Senior Policy Adviser

Scottish Government; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A governmental body in Scotland is seeking a Senior Policy Adviser to influence education policy, with a specific focus on home education. The role involves engaging with stakeholders, managing significant budgets, and contributing to key policy reviews. The ideal candidate will excel in building relationships, supporting Ministerial duties, and ensuring effective financial management in a dynamic environment. Flexible working options are available, along with numerous development opportunities.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Professional development opportunities

Inclusive working environment

Qualifications

• Experience in policy design and implementation related to education.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with stakeholders.
• Proven track record in financial management and briefing support.

Responsibilities

• Lead the review of home education policies and associated stakeholder engagement.
• Support funding commitments and timely grant payments to schools.
• Manage relationships with local authorities and UK Government counterparts.

Skills

Policy Delivery and Systems

Working with Ministers

Changing and Improving

Working Together

Making Effective Decisions

Communicating and Influencing

Job description

Description

Are you ready to shape the future of education policy in Scotlandbringing insight influence and impact to areas such as home education and school funding

The Senior Policy Adviser sits within the School Funding Infrastructure and Organisation Unit in the Workforce Infrastructure and Digital Division. This Senior Policy Adviser role works across the teams responsibilities for school funding independent and home education with a particular focus on home education.

The School Funding Infrastructure and Organisation Unit is part of the Workforce Infrastructure and Digital Division which plays a key role in the Scottish education system leading on policy on teachers school leadership school buildings and digital. We are committed to having a positive inclusive working culture and applications on any working pattern are welcome. You will be encouraged and supported to take up development opportunities and expand your skills.

The work of the team is highly varied and offers an excellent opportunity to work in a fast paced environment with extensive engagement with other policy teams Ministers and school leaders. You will have a key role taking forward Ministers commitment to a home education review and in continuing to build relationships with home education and other stakeholders. The team also manages budgets of over 10m for two directly funded schools and leads on maintaining strong positive relationships with those schools. You will build up a strong knowledge of school funding in Scotland working closely with analysts and support continued delivery by local authorities of the Devolved School Management guidance.

Responsibilities

• Policy design / implementation : Taking forward the June 2025 Ministerial commitment to commence before the end of the Parliamentary term a review of arrangements for home education; working closely with internal stakeholders to develop the scope and process for the review; and with external stakeholders to consider and reflect a diverse range of views and priorities.
• Policy design / implementation : Following the publication of the updated Home education guidance working with analysts and with local authorities to consider options for a high level approach to data gathering regarding home education; taking stock of sensitivities and requirements and developing a proportionate approach to understand the scale of home education in Scotland.
• Intergovernmental relations : Building and maintaining effective stakeholder relationships with local authorities official counterparts in the UK Government and Devolved Administrations on issues relating to home education independent schools and school funding.
• Participation and engagement : Building and maintaining effective stakeholder relationships with Home Education Networks Jordanhill School St Marys Music School and where relevant independent schools.
• Financial management : Supporting the team to fulfil statutory funding commitments to Jordanhill School and the Aided Places Scheme at St Marys Music School through the timely payment of grants and fee remission ensuring Ministerial confidence in value for money.
• Briefing and advice : Supporting Ministerial visits and meetings with stakeholders providing concise briefing to support ministerial priorities for engagements accompanying Ministers where required.
• Wider Policy Engagement : Representing the teams interests in other relevant areas of cross-SG policy in corporate commissions and through annual reporting responsibilities
• People management line management of a member of staff.

Success profile

Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on.

Technical / Professional Skills

• Working with Ministers - Level 2 - Practitioner
• Policy Delivery and Systems - Level 2 - Practitioner

Behaviours

• Changing and Improving - Level 3
• Working Together - Level 3
• Making Effective Decisions - Level 3
• Communicating and Influencing - Level 3

How to apply

Apply online providing a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 1000 words) which provides evidence of how you meet the skills experience and behaviours listed in the Success Profile above.

For any questions about the role please contact (from 22nd Oct) or

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 an interview and portfolio review. Assessments are scheduled for Early-Mid November however this may be subject to change.

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 diversityand how we offer and support recruitment adjustmentsfor anyone who needs them.

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.

Working pattern

Our standard hours are 35 hours per week and we offer a range of flexible working options depending on the needs of the role. From October 2025 the Scottish Government will require staff in hybrid-compatible roles 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.

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 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.

Further information

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

Read our Candidate Guidefor further information on our recruitment and application processes.

This post is open to Internal Scottish Government candidates and Common Citizenship organisations only.