About The Role

This post is for a Senior Public Service Reform Lead within the Business Strategy and Public Service Reform Unit within Social Security Scotland’s Organisational Strategy and Performance division. The successful candidate will play a critical leadership role in shaping, driving, and overseeing a complex portfolio of reforms aimed at modernising public services and improving outcomes for citizens. This role is accountable for leading multi-disciplinary teams, managing large-scale programmes, and ensuring strategic alignment across the reform agenda.

You will work closely with senior stakeholders across government, partner organisations, and delivery bodies to secure commitment, mobilise action, and ensure sustained progress. This position requires strong strategic thinking, delivery expertise, and the ability to influence and collaborate in highly complex environments.

Our work is cross-cutting, complex and high profile so the successful candidate will need to demonstrate a proven track record of delivering impressive results in a challenging environment.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

Lead the development and iteration of a multi-year public sector reform portfolio strategy, ensuring alignment with departmental priorities and wider government objectives.
Provide clear direction and thought leadership on reform opportunities, delivery models, and transformation approaches.

Portfolio & Programme Management

Own the effective governance, performance, and risk management of the reform portfolio, ensuring programmes deliver measurable benefits.
Oversee programme design, mobilisation, and delivery, ensuring robust planning, resource allocation, and assurance mechanisms.
Lead the identification, tracking, and realisation of benefits across multiple programmes.

Stakeholder Engagement & Influence

Build trusted relationships with senior leaders, delivery agencies, and cross-government partners.
Communicate complex reform proposals clearly to a range of audiences, including boards and executive groups.
Facilitate consensus-building and drive decision-making in ambiguous or politically sensitive environments.

Leadership & Team Development

Lead senior leaders and the wider organisation to enable the coordination of the Public Service Reform Portfolio, being the key point of contacts and driving dependencies across business areas.
Drive capability-building across the portfolio in programme delivery, change management, strategy, and analytical excellence.

Insight, Analysis & Assurance

Commission and interpret analytical insights, performance data, and evaluation to inform strategic decisions and ensure evidence-based policy making.
Ensure programmes meet quality standards and respond proactively to emerging risks, dependencies, and delivery challenges.

Change Leadership

Champion innovative approaches to reform, digital transformation, person-centred design, and operational improvement.
Drive adoption of new ways of working across the organisation, supporting leaders and teams through significant change.

Success Profiles

We use an assessment framework called ‘Success Profiles’ which lists the elements we test and provides detailed descriptions of each. Find out more about the framework here .

For this opportunity, the following Success Profile elements will be assessed

Experience

Extensive leadership experience owning complex organisational change initiatives that require strategic planning, data-driven decision-making, and the management of diverse stakeholder interests.
Proven ability to develop and sustain high-level strategic partnerships, negotiate effectively, and influence across organisational and sector boundaries to achieve shared goals.

Technical / Professional Skills

Operational Leadership and Management – Level: Expert
Data and Insight – Level: Expert
Deliver and Decision Making at Pace – Level: Expert

You can find out more about the skills required, here: ODP Competency framework | SSS - Social Security Scotland

How to Apply

Please apply online, providing a Supporting Statement (of no more than 750 words) providing evidence of how you demonstrate the Success Profiles noted above.

Please note that a CV is not required for this opportunity.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application, but all statements and examples provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

Please see our candidate guidance for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment.

If you are interested in this opportunity, you should seek permission from your manager and C-band manager before applying on a level transfer (TLT) basis. If applying on Temporary Promotion you should inform your manager and C-band manager from the outset of your intention to apply. If successful in your application, your release must be agreed by your line manager and C-band manager or relevant unit head.

Please note that the post is only open to individuals who have satisfactorily completed their probationary period.

Dates to Remember

Statement submitted by: Thursday 3rd September at 5pm.
Informal chats: week commencing 14th or 21st September (This may be subject to change)

Duration of Temporary Opportunity

This opportunity is for a period of 12 Months.

Hybrid Working

Our standard hours are 35 hours per week, and we offer a range of flexible working options, depending on the needs of the role. We embrace a hybrid working style where all colleagues will spend time in either our Glasgow or Dundee offices. There is an expectation of a minimum 2 days per week in your assigned location.

Further Information

This role is only available to existing permanent civil servants who have successfully completed their probation period within Social Security Scotland, Scottish Government Main or Common Citizenship organisations. Please note that applicants from Common Citizenship organisations may apply only on a promotion basis and not via a level transfer.

Social Security Scotland are a Disability Confident Employer. We will consider and implement any reasonable adjustments you may require throughout the recruitment process and during the course of your employment, should you be successful in securing a post. If you feel you may require assistance with any part of our recruitment process, please contact us at [email hidden]

If you experience any difficulties accessing our website or completing the online application form, please contact the Resourcing Team via [email hidden]

If you have any questions about the role please contact Sheryne Christie at [email hidden]