Job Description
Job Title: 1007-410 Senior People Adviser (Organisational Change) | Grade: D | Salary: £41,567 | Location: Scotland | Vacancy Type: Temporary until 31st March 2027 | Hours: 35 (part time hours will be considered for this role) | Closing Date: 03 August 2026 | Proposed Interview Date: 20th August 2026
Role Purpose
The Senior People Adviser (People Workstream) will lead and coordinate the delivery of all people-related activity associated with the transition to the new operating model. The postholder will act as the lead adviser on organisational change, workforce transition and employee engagement activities, ensuring that organisational change is delivered fairly, consistently and in line with employment legislation, organisational policy and partnership working arrangements.
This role will report to the Head of People and Organisational Development.
Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:
- Design, lead and support organisational change and consultation processes arising from the transition to the new operating model.
- Apply recognised change management approaches to support the successful implementation and adoption of the future operating model.
- Coordinate and support the delivery of employee and Trade Union consultation activities, working alongside POD colleagues and managers to ensure consultation processes are aligned to programme milestones and the Partnership Agreement with our recognised Trade Unions.
- Support role mapping, job design, revision of role descriptions, workforce planning and workforce transition activities.
- Identify high-risk teams and individuals through stakeholder analysis and workforce impact assessments.
- Conduct workforce impact assessments and contribute to Equality Impact Assessments associated with organisational change activities.
- Provide workforce data, insights and reporting to inform decision-making throughout the transition programme.
- Coordinate workforce transition and recruitment activity with the People team to ensure organisational structures are implemented in line with programme timescales.
- Ensure that all contractual considerations for employees moving roles and teams are progressed appropriately by the People team.
- Oversee implementation of onboarding and transition plans for employees moving into the new roles within the organisational structure.
- Monitor employee relations risks and ensure that colleagues are treated fairly, consistently and in accordance with organisational policies and procedures throughout the transition.
- Identify risks related to workforce engagement, capability, morale, and retention.
- Support leaders and managers to implement and embed organisational change effectively.
- Gather feedback and address concerns proactively.
- Track people-related deliverables, milestones, risks and dependencies, and provide regular updates and reports as appropriate.
- Work closely with the transition lead and other workstream leads to coordinate interdependencies.
- Capture lessons learned and support continuous improvement throughout programme delivery.
- Support the delivery of key People and Organisational Development priorities, including workforce planning and implementation of on-call arrangements.
- Ensure compliance with POD policies, employment law, and organisational procedures.
Person Specification:
Essential Skills:
- Significant experience of leading organisational change, workforce redesign, consultation and transition activities within a complex organisation.
- Experience of applying change management methodologies and tools to support organisational transformation.
- Sound knowledge of UK employment law and organisational change processes.
- Strong project management and organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
- Experience of working closely with Senior Leaders.
- Ability to translate business change into practical actions for employees.
- Ability to use your own initiative, and take a solution focused approach to drive action, while working independently with minimal supervision.
- Ability to work autonomously, prioritise competing demands and utilise digital tools effectively.
- Good interpersonal skills with the ability to work with and relate to colleagues at all levels across a challenging geographically dispersed organisation.
- Good working knowledge of Microsoft 365 applications, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Teams.
Desirable:
- CIPD Level 5 or Level 7 qualification, or equivalent experience.
- Project management or change management qualification.
Pre-requisites:
- Right to work in the UK.
- To undertake a Standard disclosure Scotland Application.
- Ability to travel throughout Scotland as required for the role. A full UK driving licence is desirable.
- Although Gaelic language is not a prerequisite it is a desirable skill in support of our commitment to our Gaelic Language Plan.
Working for NatureScot - what we offer you
- NatureScot offers some great benefits to reward and support you whilst you are working for us. Our benefits package includes the civil service pension scheme, a generous holiday leave allowance plus flexi time, and employee discount scheme. Visit the NatureScot website for further details including below:
- We support flexible working for all roles, including part-time, compressed hours, hybrid working and job share. All vacancies are considered suitable for flexible working unless there is a business reason not to. We encourage applicants to discuss potential flexible working arrangements with us.
- A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97% (7.35% employee contributions) https://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/memberhub/joining-the-pension-scheme/
- 41.5 days of annual leave, including 5 fixed public holidays on St Andrews Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and 2nd January.
- Equivalent of 2 days paid volunteering leave.
- A focus on wellbeing with access to an employee assistance programme.
- Job satisfaction from contributing proactively to the twinned nature and climate crisis.
- Death in service benefits.
- Cycle to work and electric vehicle salary sacrifice schemes.
- Access to an employee discounts scheme.
- Learning and development tailored to your role.
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
Application Process
Application is by CV and Supporting Statement. Please ensure you have attached these documents when submitting your application.
Before applying for this post;
If you have previously applied for a vacancy with NatureScot you must remove the supporting statement from your profile, before uploading a new version.
Interviews
External candidates will be invited to interview if we are unable to recruit internally.
NatureScot’s Net Zero commitment
Whether working at home or in an office, or travelling to meetings and site visits, as a NatureScot you will contribute to our Net Zero plan, for example through positive carbon travel choices.
For information regarding the vacancy please contact:
Lindsay Anderson, Head of People and Organisational Development.
Email: Lindsay.anderson@nature.scot,
For information regarding the recruitment process please contact:
recruitment@nature.scot
Nature is vital to all of us, so it is vital that we are an organisation for all of Scotland. The more diverse NatureScot is, the better we will be in connecting everyone with nature. We particularly encourage applications from people from Minority Ethnic (ME) backgrounds and people with a disability.
