Head of Risk Assessment in Aberdeen

Business Area/Directorate - Food Standards Scotland

Working Arrangement – In line with FSS’s 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. 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.

Grade - C1

Advert type - Temporary Promotion or lateral transfer

Duration - 12 months (with the possibility of extension)

Eligibility - Expressions of interest are invited from eligible staff in Bands A – C for this vacancy. Skilled Worker Sponsorship not being offered. 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.

Overview: The Head of Risk Assessment works as part of Food Standards Scotland's (FSS's) Science Division. This post leads the team which is responsible for undertaking FSS’s food and feed safety risk assessment functions, commissioning research and providing scientific and technical advice concerning microbiological, allergen and chemical food safety across the business, including support for incidents. The role requires excellent communications skills, with the ability to convey complex technical information clearly to a range of audiences. They must develop and maintain effective collaborative relationships with key government partners and stakeholders, particularly with scientists at the Food Standards Agency (to support the UK Risk Analysis process), scientific advisors in Scottish Government, food safety scientists and industry representatives. They will also represent FSS’s interests on a range of Scottish and UK Government, industry and academic technical and science groups.

This post provides strategic leadership for FSS's risk assessment function; a varied and fast paced area of the organisation's remit, which requires the post holder to work flexibly and responsively if and when urgent issues arise. The Head of Risk Assessment is responsible for managing a team of microbiological and chemical food safety specialists and fostering a high performing culture that ensures FSS has the scientific capability and capacity to support the delivery of its core food safety responsibilities. The Head of Risk Assessment leads a team of six scientists with expertise in microbiological, toxicological and chemical food safety; working as part of FSS's Science Division; a multi-disciplinary cohort of around 15 biology, chemistry and social science professionals. The Head of Risk Assessment has direct line management responsibilities for 3 senior scientists at B3 grade; providing the oversight and governance needed to ensure the team delivers risk assessments which are based on sound evidence and are scientifically robust. The Head of Risk Assessment also provides oversight for a programme of research; ensuring projects are procured, delivered and published in line with the appropriate procedures, and that the associated budgets are managed effectively.

This is a 12 month position to provide cover for FSS's Head of Risk Assessment whilst the substantive post holder is on parental leave. There is the possibility that the position will be extended beyond 12 months depending on circumstances.

Responsibilities:

• Line manage three B3 staff; providing leadership and helping to motivate and develop a small team comprising 6 specialist scientific staff;
• Support the Head of Science Division in leading and developing an effective Science function for FSS, ensuring the organisation has the scientific capability and capacity required to deliver its risk assessment responsibilities.
• Contribute to business planning, risk management and performance reporting, while ensuring the efficient management of team workload and delegated budgets;
• Work with FSS policy colleagues and science counterparts at FSA to ensure the delivery of UK risk analysis and future engagement with EU scientific structures take full account of Scottish interests;
• Ensure delivery of high quality scientific risk assessments, working alongside risk managers to formulate the problem and identify the scope of the risk assessment and undertaking work in-house or in collaboration with risk assessors in FSA or externally, to support FSS’s responsibilities across its remit.
• Build effective relationships across Science Division, and work closely with other relevant teams across the organisation, with a view to co-ordinating evidence needs and optimising the use of scientific expertise within the organisation.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of research and developments in food safety, demonstrating expert level knowledge in overall team work, and maintaining an awareness and understanding of the strategic context of the team’s scientific responsibilities.
• Oversee the design, commissioning and management of research and surveillance needed to support food safety risk assessment. This involves maintaining an up to date understanding of policy and scientific developments in the relevant fields, analysis of the evidence base to identify gaps, presenting business cases on research needs, risks and estimated budget, and managing contractors to ensure work is delivered;
• Provide clear and focused oral and written briefings on scientific issues to senior officials, the Chief Executive and the Board as required.
• Build effective relationships with colleagues in the Scottish Government, Food Standards Agency, other Government Departments, the science community, industry and key stakeholder representatives.

Qualifications:

• Post-graduate degree or research or industry experience in a relevant subject e.g. microbiology, toxicology, chemistry, biochemistry, food science. Proof of qualifications will be checked at the assessment stage.

Success Profile:

• Technical / Professional Skills:
• Building and applying knowledge - Understands and objectively, and effectively, applies scientific and engineering approaches with rigour and integrity. Implements and evaluates the effectiveness of the scientific, technical or engineering solutions throughout the system lifecycle. Develops and maintains a positive, well-respected and influential scientific / engineering reputation both across government and externally, including through assessments, publications, presentations at conferences, and representation on relevant professional or academic bodies.
• Communicating science and engineering for government - Builds solid links to internal and external specialists and stakeholders; demonstrates how this knowledge is benefiting science and engineering capability across government or wider science and engineering community. Represents their organisation externally in a positive and effective manner. Demonstrates professional and considerate conduct when working with others. Builds and manages effective partnerships. Understands and promotes the significance of advice and evidence in policy making and helps develop systems that promote its use.
• Developing science and engineering capability - Demonstrates commitment to the GSE Profession through leadership or support for cross-government professional development activities allied to their discipline. Builds a diverse network for self and others to share professional knowledge and know-how.
• Technical oversight and management - Effectively approves, directs and reviews scientific, technical or engineering work of others. Champions good practice, openness to scrutiny, promotes integrity, collaboration, and manages risk effectively. Provides clear scientific, technical or engineering leadership to projects, portfolios or programmes. Helps identify learning and development opportunities for members of their team, enabling continuous improvement. Arrives at clear and defensible conclusions, with outcomes expressed credibly and transparently.
• Broad thinking - Understands the wider context and impact of their work supporting their organisation’s objectives, government policy and broader scientific communities. Identifies problems and formulates scientific, technical or engineering approaches to solutions, ensuring safety and sustainability.
• Experience: Demonstrable post-graduate experience of collating, analysing, reporting and communicating scientific data in a relevant field, such as industry, academia or government.
• Behaviours: Leadership – Level 4, Making effective decisions – Level 4, Communicating and influencing – Level 4, Seeing the big picture – Level 4.

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, including Flexi-leave. In line with FSS’s 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. 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.

Further Information: Further information about this opportunity is available from Jacqui.Mcelhiney@fss.scot

How to Apply: Please submit an Expression of Interest (maximum 1000 words) outlining your suitability for the role, relevant skills and experience, and what you would bring to the team. Please align this to how you meet the behaviours, experience and technical skills listed in the Success Profile above.

Vacancies close at 11:59pm on the date displayed in the table, unless otherwise stated on the job advert.

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 informal discussion. Discussions are scheduled for w/c 31st August, however this may be subject to change.

Temporary Promotion: Please click the link to access further guidance and information on overview and eligibility Temporary promotion.

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: 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 observing the Civil Service Code and 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.

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, or read about the different levels of security checks in our Candidate Guide.

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.