsibility for complex professional practice through case management, managing people, projects or resources. We welcome applications from candidates with these professional backgrounds.
What support will I get to maintain my professional registration?
Maintaining your registration with your professional body is a core requirement for all inspectors. To support this, we’ll provide you with access to a range of learning activities for your continuing professional and personal development. Our learning management system automatically records all of your learning and we’ll support your re-validation with your professional body. You’ll also participate in regular supervision and peer learning activities through our LEAD (learn, experience, achieve and development) performance and development process.
All inspectors are also expected to undertake our Professional Development Award in Scrutiny and Improvement (Social Services) at SCQF level 10.
What is the salary and grade for the role of inspector?
The role is on an Inspector grade 7. Starting salaries are non-negotiable and all new staff start on the grade minimum for their role. Please see the current starting salary on the advert for the current recruitment campaign.
Following six months service, you will receive an annual increment on 1 April each year until you reach the top of the grade.
How much flexibility is there in terms of working hours and location?
Our inspectors work flexibly and you’ll work 140 hours over each four week period. This equates to 35 hours per week.
We have offices across Scotland and we support a range of flexible working arrangements including homeworking and hybrid working.
Once I apply, how long will it be before my application is considered?
We accept applications from prospective inspectors all throughout the year. We have two recruitment periods each year and your application will be considered during the next recruitment period, following your application submission.
How long does the selection process take?
Our selection process is based on a two-stage assessment. Depending on the volume of applications we receive, we aim to complete each recruitment period within three months of the adverts closing date. Our recruitment team will communicate regularly throughout the recruitment period to ensure you’re up to date on the status of your application and you have all of the information you need to participate in our selection process.
What happens after I've been offered a role?
We’ll carry out pre-employment checks so we can confirm your offer of employment. These include:
- proof of ID / right to work in the UK
- two successful references, where one is from your current or most recent employer
- a PVG check
- occupational health questionnaire and referrals where appropriate
- registration and qualifications check
Once all checks are complete, we’ll agree a start date and formally confirm your offer of employment by providing you with a contract outlining your terms and conditions.
I've been invited to join the inspector talent pool. What does this mean?
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.
Our talent pool is our bank of candidates who have successfully completed the inspector selection process and are available to be appointed to suitable vacancies, based on their specialism and location.
As a member of our talent pool, you’ll be a valued candidate and we’ll:
- monitor and identify suitable vacancies that we can offer you based on your specialism and location
- share regular updates about our vacancies, recruitment plans and other relevant Care Inspectorate news.
You don’t need to reapply for future inspector vacancies for up to two years.
Unfortunately, depending on our vacancies, we may not always be in a position to offer a role to all talent pool candidates.
If you would like to chat to us about our recruitment process or a particular job, please get in touch with our HR team at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
How we recruit
How we recruit
Our recruitment process is based on a five-stage model designed to give you the best opportunity to demonstrate your experience and skills.
Stage 1: Apply
If you meet the minimum criteria for the job role, apply as per the method described on the advert. This could be to complete our application form or to submit your CV and personal statement and/or to include a cover letter. If you are an external candidate we will also ask you to complete our equal opportunities form. We’ll send you an automatic email to confirm we’ve received your application.
Where a person specification asks for an appropriate professional qualification as an essential requirement for the role, we are asking for a qualification in addition to the qualifying educational qualification for the role. For example, a postgraduate course, a leadership or quality management qualification or another qualification relevant to the job role.
To assist us to monitor the effectiveness of our equality and diversity practices, we would encourage you to complete our equal opportunities monitoring form as part of our application process.
Application Form Tips
CV Guidance for Applicants
Cover Letter Guidance for Applicants
Personal Statement Guidance for Applicants
Stage 2: Shortlist
We’ll review your application against the person specification and shortlist it against the qualification, experience, skill and competency requirements for the role. If you meet our essential criteria and are eligible through either of our guaranteed interview schemes we’ll automatically shortlist you.
Stage 3: Interview, assessment and selection
If you’re shortlisted, we’ll invite you to attend an interview and other skills assessments relevant to the role. If you’re successful we’ll let you know that you’re the preferred candidate.
Stage 4: Selection and conditional offer of employment
As the preferred candidate, we’ll send you a conditional offer of employment setting out your main terms and conditions of employment. Your conditional offer will be subject to pre-employment checks and satisfactory references.
Stage 5: Pre-employment checks and confirmed offer of employment
We’ll carry out pre-employment checks so we can confirm your offer of employment. These include:
- proof of ID / right to work in the UK
- two successful references, where one is from your current or most recent employer
- a standard disclosure check
- occupational health questionnaire and referrals, where appropriate
- registration and qualifications check, where relevant.
Once all checks are complete, we’ll agree a start date and formally confirm your offer of employment by providing you with a contract outlining your terms and conditions.
How we recruit inspectors
Our inspector recruitment process also follows the same model with the addition of a two-step selection stage.
Selection assessment 1
If you’re shortlisted, we’ll invite you to complete our online selection assessment. This is a written exercise designed to test your potential to be an inspector.
Selection assessment 2
If you successfully complete the online assessment, you’ll be invited to attend an interview and complete an exercise.
If you’re successful at this stage, we’ll let you know and confirm next steps. 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.
For more information about our talent pool please see the FAQs here.
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.
Person specification
Attributes |
Essential |
Desirable |
Experience |
|
Experience of collaborative/ partnership working.
|
Education, qualifications and training |
|
3 Higher Grades or equivalent. HNC or equivalent. |
Skills and knowledge |
|
Understanding of project management
|
Key performance outcomes |
Essential |
Desirable |
Leading others |
|
Demonstrates experience of delivering change and improvement at an operational level. |
Management of resources |
|
|
Effective communication |
|
Good public speaking skills with ability to represent the Care Inspectorate at conferences, events.
|
Impact and influence |
|
Ability to take account of wider political and organisational sensitivities to deliver strategic objectives. |
Objective decision making |
|
|
Job profile
Job title: Planning Manager
Responsible for: Planning Co-ordinator
Principal working contacts
- Executive Director of Scrutiny and Assurance
- Chief Inspectors
- Service Managers
- Team Managers
- Strategic Inspectors
- Inspectors
- Business Support staff
- Managers and employees of the Care Inspectorate
- External agencies/service providers/service users and carers
- Education Scotland
Job purpose
To manage and co-ordinate the delivery of national inspection planning across a wide range of social care services and services for children and adults to ensure that the Care Inspectorate makes the best use of its resources and performs effectively and efficiently as an independent scrutiny and improvement body.
Key responsibilities
Strategic management
- In conjunction with the Chief Inspector, develop and manage systems and processes to support effective national inspection planning in order to meet corporate aims and objectives.
- Build and maintain effective partnerships with Education Scotland, Healthcare Improvement Scotland and other scrutiny and improvement partners to support effective and efficient joint inspection planning.
- In conjunction with the Chief Inspector develop and deliver strategies, action plans and targets for inspection planning in support of corporate aims and objectives.
Operational management
- Manage and co-ordinate the effective and efficient delivery of scrutiny and improvement planning activity.
- Manage and maintain scrutiny plans for the current year and draft plans for subsequent years, ensuring inspection planning activities are consistent with the Care Inspectorate’s objectives and targets.
- Ensure that the provision of the inspection and capacity planning information is accurate, up-to-date and reliable for managers and staff throughout the organisation to support the planning and delivery of the Care Inspectorate’s scrutiny and improvement functions.
- Plan and execute the strategic objectives for inspection planning systematically in alignment with the Care Inspectorate’s business objectives.
- Promote continuous improvement in all aspects of inspection and capacity planning, including quality assurance and consistency of practice.
- Participate in the recruitment and selection of staff as required.
- Prepare and present reports to the Chief Inspector, Executive Director of Scrutiny and Assurance or Executive Team as required.
- Deputise for the Chief Inspector and undertake such other duties as may be required by the Executive Director of Scrutiny and Assurance.
People management
- Lead and manage a team, ensuring that they work effectively and efficiently to meet the aims, objectives and targets of Care Inspectorate.
- Provide advice, guidance and support to team members through regular one-to-one supervision, performance development reviews and personal development plans to ensure continuous improvement in their work and support their personal and professional development.
- Coordinate and monitor administrative support to the team
- Promote consistent, high quality practice amongst team members, manage their performance and monitor their standards and behaviour.
- Promote the health, safety and welfare of staff in accordance with Care Inspectorate policies, procedures and guidance.
- Promote diversity and equality of opportunity, ensuring that these principles are upheld across all areas of work.
Relationship management
- As a manager, model corporate behaviour and demonstrate a strong commitment to organisational values.
- Develop effective working relationships within the team and with managers and staff across the organisation ensuring effective collaborative and cross-directorate working.
- Develop and maintain effective working relationships with partner scrutiny and improvement bodies and other key stakeholders.
- Contribute to the continuous development of the Care Inspectorate and manage change effectively and creatively.
- Promote the work of the Care Inspectorate and raise aware of its work in a positive manner.
- Ensure effective working protocols in accordance with the Care Inspectorate’s Communications, Human Resources, Finance, IT and Operations function.
- Demonstrate a commitment to the Care Inspectorate’s aims, vision and values and to the Care Inspectorate’s overall objective of improving care in Scotland.
- Ensure effective communication of the Care Inspectorate’s work with people who use care services, carers, relatives and advocates.
Other duties
This job may require some travel and may involve some overnight stays and unsocial hours.
This job description is a broad picture of the post at the date of preparation. It is not an exhaustive list of all possible duties and it is recognised that jobs change and evolve over time. Consequently, the post holder will be required to carry out any other duties to the equivalent level that are necessary to fulfil the purpose of the job, and to respond positively to changing business needs.
Planning Manager
Job title: Planning Manager
Salary: £38,553 - £42,597
Hours: 35 hours per week
Location: Flexible (Any Care Inspectorate office)
Contract: Temporary for up to 12 months
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 a period of absence a temporary vacancy has arisen within our planning team. In this demanding and challenging role, reporting to the head of business change, you will manage and co-ordinate the delivery of national inspection planning across a wide range of social care services and services for children and adults to ensure that the Care Inspectorate makes the best use of its resources and performs effectively and efficiently as an independent scrutiny and improvement body. This will include the management, co-ordination of inspection activities and national and team plans for the current year and draft plans for subsequent years, ensuring inspection planning activities are consistent with the Care Inspectorate’s objectives and targets.
About you
The successful applicant will have an operational background in planning activities, and system and processes, together with workload planning and prioritisation.
You will be educated to standard grade level and hold a relevant HNC qualification. You will have excellent communication skills and be able to demonstrate a broad level of knowledge of working within inspection/regulation of care and associated IT systems alongside the ability to translate plans into action.
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 Deborah Holyroyd 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 equal opportunities 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 22 April 2024.
It is anticipated that interviews will be held no sooner than Wednesday 24 April at our Stirling office.
Applications Manager
Job title: Applications Manager
Location: Flexible - Any Care Inspectorate office
Salary: £55,530 - £61,314
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.
Starting salary
Please bear in mind that new entrants start on the grade minimum for the role. However, we have a generous benefits package which you will find on our website.
About the role
The Applications Manager is a hands-on role, leading a multi-disciplinary team to deliver the planning, software development, integrations, implementation, release and on-going support of our applications, with a support model that ensures the delivery of service standards to agreed service levels, and leading the development of digital standards through continual service improvement.
About you
You will be educated to SCQF level 9 (e.g. IT degree or graduate qualification in a Software Engineering or related field), with work experience of leading digital/software development in medium-to-large-scale public sector projects. Also, you will be familiar with cloud-based application and development platforms.
You will be able to evidence experience of:
- Strong technical expertise in application development, coupled with a comprehensive grasp of computer systems and databases.
- Possess analytical skills to identify and troubleshoot issues, utilizing problem-solving abilities to find solutions and determine root causes designing, building and delivering working solutions to meet customer needs.
- Leading software development and application support teams
- High attention to detail and accuracy with excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills across all levels in an organisation
- Ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment to deliver effective outcomes/targets on time.
- A range of application development technologies.
- Formal Project Management methodologies (for example Agile, Prince2, etc.).
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 Graeme Ferguson 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 your skills, experience and motivation make you a suitable candidate for this post, please download and complete an application form, and an equal opportunities form along with a cover letter 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 21 October
It is anticipated that interviews will be held during the week commencing 4 November 2024 at a suitable Care Inspectorate office location.
Tester
Role: Tester
Location: Flexible (any Care Inspectorate office)
Salary: £40,608 - £43,962
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 a minimum number of days each week.
About the role
Our vision for IT and Digital Transformation is: Our stakeholders have access to the digital services they need to enable them to improve care service outcomes for every person in the community in Scotland. We are looking to recruit a number of roles that can support our organisation's business applications, working within a dedicated IT and transformation team.
We want your skills to help us develop and enhance our existing services which support operational colleagues. This is an exciting time as we aim to develop and enhance these existing services through and blended agile and traditional approach to delivery. When you join us in this important role you’ll support the Digital Transformation team by contributing towards the overall planning, control and delivery of testing, test data, resources and tools. For example, you might work on the review of observation records, monitor the status and resolution of any defects raised, manage test coverage and traceability, and contribute to test readiness reviews. You’ll also oversee the delivery of end-to-end test plans, managing all activities in the plans to ensure that the acceptance criteria of new feature development is of the highest quality.
This is an exciting opportunity to work with a great team delivering digital services which will improve how we support scrutiny, assurance and improvement for people who experience care in Scotland.
About you
You will have strong exploratory testing experience using test charters to focus test sessions. You will also have experience of testing web applications including aspects such as SQL skills, automated testing, multi-browser, accessibility, regression and usability testing.
You will be educated to degree level or hold equivalent relevant experience. You will also have strong analytical and trouble shooting skills, excellent communication skills and the ability to work under pressure and meet targets.
We are looking for the right candidate who is Scotland based due to collaboration and wellbeing support as part of the delivery process.
Next steps
You’ll find more information in the job profile and person specification.
For an informal discussion, please contact Stuart MacKenzie, Head of Transformation, by email in the first instance 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 download and complete an application form and equal opportunities 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 29 January 2024.
It is anticipated that interviews will take place at our Stirling office no sooner than Tuesday 6 February.
About Us
Inspector - Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) (0)
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.