Executive Director - Judicial Office for Scotland in Edinburgh

The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) plays a vital and visible role at the heart of Scotland’s justice system. As an independent national organisation, we are entrusted with supporting fair, efficient and accessible justice for the people of Scotland. The Executive Director: Judicial Office for Scotland role presents a great opportunity to work with the senior judiciary at the heart of Scotland’s justice system during one of the most exciting periods of rapid change it has ever experienced. The job will provide exposure to policy and strategy, service delivery, change development and corporate governance – directly supporting the SCTS board, Chaired by the Lord President (Scotland’s most senior judge) in its leadership of SCTS as a non-ministerial department.

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive, this role sits right at the centre of SCTS – an organisation with over 1,900 staff based in some 60 locations across the length and breadth of the country. As part of the SCTS Executive Team you will be jointly responsible for the overall management of the SCTS and, in particular, responsible for the strategic development of civil justice.

The Executive Director will:

• Provide the Lord President and Lord Justice Clerk with high quality strategic and administrative advice and support in their management of the judiciary and in their interactions with the Scottish Parliament, Scottish Government and other justice agencies.
• Provide direction and leadership at a strategic level to all Judicial Office teams namely:
• The Lord President’s Private Office
• Strategy and Governance
• The Judicial Institute
• Library services
• Judicial communications
• The Scottish Civil Justice Council
• The Scottish Sentencing Council
• The Office of the Auditor of Court

Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership and direction for the Judicial Office for Scotland, ensuring effective support to the Lord President, Lord Justice Clerk and wider judiciary.
• Lead the development and delivery of civil justice reform across SCTS, including identifying opportunities for innovation, service improvement and digital transformation.
• Contribute as a member of the SCTS Executive Team, shaping organisational strategy, performance and governance.
• Act as the key interface between the judiciary and SCTS, promoting strong relationships, collaboration and alignment of priorities.
• Provide high-quality strategic advice and support on matters relating to judicial governance, policy, welfare, conduct, deployment and recruitment.
• Lead and oversee the Judicial Office's specialist functions, ensuring the effective delivery of services and support to the judiciary.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with senior stakeholders across the judiciary, Scottish Government, Parliament and justice sector partners.
• Provide leadership and direction to senior managers within the Judicial Office, fostering an inclusive, high-performing and innovative culture.
• Ensure effective governance, risk management and decision-making arrangements across the areas for which the role is accountable.
• Champion continuous improvement, organisational learning and staff wellbeing, creating an environment where diverse perspectives are valued and people can perform at their best.

Qualifications:

• A law degree or experience of working in the law would be advantageous but is not essential.

Experience:

• Senior Executive leadership experience at Director or Board‑equivalent level in a large, complex organisation.
• Experience of advising Boards or governance committees on strategic policy matters.
• Demonstrable success in leading organisational change, cultural transformation and organisational development.

Behaviours:

• Leadership
• Seeing the big picture
• Communicating and influencing
• Working together

How to apply:

Apply online, providing a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 750 words) which provides evidence of how you meet the skills, experience and behaviours listed in the Success Profile above. 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.

If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview with presentation, leadership assessments and staff engagement panel. Assessments are scheduled for w/c 19 October and Interviews are scheduled for 6 November, 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:

The Judicial Office for Scotland was established on the 1st of April 2010 as part of the structural changes introduced by the Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008. The Act set in statue the Lord President’s responsibilities in relation to making and maintaining appropriate arrangements for the welfare, training and guidance of judicial office holders; for making and maintaining appropriate arrangements for the investigation and determination of any matter concerning the conduct of judicial office holders, and the review of such determinations.

The Judicial Office takes direction exclusively from the Lord President but also supports the Lord Justice Clerk, the President of the Scottish Tribunals, the Sheriffs Principal and any judicial office holder with judicial leadership responsibilities. The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) exists to deliver efficient and effective justice across Scotland, supporting the judiciary and upholding public confidence in the justice system. The SCTS is a non-ministerial department established by the Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008. Its statutory function is to provide administrative support to the Scottish courts, devolved tribunals and the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG). The SCTS has a presence in communities across Scotland. Court and tribunal business is conducted daily across the country in some 60 locations.

The work of SCTS covers a broader range of issues than you may think. In providing support to Scotland’s courts, devolved tribunals and the Office of the Public Guardian, we deal with over a quarter of a million cases and applications each year. This touches the lives of many people on a daily basis – be that through formal court or tribunal business, fulfilling a civic duty as a juror, paying fees or fines, seeking help in managing the affairs of an incapable adult or dealing with the estate of a loved one who has passed away. SCTS deals with over a quarter of a million cases/applications each year. Behind each one of these is an individual – looking to the system to help them assert their rights, address wrongs or provide support in a time of need. We are always looking to improve the services we provide – through innovation and development. Whilst delivering our core services is our top priority considering how we can improve and transform is also crucial if we are to keep delivering the highest quality service.

Our employees 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.

As part of the UK Civil Service, we uphold the Civil Service Nationality Rules.

Working pattern:

Our standard hours are 37 hours per week and we offer a range of flexible working options depending on the needs of the role. Our Hybrid Working policy balances flexibility with the needs of the business. It enables employees, where roles and opportunities allow, to work partly remotely and partly within an SCTS workplace, while ensuring we remain connected as teams and continue to deliver resilient, high quality public services.

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). Candidates will be expected to hold or be willing to obtain clearance to SC level. 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. Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.