Senior Scrutiny Officer (Climate Change)

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’.

ESS’ role is expanding to take on two new roles:

• scrutinising the Scottish Government’s delivery against the new statutory biodiversity and nature restoration targets which will be set under the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026
• scrutinising local authorities’ reporting against climate change duties as set out in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009

To deliver these duties and to manage this significant organisational change, ESS will be recruiting new posts over the next twelve months to establish a new team within the organisation to lead the development of work to deliver these roles, alongside related corporate services requirements. 

We are recruiting for four Senior Scrutiny Officers (Climate Change) within our newly created New Scrutiny Duties Development Department.

Together, working to the Principal Scrutiny Officer and Head of New Scrutiny Duties Development, these post holders will play a crucial part in how we will deliver our new area of work scrutinising local authorities’ reporting against climate change duties as set out in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

Responsibilities

Key responsibilities include:

• supporting the Head of Department and Principal Scrutiny Officer to develop an effective approach to how ESS will scrutinise local authorities’ implementation of their climate change duties
• identifying, summarising, interpreting and presenting evidence on the way in which local authorities in Scotland implement their climate change duties
• identifying and engaging with relevant stakeholders to access support, advice and opinion on climate change best practice
• obtain, by way of written requests for information, calls and meetings, research and consultation with other staff, all substantive, relevant information pertinent to matters under consideration
• identifying potential issues for investigation
• assisting in the planning and managing of the team in achieving planned outputs as agreed with the Head of Department and Principal Scrutiny Officer
• assisting the Head of Department and Principal Scrutiny Officer in providing high quality information on any aspect of the work of the team
• working collaboratively and flexibly with colleagues across ESS on key operational work streams to support the development of effective and efficient processes and systems within ESS
• representing ESS, and supporting and co-ordinating relationships with key external senior stakeholders in central and local government and the wider environmental sector

Qualifications

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 in developing 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:

• experience of working in environmental science, law, policy or regulation

Qualifications/experience:

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

Person specification:

• 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 relations 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

Behaviours

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

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

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions