C2 Senior Business Strategy Lead Social Security Scotland

Social Security Scotland is seeking a proactive and collaborative C2 Business Strategy Lead to support the development coordination and delivery of key corporate strategies.

This role plays a critical part in strengthening organisational maturity supporting public sector reform activity and ensuring the effective operation of strategic partnerships. The postholder will translate strategic direction into practical plans coordinate cross organisational activity and drive continuous improvement.

The role reports to the Head of Business Strategy & Partnerships and provides leadership across multidisciplinary programmes and workstreams.

Responsibilities

1. Strategy Delivery & Organisational Improvement

• Support the development and delivery of the organisations business strategy coordinating inputs from business areas and monitoring progress against strategic objectives.
• Support the design and continuous improvement of the operating model working collaboratively with senior leaders to together key stakeholders managing and balancing all views to reach agreement on the overall operating model design.
• Translate high level organisational goals into clearly scoped activities milestones and deliverables for teams across the organisation.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of the operating model by gathering insights analysing issues and supporting change implementation.
• Produce high quality analysis briefing and recommendations for senior managers and the Executive Team.
• Communicate across all levels of the organisation including the Executive Team to ensure a shared understanding of the works direction as well asmaintainingan engagement plan that keeps people informed ofkey milestones.

• Understand and use data to prioritise work to drive overall performance and make decisions

  
  

2. Organisational Effectiveness

• Input to and support the development of the organisations Public Service Reform portfolio ensuring measurable progress and shared benefits specifically related to the Operating Model.
• Lead specific organisational development or improvement projects including research benchmarking and maturity assessments.
• Lead assessments of organisational maturityidentifyingareas for development and tracking improvement plans. Working closely with multi-disciplinary teams across Social Security Scotland.
• Support the identification of opportunities to enhance organisational maturity and efficiency presenting evidence based recommendations for action.
• Championa culture of innovation continuous improvement and organisational maturity embedding best practices and change management principles.

3. Strategic Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement

• In alignment with the operating model map and review existing partnership arrangements identifying opportunities to streamline processes and improve joint outcomes.
  

4. Team Leadership and Development

• Line management and take day to day responsibility for a team of staff (directly managed and leveraged into the team) to deliver a credibleresponsiveand professional service
• Set direction lead manage and develop an inclusive team

Success Profiles

We use an assessment framework called Success Profiles which lists the elements we test and provides detailed descriptions of each. Find out more aboutthe framework here.

For this post the following Success Profile elements will be assessed:

Experience

1. Extensive leadership experience owning complex organisational change initiatives that require strategic planning data-driven decision-making and the management of diverse stakeholder interests.

2. Proven ability to develop and sustain high-level strategic partnerships negotiate effectively and influence across organisational and sector boundaries to achieve shared goals.

   
   

Technical skills

1. Operational Leadership and Management (Level: Expert)

2. Data and Insight (Level: Expert)

3. Deliver and Decision Making at Pace (Level: Expert)

   
   

You can find out more about the skills required here: ODP Competency framework SSS - Social Security Scotland

How toApply
Applyonlineprovidinga CV andaSupporting Statement(no more than 1000words). Your CV and Supporting Statement should clearly demonstrate how you meet the Experience and Technical Skills required for the role as outlined in the Success Profile above. Be sure to provide specific examples of work that youve done that showcase your relevant experience.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application but all statements and examples provided must be truthful factuallyaccurateand taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has beenidentified(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 seeourcandidate guidancefor more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment.

In the event that we receive a high volume of applications we may conduct an initial sift using the CV and Supporting Statement based on the first Experience criteria. Candidates who successfully pass this initial sift will have their applications fully assessed.

Candidates who are successful at sift stage will be invited to attend an Interview and Assessment which will further assess the Experience and Technical Skillslisted in the job advert. The interview will be competency based and the assessment will take the form of a presentation. Full details of what will be assessed at the interview and assessment will be provided to candidates who are successful at sift stage.

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)
Sift Week Commencing 4th May 2026
Interviews Week Commencing 25th May or 1st June 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.

AboutUs
Social Security Scotland is an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government. Our benefits help people from allwalks of lifein 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 about what we offer.

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

Working Pattern
Our standard hours are 35 hours perweekand 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 either our Glasgow or Dundee offices. There is an expectation of a minimum 2 days per week in your assigned location which will be either Glasgow or you have specific questions about the role you are applying for please contact us.

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 todiversity and how we offer and supportrecruitment 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 the broader Scottish Government or Other Government Departments.

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

ReadourCandidate Guide for 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 Teamvia

Apply before 23:55 onTuesday 28th April 2026

ContactName -Sheryne Christie
Contact e-Mail-