Job title: strategic inspector

Responsible to: service manager

Job purpose

Strategic inspectors contribute to improved outcomes for the people of Scotland by leading and participating in strategic inspections that evaluate how well local partnerships and services work together to support people with experience of services, their families and carers. They contribute to a range of quality assurance activities and national policy development. They also support both internal and external improvement initiatives.

Strategic inspectors help develop and refine methodologies for scrutiny and improvement, ensuring these approaches are robust, evidence-based and aligned with current legislation and policy. Working closely with senior managers, they support the Care Inspectorate to meet its statutory responsibilities under the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 and deliver on its corporate and strategic objectives.

Principal working contacts

  • Executive Directors of Assurance and Improvement
  • Strategic Scrutiny Chief Inspector and Service Managers
  • Health and Social Care Partnerships/Local Authorities/Community Planning Partnerships and other Scrutiny Bodies
  • Chief Social Work Officers
  • Police
  • NHS
  • Care Inspectorate staff
  • Scottish Government policy officials.

Our values in practice

Our values are at the heart of everything we do - equity, integrity, person-centred, respect and impact. Living these values is crucial, they guide our decisions, shape how we engage with others, and strengthen our commitment to high-quality care for everyone in Scotland.

Equity

As an organisation we embrace diversity and nurture an inclusive environment where everyone is supported to achieve equal outcomes. Strategic Inspectors ensure scrutiny activities are fair, inclusive and responsive to diverse needs.

Strategic management:

  • Plan and manage the inspection programme across services for children, adults, or justice in collaboration with the Chief Inspector and Service Manager, ensuring that the needs of all stakeholders are met in a consistent, efficient, and equitable manner.
  • Support the implementation of strategic scrutiny and inspection activities that recognise and respond to the varied contexts and needs of different services and populations.
  • Contribute to developing and refining integrated approaches that support inclusive outcomes across strategic inspection activity.
  • Champion inclusive practices across internal and external partnerships, fostering a positive working environment and acting as a role model for equity and fairness.

Operational management:

  • Support outcome-focused self-evaluation in local authorities and partnerships.
  • Interview people with experience of services, their families and carers from diverse backgrounds.
  • Promote and report on inclusive practices through good practice guides and reports.
  • Ensure inspection findings reflect consideration of structural inequalities and barriers to inclusion.
  • Share good practice that supports equity across local and national contexts.

Integrity

As an organisation we act impartially, fairly, and consistently, upholding transparency and accountability in all our actions. Strategic Inspectors deliver objective, evidence-based scrutiny and support professional accountability.

Strategic management:

  • Work with the strategic scrutiny service manager to develop clear objectives, strategies, and action plans that reflect national policy, legal duties, and the Care Inspectorate’s regulatory responsibilities.
  • Ensure strategic inspection activity is conducted in accordance with legislative requirements, including the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010, upholding high standards of transparency and accountability.
  • Lead on delivering internal and external quality assurance and improvement initiatives that reinforce a culture of continuous learning and high-quality scrutiny.
  • Share appropriate intelligence and information across the organisation and with partner scrutiny bodies, ensuring activity is targeted, proportionate and risk based.

Operational management:

  • Gather and analyse information, including statistical data.
  • Reach sound, evidence-based judgements about quality and effectiveness.
  • Design and lead scrutiny activity that aligns with legal frameworks.
  • Produce public reports of consistently high quality, upholding transparency.
  • Deputise and carry out duties in line with organisational accountability.
  • Represent the Care Inspectorate at meetings, conferences and in public forums. 

Person-centred

As an organisation we put people, empathy, compassion, and kindness at the heart of everything we do. Strategic Inspectors focus on lived experience and how services promote dignity, choice and independence.

Strategic management:

  • Ensure strategic inspections evaluate how effectively services are working together to improve the lives and wellbeing of people with experience of services, their families and carers.
  • Shape scrutiny activity around the lived experiences of people who use services, embedding the principles of the Health and Social Care Standards and other relevant frameworks and standards.
  • Support cross-organisational learning and development to ensure a compassionate, person-focused approach is maintained throughout strategic work.
  • Positively promote the work of the Care Inspectorate to external audiences, aligning with the organisation’s aims, vision, and values to improve care across Scotland.

Operational management:

  • Interview people with experience of services, their families and carers to prioritise lived experience.
  • Shape scrutiny activity around people’s experiences.
  • Ensure reports and evaluations reflect dignity, independence and choice.

Respect

As an organisation we value everyone’s dignity and are respectful in everything we do. Strategic Inspectors challenge discrimination and promote inclusive practices.

Strategic management:

  • Work collaboratively and effectively with a range of stakeholders, including partner scrutiny bodies and Scottish Government officials.
  • Foster open, respectful dialogue that promotes partnership working and supports effective change.

Operational management:

  • Interview senior leaders, frontline staff, carers and people with experience of services professionally and empathetically.
  • Share good practice in a way that respects each organisation’s context.
  • Work flexibly and with professionalism across partnerships.
  • Develop and maintain effective relationships with external stakeholders, including national bodies, Scottish Government, local authorities, health boards, and other key agencies involved in service delivery and commissioning.
  • Support collaboration and respect multidisciplinary teams to achieve shared goals.

Impact

As an organisation we focus on making a positive impact for everyone experiencing care in Scotland whilst ensuring our work delivers the best value to the public. Strategic Inspectors drive improvement by identifying good practice and supporting meaningful change.

Strategic management:

  • Produce high-quality, evidence-based evaluative reports within agreed timescales, clearly outlining findings, evaluations, and recommendations for improvement.
  • Actively promote and support continuous improvement across care services and partnerships.
  • Take a lead role in designated projects, thematic reviews, statutory consultations or national initiatives requiring specialist expertise.
  • Work collaboratively with people with experience of services, their families and carers, policy and delivery partners to inform and influence improvements at local and national levels.
  • Provide expert guidance to senior managers, Scottish Government and partner bodies to support evidence-informed policy and practice.

Operational management:

  • Lead inspections and improvement programmes that result in measurable outcomes.
  • Develop and publish good practice guides and quality frameworks.
  • Drive innovation in inspection delivery and promote continuous improvement.
  • Act as a catalyst for change and innovation across the sector.

Other duties

Strategic inspectors conduct scrutiny and improvement activities across the country therefore this job requires substantial travel with regular periods staying away from home and, at times, unsocial hours.

This job profile is a broad picture of the post at the date of preparation. It is not an exhaustive list of all possible duties, and it is recognised that jobs change and evolve over time. Consequently, the post holder will be required to carry out any other duties to the equivalent level that are necessary to fulfil the purpose of the job, and to respond positively to changing business needs.

Person specification

We will use these attributes to recruit the role.

Professional registration – assessed via application and documentation

Essential:

  • Be registered with or eligible to register with one of the following regulatory bodies:
    • Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)*
    • General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS)
    • Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
    • Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC) - applicable only to occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, and practitioner psychologists
    • Other equivalent professional bodies across the UK nations

*Note – If applying under SSSC registration, you must hold a suitable practice qualification at the appropriate SCQF level. For details on acceptable qualification, please refer to the SSSC website.

  • Hold, or be willing to undertake one of the following regulatory awards:
    • Regulation of Care Award
    • PDA Scrutiny and Improvement Practice (Social Services) – SCQF Level 10
    • EFQM Assessor Training
    • Public Service Improvement Framework or equivalent qualification in quality improvement.

Qualifications – assessed via application and documentation

Essential:

  • Educated to SCQF level 9
  • Recognised professional qualification in social work, education, health.
  • Demonstrable evidence of and commitment to ongoing continuing professional development (CPD).

Experience – assessed via application and assessment centre

Essential:

  • Proven management/leadership experience at a senior level in social work, health care, social care, education or other relevant sectors.
  • Ability to manage and deliver complex strategic projects independently and/or in collaboration with others.
  • Experience of preparing and presenting high-quality reports on complex issues to publication standard.

Desirable:

  • Experience of managing strategic inspection activity and/or delivering inspection/regulation.
  • Demonstrable evidence of embedding sustainable transformational change.

Skills and knowledge and experience – assessed via application and assessment centre

Essential:

  • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of inspection/regulation of care in a relevant setting.
  • Demonstrate commitment to the principles of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 and the principles of better regulation.
  • Be able to positively challenge in a sensitive and constructive way.
  • Excellent communicator, both verbally and in written form.
  • Politically astute, with good negotiation and influencing skills.
  • Able to translate plans into action.
  • Knowledge of trends and changes within social work, health and social care, or other relevant sectors with an understanding of Equality and Diversity issues.
  • IT competent, with the ability to learn new systems quickly.

Desirable:

  • Knowledge and understanding of improvement methodologies and practice in health/social care.
  • Understanding of health/social care research methods.

Competencies (key performance outcomes)

We will use these competencies to recruit for the role.

Deciding and initiating action – assessed via assessment centre and references

Outcomes:

  • Initiates and generates activity, acting with confidence and working under own direction where required.
  • Takes responsibility for actions, projects and people.
  • Delegates authority and responsibility as required while providing appropriate support and oversight.
  • Makes prompt, clear decisions which may involve tough choices or considered risks.
  • Demonstrating understanding of how actions contribute to the achievement of organisational aims and objectives.

Interacting and presenting – assessed via assessment centre and references

Outcomes:

  • Communicates and networks effectively, projecting credibility.
  • Builds wide and effective networks of contacts inside and outside the organisation.
  • Manages constructive relationships with stakeholders and relates well to people at all levels.
  • Gains clear agreement and commitment from others by persuading, convincing and negotiating influence to achieve agreed aims.

Analysing and presenting – assessed via assessment centre and references

Outcomes:

  • Analyses numerical data, verbal data and all other sources of information.
  • Probes for further information or greater understanding of a problem.
  • Makes rational judgements from the available information and analysis.
  • Produces workable solutions to a range of problems.
  • Demonstrates an understanding of how one issue may be a part of a much larger system.
  • Writes clearly, succinctly and convincingly in an engaging and expressive manner.
  • Structures information to meet the needs and understanding of the intended audience.

Creating and conceptualising – assessed via assessment centre and references

Outcomes:

  • Open to new ideas and experience.
  • Seeks out learning opportunities.
  • Handles situations and problems with innovation and creativity
  • Thinks broadly and strategically.
  • Supports and drives organisational change.

Organising and executing – assessed via assessment centre and references

Outcomes:

  • Plans and works in a systematic and organised way.
  • Uses procedures and follows direction appropriately.
  • Able to deploy people and other resources effectively to achieve performance objectives
  • Maintains a focus on best outcomes for people who use services and delivers a quality service to the expected standards.

Supporting and co-operating – assessed via assessment centre and references

Outcomes:

  • Values and supports others and shows respect and positive regard for them.
  • Puts people first, working effectively with individuals, teams, people who use services and other stakeholders.
  • Behaves consistently with clear personal values and relevant professional standards of practice that complement the values of the organisation.
  • Leads or participates in multi-disciplinary and multi-agency working groups, showing due regard for the professional backgrounds and cultures of others.

Adapting and coping – assessed via assessment centre and references

Outcomes:

  • Adapts and responds well to change.
  • Manages pressure effectively and copes with setbacks.
  • Works productively in a high-pressure environment.
  • Keeps emotions under control during difficult situations.