C2 – Head of Operations Social Security Scotland

Client Services Delivery is the main operational division of Social Security Scotland responsible for ensuring clients receive the financial support they are entitled to through devolved benefits and grants.

As the C2 Head of Operations you will provide senior leadership across large client facing operational teams delivering live benefits at scale. Reporting to a C3 Head of Client Services you will be accountable for day to day service delivery performance quality and colleague engagement across your operational portfolio.

You will lead multidisciplinary teams across Glasgow and Dundee ensuring services are delivered efficiently fairly and with dignity and respect. Your leadership will be central to maintaining resilient operations in a complex high profile environment often under Ministerial and stakeholder scrutiny.

The role is inherently cross cutting and requires close collaboration with policy digital and operational improvement colleagues to ensure operational priorities shape service design and that changes are introduced smoothly into live service. You will play a key role in leading teams through change responding confidently to ambiguity and balancing delivery with continuous improvement.

As a leader within Social Security Scotland you will contribute to a culture of high performance inclusion and professionalism. You will be part of the Operational Delivery Profession reflecting the importance of this role in delivering high quality public services that make a real difference to people across Scotland.

Responsibilities

Leadership
Provide visible valuesled leadership across large operational teams setting clear expectations for performance quality and client experience.
Translate divisional priorities into clear deliverable objectives for C1 leaders and their teams.
Lead confidently through change and uncertainty building resilience and supporting colleagues to adapt and perform.

Operational Delivery
Oversee delivery of live benefits ensuring high standards of productivity accuracy and client satisfaction.
Manage operational performance quality and risk using data insight and continuous improvement approaches.
Work closely with improvement digital and change colleagues to ensure operational needs inform system and process design.
Ensure effective preparation for and implementation of change into live service maintaining service stability for clients and colleagues.

Stakeholder & Partnership Working
Build strong working relationships with internal stakeholders across Social Security Scotland and the wider Scottish Government.
Act as a senior escalation point for complex or sensitive operational issues ensuring timely resolution and clear communication.
Contribute operational insight to briefings submissions and responses involving Ministers or senior stakeholders.

People Engagement Culture & Line Management
Lead and develop senior managers creating an inclusive supportive and highperforming culture aligned to the organisations values.
Promote colleague wellbeing engagement and capability development across your portfolio.
Engage constructively with Trade Union representatives supporting effective change management and open communication.

Governance & Compliance
Ensure services operate in line with the Social Security (Scotland) Act Our Charter and organisational governance arrangements.
Provide assurance to senior leaders on operational performance quality risk and compliance.
Contribute to governance forums and continuous improvement activity that strengthens operational resilience and accountability.

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 frameworkhere.

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

Technical/Professional Skills:
You will demonstrate the following skills within theODP Competency framework SSS - Social Security Scotland

Data and Insight Management (Level: Expert)

Experience:
To be successful in this role you will bring demonstrable experience and a proven track record in the following areas:

Leading large geographically spread teams in an operational environment with complex priorities and demands.

Behaviours:
Changing and Improving (Level 4)
Communicating and Influencing (Level 4)
Leadership (Level 4)
Making Effective Decisions (Level 4)

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviourshere.

How toApply
Apply onlineyou mustprovidea CV andaSupporting Statement(of no more than1500words) which provides evidence of how you meet the Success Profilesabove.

Your CV should consist of your career history including any key achievements in each role. Your CV will be used to provide further context on your supporting statement and scored against the success profile elements listed.

The Supporting Statement should be aligned to and demonstrate how you meet the skills and experience set out in the success profile elements detailed in the job description. For guidance and information on how to construct your application (CV Supporting Statement and Behaviours) you are encouraged to visitCivil Service Careerswebsite.

Applicants will only be eligible to apply if they have successfully completed their probation period and should discuss their intentions with their line manager if unsure.

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.

If invited for further assessment this will consist of an interview andpresentation.

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 w/c 25^th May 2026
Interview w/c 8^th June 2026

Reserve List
In the event that there are more successful candidates than posts available a reserve list will be kept for up to12months.

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 aboutwhat 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 mayrequirethroughout the recruitment process andduring the course ofyour employment should you be successful in securing a post. If you feel you mayrequireassistancewith any part of our recruitment process please contact us at

Find out more about our commitment todiversityand 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 or the broader Scottish Government.

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

ReadourCandidate 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 21st May 2026 at 23:55

ContactName - Resourcing Team
Contact Email -