About the job

Job summary

The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) is a non-ministerial department established by the Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008.  We are looking for an outstanding individual for the role of Chief Executive. If you have the leadership ability to translate our vision into clear goals, deliver long term sustainable and innovative working practices and inspire our people, we very much hope you will apply. 

As Chief Executive you will be responsible for circa 1900 staff based in 60 locations across Scotland and lead the delivery of all of the services SCTS provides, driving transformational change which will improve services in the future.   

This role presents a great opportunity to work at the heart of Scotland’s justice system during one of the most exciting periods of rapid change it has ever experienced.  You will lead the delivery of reform across several areas: criminal justice, civil justice, Tribunals, Office of the Public Guardian and Corporate. 

You will ensure SCTS is managed in a robust way that safeguards public funds and assets. As accountable officer with the budget of some £200 million, you will be responsible for strong corporate governance, financial management, investment and risk management. You will be an inclusive and strategic leader and manager, able to motivate, and engage others to support justice. As Chief Executive you will champion equality and diversity for employees and visitors to build a resilient, safe and inclusive culture. 

As a member of the SCTS Board, chaired by the Lord President, you will lead the development of our corporate strategy and business plans. You will be a strong strategic thinker who can create the vision and define the agenda.  The Chief Executive line manages and is supported by six Executive Directors and two Heads of Unit.  You will be required to operate in a complex environment with multiple stakeholders amid various legal and constitutional regimes.

Job description

• Work with the SCTS Board members to develop the corporate strategy and set the direction for the organisation, ensuring that the Board’s decisions are implemented. 

• Lead strategy development and business planning across SCTS and justice organisations, striking the balance between maintaining high quality statutory functions with driving innovation at pace. 

• Ensure strong engagement with Scottish Government and Scottish Ministers on the SCTS strategy, government policy developments and future funding needs. 

• Have responsibility for leading the organisation (circa 1,900 employees across 60 locations) to deliver all the services which the SCTS provides and to drive transformational change and innovation which will improve services in the future.                                                              

• Work closely with the Lord President and senior judiciary ensuring they are fully supported in their statutory duties. You will also maintain strong working relationships with the judicial representative groups on all operational issues. 

• As a senior leader within the justice system, be a member of the Justice Board, with responsibility for developing and overseeing delivery of elements of the Scottish Government’s Vision for Justice in Scotland. You will play a critical role supporting the delivery of the outcomes and priorities set out in the Justice Strategy for Scotland. You will be responsible for managing the strategic relationships and driving innovation across other justice bodies. 

• As Accountable Officer, with budget of some £200m, have the responsibility for maintaining a sound system of governance that supports the achievement of SCTS policies, aims and objectives whilst safeguarding the public funds and assets. 

• Ensure robust systems of management and control are in place within SCTS that support the achievement of the SCTS targets, policies, aims and objectives, whilst at the same time ensuring robust risk management informs decisions on financial and operational planning. 

• Lead the Executive Team, directly line managing six Executive Directors covering: Deputy Chief Executive, Court Operations, Tribunals Operations and Office of the Public Guardian; Chief Finance Officer, Change and Digital Innovation and Judicial Office, along with two Heads of Unit; Director, Communications and the Director, Human Resources.

Person specification

Specialist Expertise

Operating in the Justice System

• As a key senior role in Scotland’s justice system, you should be able to demonstrate a good knowledge of the Scottish justice system and have a combination of experience of leading (at senior executive or CEO level) in both a policy environment and a delivery body environment including experience of leading significant organisational change with strong political and commercial awareness.

Essential Criteria

Leading collectively

• Taking an effective whole system approach to complex, dynamic issues; actively developing wide networks internally and externally, breaking down and collaborating across barriers to deliver outcomes.
• Being a visible corporate leader, influencing and supporting corporate activities and goals as a member of a senior team. 

Developing others

• Embedding an inclusive, learning culture in your teams, trusting and empowering others and enabling high performance and innovation.
• Ability to actively manage wellbeing and create an environment where diversity of thinking and perspective is both valued and nurtured. 

Leading others

• Setting clear strategic direction and making high quality decisions which balance risk and stakeholder interests to deliver outcomes.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to build visibility and awareness with partners and stakeholders.                                                                    

Understanding and developing self

• You will demonstrate a strong understanding of yourself as a leader as well as a passion for your work and your own continuous personal development. This includes acting as a role model for inclusive leadership by clearly articulating, with courage and humility, how your personal life experiences and background impact on your thinking and behaviour.

 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £103,231, Scottish Government contributes £27,872 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

Please see the Candidate Pack for further details on the role and person specification.

How to Apply

To apply for this post, you will need to provide the information requested via the online application system. We require both a CV and a written Supporting Statement to be submitted on the system for your application to be considered. 

Further details on the application process and the documents that we require are available in the Candidate Pack.  If there are any technical issues please contact SCSHR@gov.scot.   

For an informal discussion about the nature of the role please email Karen Lawrie, Scottish Courts & Tribunals Service KLawrie@scotcourts.gov.uk

The closing date for applications is Sunday 18 February 2024 at 23:55. 

 

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.