Job Description

• Oversee the rapid design and prototyping of digital journeys, concepts, and interfaces, and coordinate compatibility, performance, and interoperability testing across devices and environments.
• Manage integration of third‑party software products and platforms with the Scottish Government’s technology environment to maximise value in already existing tools and investments.
• Manage service components to ensure they meet business needs and performance targets, ensuring a reliable, secure and user-focused technical environment.
• Identify process optimisation opportunities with guidance, and contribute to the implementation of proposed solutions, including service improvement pilots, research initiatives and corporate solutions that improve existing and new services.
• Analyse and assess impact, and develop and document change requests, including recommendations that support go/no-go decisions, investment planning and delivery planning.
• Take inputs and establish coherent frameworks that work, using agile innovation methods and collaborative, cross-functional approaches to solve complicated business problems.
• Use logical schemata to investigate problems, collect performance statistics and create reports, including analysing feedback on digital tools and producing clear, insightful reports on their effectiveness.
• Diagnose and prioritise incidents, investigate their causes and find resolutions, including troubleshooting integration issues and supporting successful understanding of new technologies.
• Implement changes based on requests for change.
• Effectively consult specialists where required, including technical specialists, designers and analysts across multidisciplinary teams.

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

1. Demonstrable experience of the practical use of Systems Development Life-cycle (SDLC), including management, maintenance, prototyping and development of key third-party platforms. The ability to apply technical knowledge and skills to monitor and support services and identify areas for improvement to deliver additional value to business users.
2. Can communicate with senior, non-technical managers the benefits, risks and strategic operational considerations of IT solutions and their technical design. This includes explaining the impact of any technical decisions on the sustainability of the solution.
3. A commitment to continual service improvement; you will be willing to challenge established practices, using evidence to deliver a better service to our customers. This will include streamlining processes and reducing costs to ensure you can focus on delivering support for new business critical technologies.
4. The post holder should have proven analytical, planning, organisational and project management skills, including the ability to balance competing and shifting priorities to meet tight deadlines. Ability to work on own initiative and without close supervision.
   

Experience is assessed at sift, along with a more in-depth assessment at interview.

Behaviours

• Changing and Improving (Level 3)
  

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours, here

Behaviours are assessed at interview. Full details will be shared in advance with all candidates invited to this stage.

Technical Skills

This role is aligned to the Application Operations Engineer job role within the IT Operations job family.

• Asset and Configuration Management (Working)
• Continual Service Improvement (Working)
• Ownership and Initiative (Working)
• Service Focus (Working)
• Service Management Framework Knowledge (Awareness)
• Technical Specialism (Working)
• Testing (Working)
• User Focus (Working)
  

You can find out more about the skills required, here: Application operations engineer - Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework

These skills are assessed by technical assessment, designed to represent the role. Candidates reaching this stage will receive a Technical Assessment Candidate Pack which outlines the specific skills to be assessed, plus the method of assessment.

How to apply

Apply online, providing a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 750 words) which provides evidence of how you meet each of the 4 Experience criteria listed in the Success Profile above.

Candidates will have their applications assessed against all Experience criteria.

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 GDD Technical assessment where the behaviours, experiences and technical skills outlined in the Success Profile will be assessed.

The sift is scheduled for w/c Monday 24th August 2026.

Interviews and Technical assessments are scheduled for w/c Monday 7th September, however these may be subject to change.

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 Code and 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

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, 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.

If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact Digitalcareers@gov.scot

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

Pay Supplement

This post is part of the Government Digital and Data (GDD) profession and currently attracts a £3,000.00 annual GDD pay supplement, which is paid monthly – pay supplements are reviewed regularly.

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.

Apply before - Sunday 23rd August 2026 @ 23:55 - This post is open to Internal Scottish Government candidates and Common Citizenship organisations only.

• Contact Name: Brian Stewart
• Contact e-Mail: Digitalcareers@gov.scot