Director General Corporate/Chief Operating Officer

Are you a strategic, values-driven leader with a passion for enabling transformation across government? Do you bring depth of experience in digital, people, change or financial leadership, and thrive in complex, multi-disciplinary environments? The Scottish Government is seeking a dynamic and strategic Director General for Corporate to lead a critical portfolio at the heart of government operations.

As Director General Corporate/Chief Operating Officer, you will lead a diverse team of Directors and Chief Executives and oversee a workforce of approximately 2,100 staff and a budget of over £300 million providing services to government and shared services across the public sector. With an operational span across corporate functions, these services underpin the Scottish Government’s ability to deliver for the people of Scotland. You will oversee critical areas including digital transformation, people and capability, legal services, finance, governance, communications, workplace, property, procurement, and ministerial support. You will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the Scottish Government’s operating model, including the drive towards more integrated and shared service approaches. Your leadership will ensure that corporate services are not only efficient and resilient, but also agile, inclusive, and aligned with the Government’s strategic priorities. This is a role for a leader who can inspire and enable change, build high-performing teams, and foster collaboration across boundaries. You will work closely with Ministers, the Executive Team, Non-Executive Directors, and senior leaders across the public sector to drive excellence in service delivery and organisational performance.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership across the DG Corporate family, ensuring alignment with the National Performance Framework and Government priorities including Public Sector Reform.
• Champion digital transformation, embedding innovation and user-centred design across corporate and shared services.
• Lead and develop a high-performing, inclusive DG family, fostering a culture of kindness, resilience, accessibility and adaptability.
• Oversee the delivery of corporate and shared services including people, finance, legal, governance, communications, workplace, property and procurement, ministerial support.
• Act as Senior Information Risk Owner for Scottish Government.
• Drive transformation towards more integrated and shared service models across the Scottish Government and its public bodies.
• Work with staff networks, trade unions and wider organisation to promote and champion diversity, inclusion, equity and belonging.
• Collaborate with Cabinet Secretaries and Ministers to ensure exemplary civil service support and delivery assurance.
• Contribute to corporate governance as a member of the Corporate Board and wider governance system.

Key Priority Areas

• Digital Transformation: Lead the strategic development and implementation of digital services and platforms that enable efficient, secure and user-focused government operations.
• People and Capability: Ensure the Scottish Government attracts, retains and develops diverse talent, and builds leadership and workforce capability.
• Legal and Ethical Governance: Provide assurance on legal compliance, propriety and ethics across government operations to ensure quality advice for Scottish Ministers.
• Financial Stewardship: Oversee financial planning, budgeting and performance, ensuring value for money and transparency.

Success Profile

It is essential that you can provide evidence in your application of the professional experience and skills required for this role. In addition, candidates applying for roles with the government agencies and public bodies in Scotland are assessed in line with the Success Profiles framework that is used across the Civil Service. This means that as well as evidencing the professional experience and skills you will also be expected to evidence behaviours at the level required for this Senior Civil Service role.

Experience

• Leadership at Executive Team and Board level.
• Significant experience of leading the development and delivery of organisational strategies in a large and complex organisation, within government, the public sector or private sector.
• Senior experience of delivering value from digital and technology in service optimisation and transformation.
• Demonstrable experience of financial management of significant resource and capital budgets, together with overarching corporate governance experience.
• Proven ability to deliver strategic objectives at pace and sustain them through periods of ambiguity and organisational change.
• Achievement of measurable improvements across a range of specialist subject areas, through effective cross-boundary working and partnership with a wide range of stakeholders.

Behaviours

You are required to demonstrate the following behaviours at level 6 for this role:

• Seeing the big picture (Level 6).
• Delivering at pace (Level 6).
• Leadership (Level 6).
• Communicating and Influencing (Level 6).
• Making effective decisions (Level 6).

How To Apply

Candidates must apply online, providing a CV and supporting statement (of no more than 500 words) that directly addresses the Experience criteria listed in the Success Profile above. General or unrelated statements will not be accepted and may result in your application being sifted out. Please ensure your statement clearly demonstrates how you meet the specified experience requirements. During the interview and assessment process we will test your skills and experience as well as behaviours aligned to this role. If you are shortlisted you will be provided with full details of the next stages of the selection and assessment process. This may include an individual psychological assessment and a stakeholder/staff engagement exercise. Assessments are scheduled for the weeks commencing 5th, 12th and 19th January however this may be subject to change. Some of the assessments are likely to take place in person, further details will be provided for shortlisted candidates. The Final Interview Panel will take place in person in Edinburgh. Interviews will be chaired by Liz Walmsley, Civil Service Commission.

Indicative Timeline

Final interviews: w/c 26 January. Timings are subject to change. You will be informed appropriately.

Interview Expenses

Any travel and subsistence expenses incurred during the selection process are the responsibility of the applicant.

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, working for Ministers and with 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.

Benefits

• Alongside your salary of £143,036, Scottish Government contributes £41,437 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• An environment with flexible working options.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.

Working Pattern

Applicants on any working pattern are welcome to apply for this post. If you are interested in applying on a job-share basis, please make clear in your application 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. For information full-time equivalent is 37 hours per week. Applicants should expect to spend significant time in-person at their contracted workplace and/or other settings to optimise their leadership functions. This role is Edinburgh based with regular travel across Scotland and to London. Please note that hybrid working arrangements currently apply.

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). In addition, given the requirements of this role, candidates will require national security vetting to Developed Vetting level as a condition of appointment.

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

Please see our landing page for more details - Director-General Corporate - Scottish Government. 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.