Senior Investigations Officer

About this role

Details

This is a permanent and pensionable appointment and new entrants will normally start on the minimum of the pay range.

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

GBP

Job grade

Other

B3

Type of role

Other

Working pattern

Full-time

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

• Location
• About the job
• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information

About the job

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.

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’.

Job description

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

The above list of job duties is not exclusive or exhaustive and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

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

Essential**criteria

• 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.

Desirable**criteria

• Working experience of Scottish environmental law.

Qualifications**/experience required

We are looking for candidates with a minimum of four years proven experience working in a scrutiny-focussed organisation (for example: inspection, audit, regulatory, or evaluation).

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

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

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £49,401, Environmental Standards Scotland contributes £14,311 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides .

ESS is an independent public body focused on ensuring Scotland achieves the highest environmental standards. We seek skilled individuals who have a passion for improving environmental standards through public service, who can work as part of a multidisciplinary team.