EOI - DD, Renewables Skills and Policy in Glasgow

Expressions of interest are invited from internal candidates for this Senior Civil Service Pay Band 1 role as Deputy Director, Renewables Skills and Policy. Applications are open to staff at Senior Civil Service Deputy Director level (SCS1) on level transfer or for temporary promotion. This position is until 30 September 2026.

The Offshore Wind Directorate works together with colleagues across the public and private sector landscape to deliver offshore renewables in Scotland at a scale and pace which is sustainable and transformational for Scotland’s Net Zero ambition, citizens, communities, environment and economy. We act in a purposeful way, which recognises various commercial and other interests, but which retains a singular focus on where we can add benefit for the people of Scotland as a whole. Our work is urgent and requires us to work in collaboration with ministers, across the public, private and third sectors, and with the people of Scotland themselves, to deliver the purpose and outcomes which are recorded in our directorate business plan. It requires us to find the correct balance between multiple priorities. It inspires us to deliver enduring benefits for Scotland, that will be enjoyed beyond the individual projects delivered.

The Directorate leads on the development of policy work related to offshore renewables, marine energy, and sectoral marine planning, to support the continued growth of the offshore wind, wave, and tidal sectors. Our aim is to drive the benefits from the growth of offshore renewables for Scotland’s economy, citizens, and environment as we transition to net zero. We support the development of Scotland’s supply chain by growing our manufacturing base and attracting inward investment, demonstrating the potential role for marine energy in Scotland’s low carbon energy system and managing the environmental impacts of, and risks to, Scotland’s journey to net zero through offshore renewables.

Offshore wind is at the heart of both energy and economic policy in Scotland, including the Programme for Government, National Strategy for Economic Transformation, export and inward investment plans, and Green Industrial Strategy. It was also highlighted by the FM Investor Panel as the single most important opportunity for attracting capital to Scotland and raising Scotland’s wider investment profile. Offshore Wind investment underlines the Scottish Government’s absolute determination to maximise the economic potential (including associated tax revenues) to be gained from realising opportunities from our offshore wind opportunity. This is a key senior leadership role at the heart of our net zero ambitions to shape and establish Scotland’s strategic and delivery capability to deliver long term offshore wind, wave and tidal generation in our seas.

Responsibilities

• Provide direction and oversight to the staff in your division. It is anticipated that this division will continue to expand over the coming months. Each Division will be supported by portfolio leads which will be managed by a C2. All Deputy Directors in the Directorate will be expected to work collaboratively and flexibly, providing mutual support to maintaining a good overview of the work of the Directorate as a whole, identifying areas of interdependency in delivering Ministerial priorities.
• Be a role model for transformational change and support staff through the continued build-out of the Directorate. Establish a culture of teamwork and collaboration, underpinned with a strong delivery focus.
• Ensure appropriate risk management is in place to adequately reflect and protect Scottish Government interests in delivery of the offshore wind programme.
• Work with colleagues to ensure that all relevant parts of the Scottish Government and the Scottish public sector are engaged and providing appropriate support to the programme as required.
• Act as a “collective sponsor” for other public sector agencies working in the sector to ensure that the overall response is joined up, avoids duplication and that organisational objectives align with the desired strategic direction. This includes the Enterprise Agencies, Crown Estates Scotland and Skills Development Scotland.
• Act as Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) for projects as they emerge through the programme development.
• Act as an ambassador for Offshore Wind and Wave and Tidal sectors in Scotland and engage widely across the sector including with UK Government and with senior leaders in industry in order to ensure that Scotland’s needs and ambitions are realised in policy, legislation and delivery decisions.
• Oversee the offshore wind programme management office, ensuring a proportionate, cross-directorate approach to programme management which facilitates robust and risk aware decision making. This should align with existing corporate reporting functions to avoid duplication for team members.
• Lead a team to deliver a renewable skills programme to ensure that Scotland is well-placed to capture the economic benefits of offshore wind. This is a key piece of policy delivery that will require you to work across a number of policy areas with direct interest, and to manage important stakeholder relationships.
• Work closely with UK Government counterparts and the offshore wind sector to quickly develop and deliver an effective programme of skills delivery that supports the growth of good, green jobs supporting a just transition and our offshore wind ambitions.
• Join the Offshore Wind Leadership Team and take an active role in corporate responsibilities across the broader Directorate, including a strong focus on corporate governance and staff development.

Location

This post is based in Glasgow although as with most areas across the organisation, virtual & hybrid working is the current arrangement. Applicants on any working patterns are welcome to apply for this post. If you are interested in applying on a job-share basis, please make clear in your expression of interest 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. You can find guidance on applying for SCS roles as a job sharer, whether you have a job share partner or not, here.

Our standard hours are 37 hours per week and we offer a range of flexible working options depending on the needs of the role. From October 2025, the Scottish Government will require staff in hybrid-compatible roles to work in-person 40% of the time, either in an office or other agreed work location. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us.

Further Information

Further information about this opportunity is available from DirectorOSW@gov.scot. Your expression of interest should be submitted by 23:55 Sunday 26th July. The expression of interest, which should be no longer than 500 words, should explain why this would be a great opportunity for you at this stage in your career and what you would bring to the role. The note should confirm that you have discussed the opportunity with your Director and that they would be content to release you if the application is successful.

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.

Selection Process

The selection process will be short and light touch. Candidates who are considered to have the skills and experience will be invited to an informal discussion with the recruiting manager and another Director within the first couple of weeks of August. They will recommend the candidate considered most suitable for the opportunity.

Qualifications

Person Specification

It is essential that you can provide evidence of the following:

• Experience working at a strategic leadership level in a large, complex delivery environment with evidence of leading and managing a multi-disciplinary team; working to a delivery-focused agenda which changes and evolves over time.
• Experience working effectively with senior stakeholders on complex, challenging issues to deliver outcomes.

Behaviours:

• Leadership – Level 5
• Developing Self and Others – Level 5
• Working Together – Level 5
• Delivering at Pace – Level 5

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours, here: Success Profiles - Civil Service Behaviours (publishing.service.gov.uk)