Chief Executive Officer, Scottish Prison Service

Scottish Government; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 111,000 - 129,000; Full time

Job summary

A government agency in Scotland is seeking a Chief Executive Officer to lead the Scottish Prison Service. The role requires strong leadership to manage approximately 5,200 staff and ensure effective delivery of prison services while addressing government priorities and fiscal constraints. The ideal candidate will have proven experience in leading large organisations through transformation and possess exceptional financial acumen. This key position will oversee major programmes and work collaboratively with justice organizations to enhance safety and public trust.

Benefits

Civil Service pension contribution

Learning and development tailored to your role

Flexible working options

Culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

Qualifications

• Proven track record of leading large organisations through strategic transformation.
• Experience of operational delivery and overseeing major capital programmes.
• Exceptional financial stewardship and ability to operate in a high-profile environment.

Responsibilities

• Set strategic direction and deliver government priorities for prisons.
• Lead transformation across SPS and embed cultural change.
• Act as Accounting Officer ensuring governance in capital delivery.
• Represent SPS with Ministers, Parliament, regulators, and partners.

Skills

Leadership

Influencing skills

Financial acumen

Communication skills

Job description

The Chief Executive Officer will lead the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for the delivery of prison services across Scotland. The postholder will ensure that sentences of the courts are carried out effectively, the public is protected, reoffending is reduced, and those in custody are treated safely, decently, and lawfully.

The post holder will support the effectiveness and safety of all those who work within and visit Scotland’s prisons. SPS operates within a complex, high-profile environment, accountable to Ministers, Parliament, and the public. The Chief Executive will lead an organisation of approximately 5,200 staff, with an annual revenue budget of c.£480m.

The organisation is currently undergoing a period of significant change and challenge, requiring strong and visible leadership to deliver transformation programmes, modernise services, and embed a positive culture. The postholder will ensure the organisation continues to deliver high-quality services while adapting to changing demands, government priorities, and fiscal constraints.

The Chief Executive is the organisation’s most senior executive, reporting directly to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs and drawing on the advice of the SPS Advisory Board.

The post holder will provide visible, accountable leadership for the organisation, ensuring it delivers its statutory duties and public service obligations effectively, efficiently, and with integrity whilst driving forward a bold programme of strategic transformation, major capital investment and cultural change to ensure the organisation is modern, inclusive, and supports long-term improvements in safety, decency and public protection.

The Chief Executive ensures effective working with the NHS, third sector and other partners and works collaboratively with other justice organisations as a member of the Justice Board and Criminal Justice Board for Scotland.

Job description

Key Priorities

• Addressing prison capacity pressures and working with partners to help reduce overcrowding.
• Delivering strategic workforce reform and addressing recruitment and retention challenges.
• Ensuring the successful delivery of major capital and estate programmes, including the £1bn HMP Glasgow investment and future estate modernisation.
• Maintaining operational safety, staff morale, and public confidence during a period of reform and scrutiny.

Responsibilities

• Set strategic direction and deliver government priorities for prisons and align strategy to long term goals for safety, rehabilitation and public protection.
• Lead transformation across SPS, embedding cultural change and modernised operations driving workforce reform to build capability and resilience.
• Maintain public confidence through transparent performance reporting whilst ensuring safe, effective prison operations and robust contingency planning.
• Act as Accounting Officer ensuring governance, assurance, and value for money in capital delivery.
• Promote diversity, inclusion, wellbeing, and professional development.
• Lead workforce planning, talent development, and succession planning.
• Represent SPS with Ministers, Parliament, regulators, and partners.
• Build strong relationships across justice, health, and community sectors, collaborating with Justice bodies through national boards.
• Oversee performance of private and third-sector providers.

Person specification

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:

• Proven track record of leading large, complex organisations through strategic transformation and cultural change, delivering measurable improvements in performance and outcomes.
• Experience of working in or with the Justice system is beneficial but not essential to this role. You must be able to demonstrate how your skills can apply in leadership of complex custodial settings.
• Significant experience of operational delivery, overseeing major capital and infrastructure programmes with a deep understanding of governance, accountability, risk management and stakeholder engagement.
• Exceptional financial and commercial acumen, ensuring effective stewardship of significant budgets and resources. High personal resilience to operate in a highly scrutinised and high-profile environment.
• Highly effective influencing skills, communication and political awareness with the personal credibility to gain the trust of a diverse range of senior stakeholders within and outside of government.

Behaviours:

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

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours, here: Success Profiles – Civil Service Behaviours (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £111,916, Scottish Government contributes £32,422 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%