Senior Policy Officer - Shared Ownership

This is an Expression of Interest (EOI) opportunity, available on a lateral move basis only. Applications are open to Core Scottish Government employees only. 

Job Title – Senior Policy Officer - Shared Ownership

Working Arrangement – Staff in roles compatible with hybrid working should spend 40% of their contracted working time working in person at their contractual workplace. More information can be found within Hybrid Working Policy .

Grade – B3

Advert type – level transfer

Duration – Permanent

Eligibility - Expressions of interest are invited from substantive colleagues on level transfer from Core SG only.

Skilled Worker Sponsorship not being offered

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.

Overview

We have an opportunity for a B3/ Senior Policy Officer to join the Public Land and Shared Ownership Team on a permanent basis to support delivery of Shared Ownership policy. This is an ideal opportunity for someone with skills in policy development and delivery.

The Public Land and Shared Ownership Policy Team is part of the Public and Community Energy Unit (PACE), within the Directorate for Energy and Climate Change (DECC). We are at the forefront of keeping communities at the heart of the energy system which is an essential part of ensuring fairness during Scotland’s transition to net zero.

We are committed to working with partners to continue to grow the community energy and shared ownership sector, and the work of the unit plays a significant role in delivering on these ambitions, including work on community benefit, community energy and shared ownership opportunities. There are many opportunities to be seized and potential for communities to be able to own and reap the benefits of renewable energy projects across Scotland.

The post holder will lead and support on shared ownership policy, including the development and implementation of a shared ownership policy and negotiating and collaborating with the UK Government and GB Energy on the Local Power Plan. There is also opportunity to lead and coordinate workstreams that support the Directorate’s and Scottish Government’s ambitions to meet net zero emissions by 2045.

This is high-profile, high-impact work with strong Ministerial interest and senior civil service visibility. You’ll be part of a dynamic, collaborative team that values innovation, inclusion, and delivering tangible change. The role offers excellent opportunities for professional development, cross-government collaboration, and shaping policy that directly impacts communities across Scotland.

PACE is led by a C2 and you will work alongside a C1 and line manage a B2, within a wider unit of four teams:

1) Community Benefits (4 staff members).

2) CARES (4 staff members).

3) Demand Flexibility (3 staff members).

4) Public Land and Shared Ownership (3 staff members, including this post).

Responsibilities

• Lead policy development and implementation on community shared ownership. This is a cross-cutting piece that impacts public land, onshore wind and community energy. The post holder will engage with key stakeholder such as public bodies and the Scottish Coalition for Community Energy.  
• Support policy development and delivery to identify and agree process for public land available for community energy.
• Support engagement and establish ways of working with the UK Government and GB Energy on the Local Power Plan, including agreeing shared ownership opportunities and the UK Government’s consultation for mandating shared ownership.
• Draft high-quality briefings, speaking notes, submissions and responses to Parliamentary Questions, Ministerial correspondence and FOI/ EIR requests.  
• Provide effective line management support for a B2 and leadership of the work, whilst ensuring staff well-being is at the heart of the culture of the team.
• At times, this post will require working to support a range of issues across the Division and wider Directorate. DECC is committed to ensuring that we manage the balance of workload and staffing. That means we may require staff to support in priority areas as they arise. This area has been confirmed as a current priority for DECC but the postholder may be required to work on other priorities within the Energy Industries Division or more widely in DECC in the future

Success Profile

Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of behaviours, experience and technical criteria (if applicable) that candidates will be assessed on

Experience

• Demonstrated experience of policy development and delivery, using evidence to make clear and well-reasoned recommendations.

Behaviours

• Communicating and Influencing – (Level 3)
• Seeing the Big Picture - (Level 3)
• Making Effective Decisions – (Level 3)
• Delivering at Pace – (Level 3)

Find out more about Success Profiles .

Working Pattern

The post is a full-time role, but staff with different working patterns are invited to apply, and we will assess proposed working patterns against the business requirements for this post.

Our standard hours are 35 hours per week and we offer a range of flexible working options depending on the needs of the role, including Flexi-leave. Scottish Government staff in hybrid-compatible roles should 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.

How to Apply

Please submit a CV and an Expression of Interest (maximum 500 words) outlining your suitability for the role, relevant skills and experience, and what you would bring to the team. Please align this to how you meet the behaviours, experience and technical skills listed in the Success Profile above.

Vacancies close at 11:59pm on the date displayed in the table, unless otherwise stated on the job advert.

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.

If invited for further assessment, this will consist of a light touch interview.

Discussions are scheduled for Thursday 26th November however this may be subject to change.

For any questions relating to your expression of interest please contact ***email_hidden***.

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.

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 , 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. Find out more about what we offer .

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

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 , and read about the Government Vetting Charter , or about all 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.