Chief of Staff - Edinburgh - #1679118

This is an exciting time to join the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s (COPFS) Senior Leadership team, as we enter a stage of transformation. In the newly designed role of Chief of Staff, you will be the principal advisor to the Crown Agent and Chief Executive (CA/CE) of COPFS. As such, you will play a significant role in driving forward strategic, operational and cultural change to help COPFS evolve and adapt.

This will be a highly visible role within COPFS where you will need to utilise your relationship building skills to develop close working relationships with senior staff across the business. You will work to foster trust and confidence in COPFS both externally as a prosecution service and internally as an employer. You will do so by using your excellent decision-making skills and providing strategic and responsive advice to all stakeholders and colleagues.

You must have strong leadership skills, being inspirational at engaging others and able to spot and address knowledge and skills gaps through coaching and mentoring. As the Chief of Staff, you will significantly develop and influence performance both internally and across Scottish Government, providing information and recommendations on the appropriate course of action for the organisation as you continuously work to improve procedures that ensure the delivery of an effective CA/CE.

You should have experience of working with and persuading and influencing senior officials and stakeholders in a politically charged or operationally complex environment and be able to use insight and experience to draw business conclusions, building and maintaining diverse and inclusive teams and ensuring the credibility of COPFS is not negatively impacted.

You will lead, nurture and develop your team to deliver an excellent Private Office service to the CA/CE, wider COPFS and Scottish Criminal Justice sector, as COPFS embark on a modernisation programme, while working to deliver excellent services to witnesses and victims.

You will require well developed analytical skills to make robust, defensible decisions, weighing up multiple factors under time pressure and aid difficult judgements. You should have significant experience of interacting at a senior/board level and understanding of public sector requirements.

This post is one of our Senior Civil Service (SCS) Directors in Pay Band 1.

Please see the candidate pack for more information on the role job details and assessment guide, this can be downloaded from our Current Vacancies page on our website: Careers | COPFS.

The starting salary is from £90,718 (full time). A contributory pension scheme is in operation, with employees' contributions of 7.35% and employers' contributions of 28.97%

The post holder will be based in Crown Office, Edinburgh. This role requires regular office attendance at Crown Office on a daily basis and the post holder will also be required to travel regularly to Glasgow and other COPFS offices across Scotland.

For further details on this role and how to apply please review the application pack on our website or email [email protected]. Alternatively, please contact PS Crown Agent and Chief Executive [email protected] if you have any questions relating to the role.

The closing date for applications is Sunday 11 May at 23:55.

We welcome applications from all suitably qualified people and aim to employ a diverse workforce, which reflects the people of Scotland.

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.

We offer an excellent range of benefits which include:

• 25 days paid holiday + 11.5 public and privilege holidays (rising to 30 days paid holiday after 4 years).
• Generous Civil Service Pension employer contribution, on average over 28.97% of your pay
• Flexible working hours and family friendly approach to work.
• Cycle to Work Scheme and Season Ticket Loans.
• Employee Wellbeing Support with Mental Health First Aiders and access to an Employee Assistance Programme.