About the job

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Higher Agricultural Officer to join the Rural Payments and Inspections Division (Agriculture and Rural Economy Directorate) in the Stornoway Area Office.

Within the ARE Directorate, the Rural Payments and Inspections Division (RPID) are accountable for the strategic process that regulates and oversees the payment of Agricultural grants and subsidies and related inspection regimes totalling £700m/annum. In the current programme, this is split between direct aid to farmers and crofters totalling £500m and a further £200m under the banner of the Scottish Rural Development Programme. It is also responsible for other regulatory activity and expert technical advice.

RPID teams of professional agricultural, customer service and administrative staff are based in a network of 17 offices located around rural Scotland. These teams manage the implementation of agricultural, environmental and rural policies, process applications for funding and provide high quality customer service.

As a Higher Agricultural Officer, you will perform a key management role within the RPID Stornoway office, managing, developing and supporting a team of 5 Agricultural Officers.

The Agricultural Officer team undertake a wide variety of duties, many of an outdoor nature, including visits to crofts to carry out inspections. Our inspections may involve working in a livestock environment, verifying land eligibility in diverse landscapes and carrying out site visits in relation to crofting matters such as regulatory applications and capital grants. The team also undertake desk-based processing of claims and applications, and engage directly with customers as the primary point of contact for crofters and the rural community in the area.

This position is primarily a management role, but it also includes the requirement to undertake some inspections as well, and carrying out site visits to diverse types of agricultural establishments, often over extensive and difficult terrain and in all weather conditions. Experience of crossing this type of land and a willingness to undertake these visits are prerequisites for this post.

Job description

• Manage and develop a team of staff involved in agricultural, crofting and related casework, ensuring that we get the best out of our people. This also includes assessing performance and training requirements and taking responsibility for Health and Safety.
• Coordinate and monitor progress of a number of RPID administered schemes for the local area. This will involve organising field inspections, delivering training, and providing guidance and support to staff while quality assuring the work undertaken.
• Support staff in the assessment of applications from crofters under the Crofting Agricultural Grant Scheme, and the completion of reports in relation to croft regulatory matters on behalf of the Crofting Commission.
• Manage and assess applications and claims from land managers under our Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS)
• Inspect cattle and sheep and associated records to confirm traceability, cross compliance and scheme eligibility requirements.
• Process claims under the Single Application Form (SAF), this will include interpreting mapping data and other forms of evidence to check eligibility of claims.

Person specification

1. Proven planning and organisational skills with the ability to balance competing priorities and achieve set targets.
2. Good people management skills with the ability to build and maintain strong relationships with both colleagues and stakeholders
3. Good oral and written communication skills, with an ability to produce clear and concise written material.
4. Be able to demonstrate a practical experience of working in agriculture, crofting, land management or a related rural discipline, and an understanding of crofting practices in Scotland.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £35,867, Scottish Government contributes £9,684 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

Sift and Interview Dates

Interviews are anticipated to take place in early June but may be subject to change, interviews will be held in person.

Please apply using the link provided.

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.