Senior Investigations Officer

Senior Investigations Officer

Location: Edinburgh

Contract type: Permanent

Salary: £49,401 per annum

Closing Date: Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 25th October 2026

Job summary

Environmental Standards Scotland’s (ESS) role is to monitor, investigate and secure public authorities’ compliance with environmental law in Scotland. We also scrutinise the effectiveness of environmental law and policy in Scotland and how it is implemented and applied. In our investigative and analytical reports, we may also identify instances where we consider there to be gaps in environmental protection legislation.

Job description

ESS is an independent non‑ministerial office, accountable to the Scottish Parliament and overseen by a non‑executive board. It is part of the Scottish Administration and its employees are civil servants. Full details are available on the ESS website.

Our Strategy 2026‑2031 sets out how we will work as an organisation to deliver our vision that ‘by holding public authorities to account, we will ensure that Scotland’s people and nature benefit from a high‑quality, healthy environment through improved compliance with and better implementation of effective environmental law’.

ESS’ role is to independently scrutinise, investigate and secure improvements in public authorities’ compliance with environmental law, the effectiveness of environmental law, and the way it is being implemented and applied in Scotland. The role of Senior Investigations Officer is critical to this high‑profile, complex and consequential work. The role holder will be responsible for managing a case load of issues under consideration by ESS. This will include the investigation of matters brought to the attention of ESS by stakeholders and members of the public.

As such the successful candidate will be competent in analysing large amounts of information, identifying solutions, presenting clear information and recommendations and engaging successfully with stakeholders and public authorities. The SIO will assist in the management of workload and the successful candidate should therefore have excellent organisational and prioritisation skills. The role also requires the production of concise and compelling reports to document the findings of our investigations and to publicise the outcome of them.

Key duties and responsibilities include:

• conduct initial sifting into matters of concern with respect to a public authority’s compliance with environmental law, the application or implementation of environmental law, or the effectiveness of environmental law itself, to understand whether there is a significant matter within the scope of ESS, and making connections between issues raised to spot underlying systemic problems
• investigate matters of concern selected for investigation with respect to a public authority’s compliance with environmental law or the effectiveness of environmental law, in a fair and impartial manner and in accordance with ESS’ Strategy and procedures
• be the point of contact for people and organisations raising matters of concern
• engage effectively with public authorities and others as part of individual investigations from their inception through to its completion
• obtain, by way of written requests for information, calls and meetings, research and consultation with other staff, all substantive, information pertinent to matters under consideration
• maintain appropriate records of investigations
• prepare timely, high quality, evidence-based reports on findings, in accordance with requirements
• support the head of department in developing policies and procedures
• assist in the planning and managing of the investigation function and achieving planned outputs as agreed with the head of department
• assist the head of department in producing regular advice and recommendations to the Board on matters of concern brought to the attention of ESS
• assist the head of department in providing high quality information to the Board on any aspect of the work of the investigations team

Person specification

• experience of investigating / scrutinising issues to reach decisions and making consequential recommendations for change, preferably in relation to complex matters involving environmental law.
• experience of working in a team at pace to deliver high quality products or service.
• excellent communication and influencing skills with the ability to establish strong working relationships with a range of internal and senior external stakeholders
• excellent organisational and prioritisation skills with the ability to work independently to deliver at pace, without sacrificing quality
• Proven experience of using analytical skills to explore issues and reach decisions based on evaluating a range of evidence, preferably in relation to legally complex matters involving the implementation and interpretation of law.
• Proven experience of building and maintaining strong working relationships with internal and senior external stakeholders.
• Proven experience of producing high quality, formal, written reports that are clear, comprehensive and which have withstood scrutiny.
• Excellent planning and organisational skills, including the ability to balance competing demands.
• Working experience of Scottish environmental law.

Behaviours

• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

The post allows flexible working and is open to full time or, by agreement, other working patterns including part‑time, job share or compressed hours with a minimum requirement of 28 hours per week.

In return, we offer a competitive employment package including:

Benefits

• a range of flexible working arrangements as well as flexitime to ensure a working pattern that meets both your needs as well as those of the organisation
• 25 days annual leave with an increase to 30 days after two years of reckonable service, plus 11.5 days of public and privilege holidays
• six months full pay for maternity, adoption or shared parental leave, five weeks full pay for paternity leave and paid leave for any antenatal appointments
• a range of paid special leave including leave for carers and bereavement leave
• a strong commitment to investing in the personal and professional development of all staff
• dedicated wellbeing support and services for all staff including access to a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
• exceptional workplace adjustment support to remove barriers to enable staff to achieve their full potential
• We are building a culture that encourages inclusion and diversity and we particularly encourage applications from people from a diverse range of backgrounds. We also offer access to a range of network groups to support equality, diversity and inclusion.
• enrolment in the civil service pension scheme

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