Job Description
Are you looking for a varied and rewarding role where you can play a key part in supporting Scottish farmers and land managers to farm sustainably? This is an excellent opportunity to broaden your leadership experience, lead a larger team, and make a real impact in delivering high-quality services to Scotland's rural communities.
Rural Payments and Inspections Division (RPID) teams are at the forefront of delivering agricultural, environmental and rural policies across Scotland. We process funding applications, undertake inspections, and provide high-quality support and customer service to farmers, crofters and land managers.
An exciting opportunity has arisen for two Higher Agricultural Officers to join the RPID team in the Inverurie Area Office, leading a larger team and helping to shape service delivery across the region.
Agricultural teams undertake a wide variety of duties, many of which are outdoors, including visits to farms and crofts to carry out inspections. The team also processes claims and applications and serves as the primary point of contact for farmers, crofters and the wider rural community.
While the Higher Agricultural Officer role is primarily focused on leadership, management and coordination, the post holder will also undertake some inspections and site visits to a diverse range of agricultural businesses. This can involve working across extensive and challenging terrain in all weather conditions. Experience of working in this environment, together with a willingness to undertake these visits, is essential.
Due to the nature of these roles, a considerable amount of driving is involved therefore a valid driving licence that enables the candidate to drive in the UK is mandatory
Responsibilities:
- Manage and develop a team of staff involved in agricultural related casework, ensuring that we get the best out of our people. This also includes assessing performance and training requirements and taking responsibility for Health and Safety.
- Coordinate and monitor progress of a number of RPID administered schemes for the local area. This will involve organising field inspections, delivering training, and providing guidance and support to staff in the assessment of applications/claims, whilst also quality assuring the work undertaken.
- Carry out inspections for livestock, capital grants and other RPID related duties, and work with local delivery partners and stakeholders to deliver our work.
Qualifications
Valid driving licence which enables you to drive in the UK - Please confirm in your application that you hold this qualification
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.
Technical / Professional Skills:
- Connections and communication – Working level
You can find out more about the skills required here: ODP Competency Framework
Experience:
- Practical experience of working in agriculture, land management or a related rural discipline, and an understanding of farming and rural practices in Scotland.
- Experience of working with RPID administered schemes including carrying out inspections, and the assessment of applications and claims to deliver RPID support payments to farmers and other land managers.
Behaviours:
- Working together – Level 3
- Developing self and others – Level 3
How to apply:
Apply online, providing a CV and supporting statement (of no more than 1000 words) providing evidence of how you meet the behaviours, experience and technical skills listed in the Success Profile above. Both the CV and the supporting statement provided will be assessed against the criteria for the role.
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.
Skilled Worker sponsorship is not available for this role. As a result, we are unable to appoint candidates who require Skilled Worker sponsorship now or in the future. Applicants must have an existing and ongoing right to work in the UK.
If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview and presentation
Assessments are scheduled for w/c 14 September 2026 however this may be subject to change.
Apply before 23:59 on 23 August 2026. This post is open to internal candidates and Common Citizenship Organisations only (external candidates and staff from UK Other Government Departments are not eligible to apply for this vacancy).
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 offerWorking pattern:
These posts are based in Thainstone Court, Inverurie and in line with our current ways of working, our team follows a hybrid working approach, but this post is a customer facing role and as a result you will be expected to be either dealing with customers and stakeholders on site or in the office customer facing.
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).
Internal candidates may need to gain higher security clearance than they currently hold if successful in their application.
Equality statement:
We are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.
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.
