Chief Executive, Scottish Prison Service
2 days ago
Edinburgh
Job Description The Chief Executive Officer will lead the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for the delivery of prison services across Scotland. The postholder will ensure that sentences of the courts are carried out effectively, the public is protected, re-offending is reduced, and those in custody are treated safely, decently, and lawfully. The post holder will support the effectiveness and safety of all those who work within and visit Scotland’s prisons. SPS operates within a complex, high-profile environment, accountable to Ministers, Parliament, and the public. The Chief Executive will lead an organisation of approximately 5,200 staff, with an annual revenue budget of c.£480m. The organisation is currently undergoing a period of significant change and challenge, requiring strong and visible leadership to deliver transformation programmes, modernise services, and embed a positive culture. The postholder will ensure the organisation continues to deliver high-quality services while adapting to changing demands, government priorities, and fiscal constraints. The Chief Executive is the organisation’s most senior executive, reporting directly to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs and drawing on the advice of the SPS Advisory Board. The post holder will provide visible, accountable leadership for the organisation, ensuring it delivers its statutory duties and public service obligations effectively, efficiently, and with integrity whilst driving forward a bold programme of strategic transformation, major capital investment and cultural change to ensure the organisation is modern, inclusive, and supports long-term improvements in safety, decency and public protection. The Chief Executive ensures effective working with the NHS, third sector and other partners and works collaboratively with other justice organisations as a member of the Justice Board and Criminal Justice Board for Scotland. Key Priorities • Addressing prison capacity pressures and working with partners to help reduce overcrowding., • Delivering strategic workforce reform and addressing recruitment and retention challenges., • Ensuring the successful delivery of major capital and estate programmes, including the £1bn HMP Glasgow investment and future estate modernisation., • Maintaining operational safety, staff morale, and public confidence during a period of reform and scrutiny. Responsibilities • Set strategic direction and deliver government priorities for prisons and align strategy to long term goals for safety, rehabilitation and public protection., • Lead transformation across SPS, embedding cultural change and modernised operations driving workforce reform to build capability and resilience., • Maintain public confidence through transparent performance reporting whilst ensuring safe, effective prison operations and robust contingency planning., • Act as Accounting Officer ensuring governance, assurance, and value for money in capital delivery., • Promote diversity, inclusion, wellbeing, and professional development., • Lead workforce planning, talent development, and succession planning., • Represent SPS with Ministers, Parliament, regulators, and partners., • Build strong relationships across justice, health, and community sectors, collaborating with Justice bodies through national boards., • Oversee performance of private and third-sector providers. Success Profile It is essential that you can provide evidence in your application of the professional experience and skills required for this role. In addition, candidates applying for roles with the government agencies and public bodies in Scotland are assessed in line with the Success Profiles framework that is used across the Civil Service. This means that as well as evidencing the professional experience and skills you will also be expected to evidence behaviours at the level required for this Senior Civil Service role. Experience • Proven track record of leading large, complex organisations through strategic transformation and cultural change, delivering measurable improvements in performance and outcomes., • Experience of working in or with the Justice system is beneficial but not essential to this role. You must be able to demonstrate how your skills can apply in leadership of complex custodial settings., • Significant experience of operational delivery, overseeing major capital and infrastructure programmes with a deep understanding of governance, accountability, risk management and stakeholder engagement., • Exceptional financial and commercial acumen, ensuring effective stewardship of significant budgets and resources. High personal resilience to operate in a highly scrutinised and high-profile environment., • Highly effective influencing skills, communication and political awareness with the personal credibility to gain the trust of a diverse range of senior stakeholders within and outside of government. Behaviours You are expected to provide evidence of the following behaviours at Level 6. • Leadership, • Seeing the Big Picture, • Delivering at Pace, • Communicating and Influencing, • Managing a Quality Service 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 500 words). that directly addresses the Experience criteria listed in the Success Profile above. General or unrelated statements will not be accepted and may result in your application being sifted out. Please ensure your statement clearly demonstrates how you meet the specified experience requirements. 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. During the interview and assessment process we will test your skills and experience as well as behaviors aligned to this role. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment. If invited for further assessment, this may consist of a staff and/or stakeholder engagement panel along with an interview and psychological assessment. Assessments are scheduled for w/c 26 Jan and 2/9/16 Feb, however this may be subject to change. The Final Interview Panel Will Take Place W/c 23 February, In Person At St Andrews House, Regent Road, Edinburgh, EH1 3DG. Interviews Will Be Chaired By Liz Walmsley, Civil Service Commissioner. The Other Panel Members Are • Neil Rennick, Director General Education and Justice, Scottish Government, • Wendy Sinclair-Gieben – Former Chief Inspector of Prison’s Scotland, • Ann McKechin – Chair of Advisory Board, Scottish Prison Service Interview Expenses Any travel and subsistence expenses incurred during the selection process are the responsibility of the applicant About Us The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) is an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for the safe and secure custody of those committed by the courts. We operate 17 prisons across Scotland and employ around 5,200 dedicated staff. We face an unprecedented prison population that exceeds the estate’s design capacity. This historic high—expected to continue—means SPS is managing not only its largest but also its most complex population ever. Despite these pressures, we remain committed to our ambition: creating a modern, inclusive prison system that supports rehabilitation and transforms lives. 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. As part of the UK Civil Service, we uphold the Civil Service Nationality Rules. Benefits We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Alongside your salary of £111,916, Scottish Government contributes £32,422 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. • Learning and development tailored to your role, • An environment with flexible working options, • A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity, • A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97% Find Out More About What We Offer. Working Pattern Applicants on any working pattern are welcome to apply for this post. If you are interested in applying on a job-share basis, please make clear in your application if you wish to be considered as a pre-existing job-share partnership or if you are interested in moving into a job-share arrangement. We will assess proposed working patterns against the business requirements for the post and discuss all options with candidates. Our standard hours are 37 hours per week and we offer a range of flexible working options depending on the needs of the role. This role is based at our Edinburgh headquarters and requires regular travel to prisons across Scotland, as well as meetings with Scottish Government and stakeholders. While the position is primarily office-based, there is flexibility for some hybrid working in line with business needs. 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). In addition to the standard pre-employment checks, this vacancy will also require all candidates to obtain National Security Vetting (NSV) at Security Check (SC) clearance level. This type of check normally includes meeting a minimum UK residency period, which for SC level is 5 years. Further information about NSV checks can be found on the UK Government website - National security vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK You can find out more about BPSS on the UK Government website, or read about the different levels of security checks in our Senior Civil Service recruitment: candidate guide - gov.scot 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. 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. Civil Service Commission The Scottish Government is committed to being a Fair Work Employer and our recruitment processes are underpinned by the recruitment principles set out by the Civil Service Commission. You can find out more about the Civil Service Commission here.