Senior Policy Officer (Grade E3)

Senior Policy Officer (Grade E3)

Application Deadline: 1 February 2026

Department: Access, Learning and Outcomes

Employment Type: Permanent – Full Time

Location: Edinburgh – Hybrid

Compensation: E3 Grade £48,249 – £56,166. Civil Service Pension. Flexible Working Hours. Hybrid Working.

Description

To develop and lead the delivery against SFC’s statutory duties and strategic framework in relation to student interests and high-quality learning and teaching. This role will support SFC to better understand the student, learner and apprentice experience.

Virtual interviews will take place week commencing 9 February 2026.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the implementation of SFC’s approach to student interests, in particular:
• The creation of opportunities for students, learners and apprentices to engage with and participate in the work of SFC. This will include the provision of advice and training to staff at all levels of the organisation.
• Identification of current student interest priorities to support focused and meaningful action to reduce or remove barriers to success.
• Work with others to develop student interests related external communications activity including the development and implementation of a range of engagement events and activities to support SFC to develop its understanding of the student experience.
• Develop and lead the implementation of the SFC’s approach to reporting on the outcomes of student interests activity, ensuring that students, learners and apprentices, recent graduates and practitioners can engage with the activities themselves as well as the outputs.
• Support colleagues to understand the impact of funding and wider policy decisions on students, learners and apprentices by working in partnership to review the current use of information and data about the student experience and how this can be used to best effect in the future.
• Maintain and develop your knowledge of the tertiary system and relevant policy areas and use this information to support the development of SFC’s work to enhance the student experience.
• Research, produce and present briefing notes, reports, presentations and papers as required for SFC senior management and key internal and external stakeholders to ensure colleagues are well informed advised, guided and updated.
• Contribute to the management of relationships with, and between, key internal and external stakeholders and represent SFC at external meetings, conferences and other events, including giving presentations, chairing and facilitating discussions when required.
• Work in partnership with the Internal Communications Officer to lead the student interests internal communications activity in line with SFC’s Internal Communications Strategy.
• This post may include management of funding through the Strategic Investment and Infrastructure Fund and line management of staff and paid student interns.
• Contribute flexibly to the work of the wider directorate and other groups in SFC as appropriate and when required. From time to time this may include deputising for your line manager or other colleagues.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

It is important through your CV / Cover Letter that you give evidence of proven experience of each of the following essential criteria:

Essential

• Experience of community engagement and/or working in partnership with service users and delivering outcomes that enhanced their experience.
• Strong stakeholder management and negotiation skills in order to manage, co-ordinate and influence a programme of activity to deliver a national impact.
• Excellent research, analytical and reporting skills to provide advice and respond to complex issues.
• Strong organisational and project management abilities to manage change and cope with diverse and flexible workload in a politicised environment.
• Experience of managing and developing staff and working collectively and with impact as part of a team.
• Demonstrable policy development or implementation experience.
• Degree level education (SCQF level 9) or equivalent experience relevant to the role as outlined by this job description.

Desirable

• Experience of working in partnership with students, learners and/or apprentices and delivering outcomes that enhanced their experience.
• Knowledge of the further and/or higher education sector and good understanding of the current Scottish political and government environment.
• Experience of delivering training or similar activities to a wide range of audiences.

Terms and Benefits

· Normal full-time hours of work are 35 per week. We will consider flexible working arrangements. A flexi-time system is in operation.

· Annual leave entitlement of 30 days pro-rata, plus public and privilege holiday entitlement of 13 days pro-rata.

· A flexible approach to hybrid working, giving you flexibility to work from home anywhere in the UK for some of the time while also maintaining regular in-person contact with colleagues.

· Annual pay review: approved within the framework of the Scottish Government’s Public Sector Pay Policy and negotiated with our recognised trade union, Unite. Salaries are reviewed annually in April for employees who commence employment prior to 1 October in the preceding year.

· Eligibility to join the Civil Service Pension Scheme. With its low member contribution rates and generous employer contributions, this gives you a secure, inflation-proof pension for life with no investment uncertainty. Details of contribution rates together with further details of the pension benefits are available on the Civil Service Pensions website. There is also the option of a Partnership pension account.

· Support for continuous professional development: as a part of SFC, we are dedicated to providing comprehensive support for continuous learning and professional development. Civil Service-Learning curriculum has thoughtfully designed to cater to various learning preferences, allowing employees to engage in a manner that best suits their needs. All our educational resources are conveniently accessible through the CSL website.

· Support for health and wellbeing, including generous occupational sick pay, free access to confidential advice and support through our 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme, Special Leave (paid and unpaid), a contribution to learning outside work through our Lifelong Learning Fund, free winter flu vaccination, and access to occupational health support.

· We provide support to SFC employees with Volunteering Days.

· Support for travel to and from work, including a salary sacrifice cycle loan scheme, cycle storage and shower facilities, an interest-free loan for bus or rail season tickets and free office car parking for employees on a first-come basis.

Although most salaried roles are advertised as full time positions (35 hours a week), we are happy to discuss part-time or compressed hours to suit a candidates circumstances. We also operate a flexible working scheme to work around a candidate\’s other commitments such as caring responsibilities. We will consider secondment applications for most salaried fixed-term or temporary positions and in many cases also for salaried permanent positions. If you are interested in applying on a secondment basis and this option is not explicitly mentioned in the job advert, please contact recruitment at sfc.ac.uk for further information.