Job detail for Policy Support Officer

This is an Expression of Interest (EOI) opportunity, available on a lateral move basis only. Applications are open to Core Scottish Government employees only**.**

Job Title - Policy Support Officer

Business Area/Directorate - School Age Childcare Division, Directorate for Children and Families

Location - This is a location neutral post, with a base at either VQ or AQ.

Working Arrangement – Staff in roles compatible with hybrid working should aim to spend 40% of their contracted working time working in person at their contractual workplace. More information can be found within Hybrid Working Policy

Grade- B2

Advert type-Level Transfer

Duration- Permanent

Eligibility- Expressions of interest are invited from substantive colleagues on level transfer from core SG only.

**Sponsorship:**Skilled Worker sponsorship is not available for this role. As a result, we are unable to appoint candidates who require Skilled Worker sponsorship now or in the future. Applicants must have an existing and ongoing right to work in the UK.

Overview

The Scottish Government is committed to designing and delivering a system of school age childcare, providing care before and after school and during the holidays. School age childcare comprises breakfast clubs, after school clubs and holiday clubs which provide opportunities for children to experience a range of activities and supports and also provides parents and carers with opportunities to work, train and study. A well designed and implemented school age childcare system has the potential to make a significant contribution to meeting our child poverty targets by supporting more parents to enter or to sustain employment and by reducing household costs.

This post sits in the IASG Unit, which is taking forward 4 critical projects for the SACC Programme: Regulation, Access to Childcare Fund (ACF), Activities and Benefits Maximisation. This post will support the Activities project with the post holder taking a key role to support their line manager and Team Leader with managing the Extra Time Programme, which is a joint initiative with the Scottish Football Association, and well as taking forward and contributing to wider policy development of the project. The post holder will also provide effective line management to the B1 policy officer located the Activities Team.   The post holder will have strong interpersonal and communication skills; have policy development experience, in addition to having a proven track record in grant management. The post holder will be proactive and use their initiative to manage competing priorities, and they will have experience in developing and maintaining relationships with internal/external stakeholders.

The Improving Access and Sector Growth Unit (IASG) is one of 3 units in the School Age Childcare Division focussed on developing School Age Childcare policy currently situated in the Directorate for Children and Families (DCAF). The unit consists of a C2 Unit Head, 2 C1 Team Leaders, 3 B3 Senior Policy Officers, 2 B2 Policy Officers (including this post) and a B1 Policy Support Officer.

**Key **

This post provides a great opportunity to work in a dynamic and high-profile area linking with other policy areas including tackling child poverty, fair work and employability, education and play. The role will predominantly lead and support the Extra Time Programme as well as providing supporting policy development for the wider Activities project.

Key for this post will include:

• Lead on the Extra Time grant management and finance functions, including: drafting grant offer letters, leading and analysing quarterly and biannual reports; monitoring claim forms; approving payments through Oracle.

• Develop strong relationships with relevant external and internal stakeholders to progress policy development and delivery. This will Include working closely with the SFA project team and the SFA’s external evaluators to help shape and support the Monitoring and Evaluation of the Programme.

• Contribute and offer support to ensure project reporting and governance is kept up to date to ensure key policy objectives and milestones are tracked and managed.

• Prepare briefings, working with colleagues across the Division (including cross-policy portfolios where applicable) to ensure accurate and comprehensive information is provided to Ministers.

• Prepare high quality responses to correspondence including Ministerial responses, commissions, FMQs, Parliamentary Questions and FOIs.

• Have experience of providing high quality support to Ministers at meetings and events.

• Provide effective line management to the B1 policy officer, actively encouraging and supporting them to develop and grow their strengths and skills.

Success Profile

Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of behaviours, experience and technical criteria (if applicable) that candidates will be assessed on.

Experience:

• Applicants should have strong organisation and prioritisation skills, evidencing an ability to work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders

• demonstrate strong skills and experience of grant management, including a good awareness of Finance procedures.

• Previous line management experience would also be beneficial.

Behaviours:

• • Communicating and Influencing (level 3)
• • Managing a quality service (level 3)
• • Making Effective Decisions (level 3)
• • Developing self and others (level 3)
• • Delivering at Pace (level 3)

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours, here: Behaviour levels - Success profiles: candidate guide

Working Pattern

This post is a full-time role, but we welcome applications from staff with different working patterns, proposed working patterns will be assessed against the business requirements for this post.

Our standard hours are 35 hours per week and we offer a range of flexible working options depending on the needs of the role, including Flexi-leave. Scottish Government staff in hybrid-compatible roles should aim to work in-person 40% of the time, either in an office or other agreed work location. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us.

Further Information

Applicants must discuss their intention to apply with their current line manager.

Further information about this opportunity is available from susan.wallace@gov.scot.

How to Apply

Please submit an Expression of Interest (maximum 750 words) outlining your suitability for the role, relevant skills and experience, and what you would bring to the team. Please align this to how you meet the behaviours, experience and technical skills listed in the Success Profile above.

Vacancies close at 23:59pm on Monday 28 September.

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 ourcandidate guidance for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment.

If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an informal discussion.

Discussions are scheduled for w/c TBC.

Recruitment Principles

As a government organisation, we adhere to the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles and we investigate any complaints received in relation to recruitment cases.

About us

The Scottish Government is the devolved government for Scotland. We have responsibility for a wide range of key policy areas including: education, health, the economy, justice, housing and transport. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles.

Our staff are part of the UK Civil Service observing the Civil Service Codeand working for Ministers and senior stakeholders to deliver vital public services which improve the lives of the people of Scotland.

We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer

As part of the UK Civil Service, we uphold the Civil Service Nationality Rules.

Security checks

Successful candidates must complete the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), before they can be appointed. BPSS is comprised of four main pre-employment checks – Identity, Right to work, Employment History and a Criminal Record check (unspent convictions).

You can find out more about BPSS on the UK Government website, or read about the different levels of security checks in ourCandidate Guide.

Equality statement

We are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.

Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them.

Further information

Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on ourCareers Website.

Read ourCandidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.

Apply before: 28/09/2026 (23:59). This role is open to substantive B2 staff from core SG only.