Operational Performance, Quality and Strategic Planning Senior Officer

Client Services Delivery is the operational business area within Social Security Scotland that ensures clients receive the financial support they teams deliver a wide range of benefits and services to those most in need across Scotland. This includes people on low incomes disabled people carers young people entering the workplace and to help people heat their homes.

Working in Client Services Delivery requires flexibility and is demand driven therefore this role will require you to consistently work alongside different benefit areas to support their performance quality feedback or strategic planning.

As a B2 Operational Performance Quality and Strategic Planning Senior Officer you be assigned one of the following roles based on business requirements:

• Performance Senior Officer - You will lead the creation and establishment of the new Performance Team championing a positive performance culture across Client Services Delivery. You will take responsibility for developing and embedding the organisations approach to performance management including designing performance dashboards and ensuring that teams effectively analyse and interpret data to drive improvement. You will oversee accurate and timely reporting of performance at individual team and divisional levels providing analysis insights and recommendations to senior leaders. You will identify and escalate risks issues and areas for improvement building relationships and working collaboratively with colleagues to ensure performance outcomes are achieved and continuously improved.
  

• Quality Support Senior Officer - You will lead the coordination and delivery of quality assurance activity across Client Services Delivery ensuring that services are delivered consistently efficiently and to a high standard. You will take responsibility for embedding a culture of continuous improvement by analysing quality data and feedback to identify trends risks and opportunities for improvement. Working closely with Operational Performance and Strategic Planning teams you will design and implement quality frameworks tools and guidance that support staff to deliver excellent client outcomes. You will also oversee the accurate recording and reporting of quality outcomes at individual team and divisional level ensuring transparency and accountability across the organisation. Where issues arise you will identify root causes escalate risks appropriately and lead or support improvement actions to address them.
  

• Strategic Planning Senior Officer - You will lead the analysis of resource requirements across all Client Service Delivery areas using data from multiple sources to identify trends and future demands. You will develop and present evidence-based recommendations to senior leaders on how best to balance and deploy resources to meet business needs. Working in partnership with the Operational Performance and Quality Teams you will identify and lead targeted improvement projects that streamline processes and improve outcomes for clients and staff. You will provide expert advice and insights to inform strategic planning and operational decision-making.

Reporting to an Operations Manager you will lead and coach a team of Performance Officers Quality Support Officers or Strategic Planning Officers to ensure a high standard of service is delivered to our clients and stakeholders. You will be responsible for leading teams in supporting Operational Delivery colleagues to maintain high operational performance and quality standards.

These roles are part of the Operational Delivery Profession which is a recognised Civil Service profession and the largest profession within Social Security Scotland. As a client facing organisation delivering benefits to the people of Scotland being part of the profession recognises the key role you will undertake.

Responsibilities

• Leadership and Line Management:
  Lead and foster a performance culture where colleagues in your team care are curious and contribute to meeting performance objectives. This includes quality assurance performance outcomes and attendance management.
  
• Operational Support:
  Work with teams across Client Services Delivery to ensure both a consistent and excellent client experience as well as a high standard of performance quality and strategic planning. Plan and prioritise the teams workload to achieve objectives. Interpret review and monitor Management Information from your own team and others across Client Services Delivery to identify trends and forecast outcomes.
  
• Performance and Quality Management:
  Be accountable for the quality of the work your team delivers for our stakeholders. Monitor and manage performance and quality using data tools (e.g. Excel) to source validate and analyse performance data to support continuous improvement and learning for your team and other teams across Client Services Delivery.
  
• Culture and People Engagement:
  Encourage a culture of engagement and inclusivity within your team acting as a role model in upholding our Charter and values ensuring that staff feel supported and respected in their work environment.
  
• Governance and Data Security:
  Ensure your team manage data securely and in compliance with legal and organisational standards. Promote a culture of data accountability ensuring insights are used ethically and effectively to support service delivery improvements.

Success Profiles
Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on. Find out more about how we assess theSuccess Profile elements

Experience:
Experience supporting or contributing to service delivery in an operational environment with a focus on quality decision-making and performance improvement.

Behaviours:
Making effective decisions (Level 3)
Communicating and influencing (Level 3)
Managing a quality Service (Level 3)
Changing and Improving (Level 3)

Find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours here.

Technical/Professional Skills:
You will demonstrate the following skills within the Core ODP Skills - Operational Delivery Profession framework:

Data and insight (Level Working)

How to Apply
Apply online you must provide a CV and a Supporting Statement (of no more than 1000 words) which provides evidence of how you meet the skills experience and behaviours outlined above.

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 shortlisted you will be invited for further assessment which will include an interview and presentation.

Should a large number of applications be received an initial sift may be conducted using the CV and Supporting Statement on thefirst Behaviour Making effective decisions (Level 3).Candidates who pass the initial sift will have their applications fully assessed.

We aim to provide feedback on request. However if we receive a large number of applications it may not be possible for us to provide specific feedback on your application. We will provide feedback on request to candidates who attend an interview/assessment.

Expected Timeline (subject to change)
Sifting from 8th to 22nd December 2025
Interviewing w/c 12^th January 2026

Reserve List
In the event that there are more successful candidates than posts available a reserve list will be kept for up to 12 months.

About Us
Social Security Scotland is an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government. Our benefits help people from all walks of life in Scotland. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles. We are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce that is representative of the clients we serve. Find more about us here.

We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more aboutwhat we offer.

As part of theUK Civil Service we uphold theCivil Service Nationality Rules.

Working Pattern
Our standard hours are 35 hours per week and we offer a range of flexible working options depending on the needs of the role. We embrace a hybrid working style where all colleagues will spend time in one of our Social Security Scotland offices. There is an expectation of a minimum 2 days per week in your assigned location which will be Agnes Husband House Dundee or 220 High Street Glasgow for this position.

If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for please contactus.

Equality Statement
Social Security Scotland are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.

Social Security Scotland are a Disability Confident Employer. We will consider and implement any reasonable adjustments you may require throughout the recruitment process and during the course of your employment should you be successful in securing a post. If you feel you may require assistance with any part of our recruitment process please contact us at

Find out more about our commitment todiversityand how we offer support andrecruitment adjustmentsfor anyone who needs them.

Further Information
This role is only available to existing permanent civil servants who have successfully completed their probation period within Social Security Scotland or the broader Scottish Government.

Find out more about our organisation what we offer staff members and how to apply on ourCareers Website.

Read ourCandidate Guidefor further information on our recruitment and application processes.

The successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 3 years unless successful in gaining promotion to a higher Band or Grade.

If you experience any difficulties accessing our website or completing the online application form please contact the Resourcing Team via

Apply before:Thursday 4th December 2025 at 23:55

Contact Name: Resourcing Team
Contact E-Mail:r