Senior careers
About the Senior Civil Service
Members of the Senior Civil Service (SCS) are senior figures in the Scottish Government who provide leadership to colleagues and work with Scottish Ministers and stakeholders across the public sector to improve access to public services.
Our Senior Civil Service colleagues are responsible for delivering commitments across a range of key policy areas including Health, Education, Justice and the Economy.
Recruiting diverse leaders
We are committed to recruiting a diverse mix of senior leaders from a wide range of backgrounds to create a leadership team which is representative of the people of Scotland. We value the individual contributions, views, skills and professional experience our senior team make to the development of our public services.
We welcome applications from neurodiverse, disabled and under-represented groups for our senior roles and we provide recruitment and workplace adjustments for anyone who needs them.
What we offer
A career in the Senior Civil Service offers the opportunity to deliver meaningful work that delivers real benefits and impact for the people of Scotland.
We are an open and inclusive employer who value the contribution that our senior team make to public services, and we offer a range of benefits including competitive pay, generous pension and leave packages along with career progression and ongoing professional development.
Benefits include:
- A competitive salary
- A generous pension scheme and annual leave package
- A range of flexible working options with base locations across Scotland
- The opportunity to deliver meaningful work for the people of Scotland
- Access to ongoing professional development
- An inclusive and supportive workplace
Senior Civil Service (SCS) Pay scales:
- Deputy Director: £86,398 – £89,888
- Director: £103,231 – £111,741
- Director General: £131,936 – £142,812
Application process
The application process includes 3 stages:
- Online application
- Assessment and Interview
- Pre-employment checks and offer
Online application
Candidates are asked to complete our online application process and provide evidence of how they meet the essential criteria for the role by providing a supporting statement
Assessment and interview
Candidates will take part in psychometric testing which will review cognitive ability, personality and behaviours. As part of this stage, some candidates may also be invited to participate in engagement panels with either staff or stakeholders. A panel interview will also be held where candidates will be asked to provide further evidence of how they meet the essential criteria for the role.
Pre-employment and offers
Candidates selected for appointment will complete pre-employment checks, for some senior roles enhanced checks will take place prior to a final offer being made.
A Deputy Directors Perspective
Julie Humphreys has enjoyed a varied career in public services and is currently a Deputy Director in the Scottish Government working in Child Poverty & Financial Wellbeing.