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We are looking for talented and enthusiastic people to join our directorates within Access, Learning and Outcomes as well as Policy, Insight and Analytics.

The Scottish Funding Council is the national funding authority that invests £2 billion every year in tertiary education, research and knowledge exchange through Scotland’s colleges and universities.

As one of the biggest investors of public funds in Scotland, we make a huge contribution to Scotland’s economy and wellbeing, securing impact and quality outcomes for students, employers and wider social and economic objectives.

This is an exciting time for us: our recently published strategic plan focuses our priorities, operations and capabilities to play an even more central and effective role in Scotland’s future.

Whether you are helping us deliver our ambitions for learning and quality, coherent learning provision, or horizon scanning and developing our policy positions for the future, you can be sure that you will be making a difference to the lives and wellbeing of people in Scotland.

PIA role: support the development and analysis of policy for a range of SFC functions relating to tertiary education and research; and review, research and evaluate policy, working collaboratively with colleagues across the organisation to support the delivery of SFC’s core duties.

ALO Learning and Quality: support the achievement of SFC’s strategic priorities for learning, teaching and student outcomes through a cohesive and integrated approach to investment, quality and accountability; support key SFC policy for quality assurance and enhancement; and support work with government, other agencies and funded institutions to deliver positive outcomes through SFC investment.

ALO Coherent Learning Provision: support the development and analysis of policy for SFC functions relating to Coherent Learning and Provision in Further and Higher Education. This will include supporting the national co-ordination and delivery of Regional Tertiary Provision Pathfinders.

(Currently, the CLP team focus is to deliver on key recommendations of the SFC Review and enhance outcomes for learners, the system and stakeholders; and in terms of coherent provision, to deliver the national pathfinder programme and ensure that SFC fulfils its statutory duty to secure coherent learning provision across colleges and universities, e.g. the right provision is in the right places).

Each role has an indicative profile with key responsibilities, the details of which are included in our Candidate Pack. However, for all policy based roles at SFC we expect staff to be flexible, adaptable and willing to take on different policy portfolios to meet the changing requirements within the sectors.

Essential skills, qualifications and Experience (all roles)

• Degree level education (SCQF level 9) or equivalent experience
• Good policy development and analysis or implementation experience
• Effective oral and written communications skills, including the capacity to analyse, understand and respond to complex issues in an appropriate manner
• Good interpersonal skills, with experience of building/developing and maintaining work relationships with external and internal stakeholders, as well as working flexibly with colleagues in other parts of the organisation
• Effective organisational and project / programme management abilities, including good personal management
• Good IT skills, competent in using standard MS packages (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams)
• Demonstrable ability to work under pressure, with flexibility to manage a diverse range of competing / conflicting demands, and to react positively to change
• Candidates for the L&Q role must also have experience / understanding of enhancement approaches to learning and teaching or supporting student partnerships

Desirable criteria (all roles)

• A good awareness of higher and further education and research in Scotland

Additional role-specific desirable criteria

The following additional criteria would be desirable if applying for our PIA role:

• Some knowledge of monitoring and evaluating projects
• Understanding of education and research policy in the Scottish and UK context
• A good awareness of Scottish, UK, and European research and innovation issues
• A good understanding of the current Scottish and UK political environment

The following additional criteria would be desirable if applying for our L&Q role:

• Experience of working in a learning and teaching environment, or supporting learning and teaching
• Awareness of current and future skills and employability issues and challenges
• Experience of dealing with financial/funding information

• Normal full-time hours of work are 36 per week (subject to final approval, this is expected to change to 35 per week from May 2023). We will consider flexible working arrangements. A flexi-time system is in operation.
• Annual leave entitlement of 26.5 days pro-rata, rising to 30 days pro-rata after 4 years’ continuous service. Public and privilege holiday entitlement of 11.5 days pro-rata.
• A flexible approach to hybrid working, giving you flexibility to work from home for some of the time while also maintaining regular in-person contact with colleagues.
• Annual pay review: approved within the framework of the Scottish Government’s Public Sector Pay Policy and negotiated with our recognised trade union, Unite.
• Eligibility to join the Civil Service Pension Scheme. With its low member contribution rates and generous employer contributions, this gives you a secure, inflation-proof pension for life with no investment uncertainty. Details of contribution rates together with further details of the pension benefits are available on the Civil Service Pensions website. There is also the option of a Partnership pension account.
• Support for continuous professional development.
• Support for health and wellbeing, including generous occupational sick pay, free access to confidential advice and support through our 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme, Special Leave (paid and unpaid), a contribution to learning outside work through our Lifelong Learning Fund, free winter flu vaccination, and access to occupational health support.
• Support for travel to and from work, including a salary sacrifice cycle loan scheme, cycle storage and shower facilities, an interest-free loan for bus or rail season tickets and free office car parking for employees on a first-come basis.

Job contact :

Name :
SFC HR / Recruitment Team
Email :
[email protected]

Recruitment team :

Email :
[email protected]