Head of Transformation and Portfolio Delivery - C2 in Edinburgh

This opportunity is only open to applicants who are currently 'Priority Movers'. Applications from individuals not currently on the Priority Mover list will be rejected and not considered.

Are you looking for an opportunity to drive portfolio delivery and champion new ways of working? The “Head of Transformation & Portfolio Delivery” will lead the delivery of an ambitious, organisation-wide transformation portfolio at the National Records of Scotland (NRS), shaping how services are modernised, digitised and delivered for the people of Scotland. This is a high-impact leadership role at the heart of strategy, driving prioritisation, governance and outcomes across complex change. You will lead multidisciplinary teams and influence at senior levels to ensure change delivers real public value. This is an opportunity to make a lasting difference; transforming services, strengthening capability, and helping NRS stay fit for the future.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee NRS's transformation portfolio, ensuring programmes and projects align with strategic priorities, capacity, budgets, and organisational objectives.
• Accountable for portfolio delivery performance, proactively managing risks, dependencies, priorities, and delivery outcomes.
• Establish and continuously improve portfolio governance, assurance, reporting, and delivery management frameworks across the organisation.
• Drive strategic prioritisation and investment decisions, ensuring delivery activity supports organisational outcomes, public value, and service user needs.
• Lead benefits realisation and continuous improvement, embedding outcome-focused delivery, evidence-based decision-making, and lessons learned.
• Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders, partners, suppliers, and governance bodies, providing influence, challenge, and clear communication.
• Lead and develop the Innovation & Transformation function, the Delivery Management function and the Portfolio Management Office, building organisation-wide capability, digital skills, and high-performing teams.
• Oversee portfolio financial planning ensuring value-for-money delivery across major transformation initiatives.

Qualifications

• A professional level qualification, such as Axelos’ Management of Portfolios (Practitioner) qualification or equivalent.
• APM’s PMQ or Axelos’ P3O qualifications would also be considered relevant.

Criteria:

• Technical / Professional Skills:
• Planning and scheduling - Practitioner
• Governance - Expert
• Benefits management - Expert
• Frameworks and methodologies - Expert
• Stakeholder engagement - Practitioner
• Asset allocation - Practitioner
• Risk and issue management – Practitioner
• Digital and data - Practitioner

Experience

• Applicants for this role are expected to be experienced transformation or portfolio delivery leaders, with a proven track record of operating at enterprise scale and taking accountability for delivering multiple complex changes in demanding environments.
• Extensive experience defining and managing a portfolio of complex projects using Agile, Waterfall and hybrid methods, ensuring proportionate assurance and continuous improvement.
• Significant experience leading a team of delivery and change specialists, ensuring projects deliver the best possible outcomes.
• A proven track record of influencing and negotiating with senior stakeholders and clearly communicating complex portfolio analysis and recommendations to drive strategic alignment and action.
• Experience leading transformational change encompassing culture, ways-of-working and organisation and operating model changes.

How to apply

Applications for this position will only be accepted from substantive C2 grade employees. Please submit a statement outlining your suitability for the role, relevant skills and experience, and what you would bring to the team (maximum 500 words). Vacancy closes at 23:59 on Tuesday 4 August.

If you have questions about your application please contact DirectorDigital@nrscotland.gov.uk

Selection Process

All applicants will be invited to an informal discussion with the hiring manager. There will be no formal testing or assessment. Discussions are expected to be scheduled for w/c TBC.

Sponsorship

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.

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

National Records of Scotland (NRS) is Scotland’s record keeper. Our purpose is to collect, preserve and produce information about Scotland's people and history and make it available to inform current and future generations. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles.

NRS is a Non-Ministerial Department of the Scottish Government and 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. We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits.

Working pattern

Our standard hours are 35 hours per week, we offer a range of flexible and hybrid working options depending on the needs of the role. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us.

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. Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.

For further information about this role, please contact Michael O’Loughlin at DirectorDigital@nrscotland.gov.uk

Apply before: 04/08/2026 (23:59)