Job Description

RPID teams manage the implementation of agricultural, environmental and rural policies, process applications for funding and provide high quality customer service.

The Agricultural Officer team undertake a wide variety of duties, many of an outdoor nature, including visits to farms and crofts to carry out inspections. The team also undertake desk-based processing of claims and applications, and engage directly with customers as the primary point of contact for farmers, crofters and the rural community in the area.

The Higher Agricultural Officer position is primarily a management and coordination role, but it also includes the requirement to undertake some inspections, and carrying out site visits to diverse types of agricultural establishments, often over extensive and difficult terrain and in all weather conditions. Experience of crossing this type of land and a willingness to undertake these visits are prerequisites for this post.

Due to the nature of this role, a considerable amount of driving is involved therefore a valid driving licence that enables the candidate to drive in the UK is mandatory.

• Undertake a key leadership role in supporting front line SG staff in Rural Scotland interacting with rural business and stakeholders.
• Line managing a team of Agricultural Officers.
• Act as coordinator for specific agreed schemes.
• Represent RPID at meetings with stakeholders and other interested bodies.
• Oversee, carry out and arrange training for your team members.
• Conducting site visits for the purposes of verification and to confirm regulatory requirements are met for plant health, animal identification, subsidy payments and other matters dealt with by RPID.
• Liaise with scheme team colleagues to ensure consistency in certification of claims and the enforcement of regulations.

Qualifications:

Valid driving licence which enables you to drive in the UK - Please confirm in your CV/Personal Statement that you hold this qualification.

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:

1. Connections and communication (Practitioner) – Recognises the complexities of organisational service delivery, and communicates key issues and messages in an open, simple, and accessible way to stakeholders.
2. Delivery and decision making at speed (Practitioner) – Empowers team to make decisions and to intervene to help expedite the processes to outcomes for customers, but within policy and risk tolerance (e.g. when things good enough to proceed).

Experience:

1. Practical experience working in agriculture, crofting, land management or a related rural discipline and an excellent understanding of farming and rural practices in Scotland.

Behaviours:

1. Working together – Level 3
2. Managing a quality service – Level 3

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

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.

If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview and presentation

Assessments are scheduled for w/c 24 November 2025 however this may be subject to change.