Job Description

This post sits in the Public Transport Transformation and Governance Reform Unit within the Transport Integration and Connectivity Directorate. The Directorate is focused on integrating and connecting public transport systems, taking a whole-system approach to seamless collaboration across modes and policies, and supporting public service and funding reform.

The governance reform workstream responds to recognised problems in the current system, including institutional complexity and fragmentation, overlapping or unclear roles, weak integration between modes, unclear accountability, inefficient use of resources and the absence of a consistent “single guiding mind” for public transport.

The work will consider how institutional roles and responsibilities should sit across national, regional and local levels; the relationship between national transport bodies and core government; the future role, remit and geography of Regional Transport Partnerships; the balance between national consistency and regional or local delivery; alignment with regional empowerment, public service reform and local government review; and how governance arrangements can enable integrated fares, ticketing, data sharing, revenue allocation, funding reform and major mass transit schemes such as Clyde Metro.

The role will combine governance, policy and project delivery skills. The postholder will help map current governance arrangements, gather evidence, assess problems and options, coordinate stakeholder engagement, prepare advice and briefing, maintain programme controls and support delivery of recommendations. The post will contribute to Transport Scotland’s wider integrated public transport, public service reform, regional empowerment, fares and ticketing, funding reform and major mass transit agendas.

The postholder will report to the Public Transport Governance and Connectivity Reform Lead and may support, guide or coordinate work undertaken by a B2 Governance Officer, external partners or internal contributors, depending on final team structure.

Responsibilities

In supporting the Public Transport Governance Reform Lead, the postholder will be expected to:

Governance review and reform development

• Support the design, planning and delivery of the public transport governance review, ensuring work is structured, evidence-based and aligned with TIC, Transport Scotland and Scottish Government priorities.
• Map existing governance, delivery, accountability and funding arrangements across public transport, including interfaces between national bodies, regional structures, local authorities, Regional Transport Partnerships, operators and core government.
• Identify gaps, overlaps, duplication, unclear responsibilities and barriers to integrated planning, funding and service delivery.
• Develop and test SMART recommendations that support clearer accountability, better integration between modes and more effective delivery at the right national, regional or local level.

Policy, evidence and options analysis

• Gather and organise evidence on problems, issues, opportunities and constraints affecting transport governance reform, including regional empowerment, public service reform, rail reform, funding pressures and legislative dependencies.
• Undertake comparative analysis of governance models, regional arrangements, delivery bodies and integration approaches, drawing on internal evidence and wider good practice.
• Support the development of options, advice and recommendations on governance structures, roles and responsibilities, funding flows, accountability routes and implementation pathways.
• Work with analysts, finance, legal, commercial and policy colleagues to understand equality, financial, regulatory, legislative and delivery implications.

Programme governance, planning and controls

• Maintain the governance reform workplan, milestone tracker, RAID log, dependency map, decision log and action tracker.
• Coordinate governance meetings, workshops and working groups, including agendas, papers, notes, actions and follow-up.
• Support production and maintenance of a Programme Initiation Document or equivalent project documentation for the governance reform workstream.
• Monitor delivery progress and escalate risks, issues, dependencies or resourcing concerns to the Governance and Connectivity Reform Lead.

Stakeholder engagement and communications

• Coordinate structured engagement with internal and external stakeholders, including colleagues across Transport Scotland and Scottish Government, Local Authorities, Regional Transport Partnerships, transport operators, public bodies and reform programme partners.
• Prepare stakeholder maps, engagement plans, briefing packs, workshop materials and readouts to support effective discussion and decision-making.
• Capture stakeholder feedback and ensure it is accurately reflected in evidence, options development and recommendations.
• Build trusted working relationships across organisational boundaries and help maintain alignment with related programmes such as integrated public transport strategy, fares and funding reform, smart and integrated ticketing, regional empowerment, local government review and public service reform.

Advice, briefing and corporate handling

• Draft high-quality written advice for senior officials and Ministers, including submissions, briefings, meeting notes, lines to take, correspondence, PQs, FOIs and contributions to corporate reporting.
• Translate complex governance, legislative, funding and delivery issues into clear and concise advice that supports senior decision-making.
• Maintain core briefing material on transport governance reform, including the case for change, scope, key messages, risks, dependencies and next steps.
• Support parliamentary, communications and stakeholder handling where governance reform has presentational, political or delivery sensitivities.

Implementation and continuous improvement

• Support the transition from review recommendations to delivery planning, including implementation routes, ownership, sequencing, benefits, risks and dependencies.
• Identify early actions, quick wins and practical improvements that can strengthen governance, accountability or integration before any longer-term structural reform is implemented.
• Contribute to lessons learned, knowledge management and continuous improvement across the TIC Directorate and wider public transport transformation programme.
• Provide resilience across the team and undertake other duties commensurate with the B3 grade.

Success profile

Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills, experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on.

Experience

1. Experience gathering, organising and analysing information from multiple sources to support policy, governance or delivery decisions.

• 2. Experience drafting clear written products such as briefings, submissions, meeting notes, correspondence, actions, reports or recommendations.
• 3. Ability to coordinate work across multiple contributors, manage deadlines and maintain accurate records, trackers and audit trails.
• 4. Ability to engage confidently and professionally with internal and external stakeholders, including following up actions and resolving competing inputs.
• 5. Ability to understand complex systems, identify dependencies and present issues in a clear, structured way.

Behaviours:

• Seeing the Big Picture - Level 3
• Communicating and Influencing - Level 3
• Working Together - Level 3
• Changing and Improving - Level 3

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours, here.

How to apply

Apply online, providing a CV and supporting statement (of no more than 1500 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.

If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview and presentation. Assessments are scheduled for w/c (TBC) however this 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

Transport Scotland is the national transport agency, seeking to deliver a safe, efficient, cost-effective and sustainable transport system for the benefit of the people of Scotland. Transport Scotland is accountable to Parliament and the public through Scottish Ministers, with a budget of around £4 billion per year. Transport is a vital feature of the Scottish Government's focus on increasing sustainable economic growth, and transport investments and policies have major impacts on the economy, people, and the environment.

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, 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.

Transport Scotland staff in hybrid-compatible roles should aim to work in-person 40% of the time, either in an office or other agreed work location.

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, and read about the Government Vetting Charter, or about all the different levels of security checks in our Candidate Guide.

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.

Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them.

Sponsorship

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.

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.

For more information on this role, please contact Eachann Gillies by email at eachann.gillies@transport.gov.scot

Apply Before: 15th October 2026 (23:59) - This role is open to internal candidates and Common Citizenship organisations only.