Job Description

This opportunity is only open to applicants who are currently 'Priority Movers'. Applications from individuals not currently on the Priority Mover list will be rejected and not considered.

This is an exciting opportunity to work at the centre of the Scottish Government as part of the Constitution and UK Relations (CUKR) Division in the Constitution Directorate. The division leads cross-government activity relating to Scotland’s place in the UK’s current constitutional arrangements and is formed of 3 units: UK Relations (UKR); UK Frameworks; and Constitutional Policy.

You will be supporting a wide range of varied and interesting work, and you will join the team at a critical time as the upcoming elections in Scotland and Wales will have a significant impact on the way we work, regardless of the result.

Based in the UK Frameworks Unit, this post plays a pivotal role in supporting our ministers and senior colleagues in engagement with the UK Government and other devolved governments on the Internal Market Act (IMA) and Common Frameworks programme. The Internal Market Act continues to present operational, constitutional and policy challenges across the Scottish Government and the post holder is responsible for a variety of engagement and policy deliverables to support teams as they navigate this landscape.

The role will be ideal for someone who wants to gain experience of working closely with a range of external government colleagues from across the United Kingdom as well as developing their expertise in devolution-related policy work and advising colleagues on the internal market implications of the forthcoming EU Partnership Bill.

As evidenced by CUKR’s results in recent People Surveys, we are a small, friendly division that aims to support each other and has a strong focus on prioritising health and wellbeing along with personal development. We expect the post-holder to contribute their own ideas to making it a great place to work and you will be given opportunities to grow and develop your skills within this role and gain valuable experience.

The UK Frameworks Unit comprises a C2 Unit head, 2 x C1 posts (of which the post advertised here is one), and 2 x B3 posts, one of whom will report to you.

Responsibilities

• Managing the Scottish Government’s statutory obligations under the IMA and policy commitments on the operation of Common Frameworks.
• Contributing to the UK’s EU Partnership Bill programme through policy advice on the interactions between the IMA and the UK Government’s position on EU alignment.
• Managing and advising on the implications for Common Framework policy areas impacted by greater regulatory alignment brought about through UK/EU agreements.
• Developing organisational capability to anticipate, interpret, and manage IMA‑related impacts on policy delivery with likely novel areas of IMA overlap.
• Supporting the management of live and continuing IMA-related risks in diverse policy areas across SG.
• Ongoing engagement with UK Government, the devolved governments and the Office for the Internal Market, as well as a range of external interests in legislatures, business and trade groups, academia and other interest groups.
• Working with UK Government and other devolved governments to influence evolving exclusions processes and implementation of IMA statutory review outcomes.
• Monitoring and advising on risks to Scottish Government competence in areas affected by market access principles, such as public health, environment, and wider regulatory standards.
• Working across governments to articulate and protect Scottish ministers' positions and preserve space for devolved policy decision making in a period of increased political activity in Scotland and the UK’s wider regulatory landscape.
• Playing an active leadership role in the division, including contributions to business continuity and planning, risk, learning, development and wellbeing work.

Essential Experience

The role holder should be able to demonstrate experience of working with internal and external stakeholders and building strong relations to support SG priorities.

They should also have experience of providing briefing for ministers, demonstrating the ability to present complex information concisely, and to provide clear and coherent advice.

Working Pattern

This role is a temporary, maternity leave cover position.

This post is based in St Andrews House, Edinburgh and in line with our current ways of working, our team follows a hybrid working approach, where colleagues use a mix of office based and remote working (working from home) depending on the requirements of the role and personal circumstances. 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.

The post is a full-time role, but staff with different working patterns are invited to apply, and we will assess proposed working patterns against the business requirements for this post.

How to Apply

Applications for this position will only be accepted from substantive C1 grade employees.

Please submit a statement outlining your suitability for the role, relevant skills and experience, and what you would bring to the team (maximum 500 words).

Vacancies close at 23:59pm on Thursday 9 July.

Selection Process

All applicants will be invited to an informal discussion. There will be no formal testing or assessment.

Discussions are expected to be scheduled for w/c insert date; however, this can be subject to change.

Further Information

If you have specific questions about the role, please contact christopher.mackie@gov.scot

Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes