Chief Executive of Education Scotland

The Scottish Government; Glasgow; On-site; GBP 111,000 - 122,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading public body in education is seeking a dynamic Chief Executive to transform Scottish education. This role requires a visionary leader to drive systemic change, ensure effective resource management, and collaborate with stakeholders. The ideal candidate has a strong track record in education leadership, cultural transformation, and political acuity, with responsibilities including strategic direction and team management. The position is based in Glasgow, offering a competitive salary and a commitment to educational equity.

Benefits

Employer contribution to pension scheme

Flexible working options

Supportive working environment

Qualifications

• Proven track record of delivering system level improvements in education.
• Experience in transformational change with sound judgement.
• Experience at board or senior level in complex organizations.

Responsibilities

• Lead and reshape the organization as Chief Executive.
• Inspire a vision for future Scottish education and support systemic change.
• Ensure effective use of public finances as Accountable Officer.
• Develop partnerships to enhance educational capabilities and outcomes.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic insight

Stakeholder collaboration

Political acuity

Cultural transformation

Job description

Education Scotland has an excellent opportunity for a new Chief Executive to lead the continued transformation of the agency and create lasting change for learners and educators.

As Chief Executive Officer, you will provide exceptional national and organisational leadership and strategic direction to reshape the organisation into an increasingly confident, respected and influential public body that is ready to deliver for the future of Scottish education, with a primary focus on the curriculum.

Building trust and working collaboratively with partners and senior stakeholders across the education system, you will advise on complex issues in areas of strong public, media and political interest to deliver cultural and system level change that has a tangible and lasting impact for learners.

If you are a dynamic and visionary leader who combines strategic insight and a proven track record of delivery alongside a genuine passion for equity and excellence in education - this is your chance to make a real difference.

Responsibilities

• Inspire and articulate a compelling vision for the future of Scottish education, galvanising stakeholders across the system to embrace innovation, equity, and excellence.
• Deliver cultural and system level change, through transforming the work and approach of Education Scotland, to refocus resources efficiently on its primary responsibility for leading curriculum design, improvement and innovation in Scotland.
• Provide system wide strategic leadership for Scottish education, with a particular focus on curriculum, developing organisational capability, and building strategic partnerships to deliver long‑term improvement.
• Make the organisation's contribution to national support for improvement in Scottish education more effective, in line with the Scottish Government’s wider education reform commitments, including a collaborative approach to digital transformation across the education system.
• Develop and implement a sustainable financial model for the agency, and as Accountable Officer, be personally answerable to the Scottish Parliament on the propriety, regularity, and efficient use of public finances, ensuring resources are used economically, efficiently and effectively.
• Set the strategic direction for the organisation, lead and manage the Senior Leadership Team, challenging, motivating and empowering them to attain ambitious outcomes and ensure collective and consistent delivery of the Corporate Plan.

Success Profile

It is essential that you can provide evidence in your application of the professional experience and skills required for this role. In addition, candidates applying for roles with the government agencies and public bodies in Scotland are assessed in line with the Success Profiles framework that is used across the Civil Service. This means that as well as evidencing the professional experience and skills you will also be expected to evidence behaviours at the level required for this Senior Civil Service role.

Experience

• An education background with practical experience and a proven track record of leading and delivering system level improvements in excellence and equity is essential.
• A strong track record in delivering cultural and transformational change, using evidence‑based analysis, sound judgement, and constructive challenge to enable successful outcomes.
• Experience of operating successfully at board or senior level using strong political acuity, in a complex organisation, to deliver results.

Behaviours

You are expected to provide evidence of the following behaviours at Level 6.

• Leadership
• Developing Self and Others
• Seeing the Bigger Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Changing and Improving

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours, here: Success profiles: candidate guide - gov.scot

How To Apply

Apply online, providing a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 500 words) that directly addresses the Experience criteria listed in the Success Profile above. General or unrelated statements will not be accepted and may result in your application being sifted out. Please ensure your statement clearly demonstrates how you meet the specified experience requirements.

During the interview and assessment process we will test your skills and experience as well as Behaviours aligned to this role.

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 invited for further assessment, this will consist of a stakeholder and staff panel.

Assessments are scheduled for w/c 26 January 2025, however this may be subject to change.

The Final Interview Panel Will Take Place On 24th February, In Person At St Andrews House, Regent Road, Edinburgh, EH1 3DG. Interviews Will Be Chaired By Chris Pilgrim, Civil Service Commissioner. The Other Panel Members Are

• Neil Rennick – DG Education & Justice
• Graham Donaldson – Non Executive Director
• Clare Hicks – Director, Educational Reform
• Carol Campbell – Head of School and Personal Chair of Education

For full details of the role and responsibilities of the Civil Service Commission, please refer to the Civil Service Recruitment Principles in our candidate guidance

About Us

Education Scotland is a Scottish Government executive agency. Our status as an executive agency means that we operate independently and impartially, whilst remaining directly accountable to Scottish Government ministers for the standards of our work.

Education Scotland plays an important role in creating the conditions for children and young people to thrive. As part of our reform commitments, the work and approach of Education Scotland is to be transformed to strengthen national support for improvement in Scottish education, with a new primary focus on curriculum design, delivery and improvement, including the provision of resources to support high quality learning and teaching.

The agency supports education across the span of the 3‑18 Curriculum for Excellence, including in Gaelic medium and denominational education. We also play an important role in supporting a thriving professional learning sector; working with local authorities to inform approaches to wellbeing, inclusion, behaviour and enabling better support for those with additional support needs.

Our work brings a unique national perspective to inform, share and promote wider approaches to improvement to close attainment gaps and achieve equity through the curriculum.

Our staff are part of the UK Civil Service, with a wide range of professional backgrounds such as teaching, early learning and childcare, community learning and development and corporate services.

With offices located across Glasgow, Livingston, Dundee, Inverness, and Aberdeen, we offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer.

As Chief Executive, your contractual base will be Glasgow; you will also be required to have a visible presence across all locations, as you lead change across the organisation and wider education system.

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

Benefits

If the post is offered on a fixed term appointment basis, the salary will be in the range of £111,916 - £121,143, depending on your skills and experience. Alongside your salary, Scottish Government offers an employer contribution of 28.97% towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension Scheme.

If the post is offered on a secondment basis, the salary will be based on existing terms and conditions between the Scottish Government and your current employer.

Working pattern

Our standard hours are 37 hours per week and we offer a range of flexible working options depending on the needs of the role, including Flexi‑leave.

Although you will be based in Glasgow, Education Scotland teams are located across Glasgow, Livingston, Dundee and Aberdeen, as such, you will be required to have a visible presence in all locations, as you lead change across the organisation and wider education system.

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 our Candidate Guide.

In addition to the standard pre‑employment checks, this vacancy will also require all candidates to obtain National Security Vetting (NSV) at Security Check (SC) clearance level. This type of check normally includes meeting a minimum UK residency period, which for SC level is 5 years.

Further information about NSV checks can be found on the UK Government website - National security vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK

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 our Careers Website.

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

If you would like further information or would like to discuss the role, please contact either Neil Rennick, Director General for Education and Justice by e‑mailing [e-mail], or Clare Hicks, Director for Education Reform by e‑mailing [e-mail], to make arrangements.