Job profile and person specification
Job title: Participation Adviser
Job location: flexible (any Care Inspectorate office)
Responsible to: Participation and Equalities, Team Manager
Job purpose
To support the Care Inspectorate in meeting its statutory responsibilities for participation by ensuring that people who experience care, and those important to them, are meaningfully heard and involved. The Participation adviser leads the Volunteer Development Programme, drives participation development across the organisation, and provides line management to Participation coordinators. A key focus is to ensure volunteers are well supported, confident in their contribution, and effectively and purposefully deployed to strengthen and enhance our organisational work.
This job description is a broad picture of the post at the date of preparation. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties, and we recognise that jobs change and evolve over time.
Principal working contacts
- Participation and Equalities Team Manager
- Equalities Professional Adviser
- Participation Co-ordinators
- People experiencing care - people who use services and their carers
- Managers and colleagues across the Care Inspectorate
- Service providers
- External participation networks for people experiencing care, carers and care experienced children and young people
Key accountabilities
Support Participation
- Develop, drive and maintain the plan for involving people who experience care including proposals for the recruitment, training and support within the volunteer development programme.
- Assist in the development and implementation of the Care Inspectorate’s plan for involving all people who use care services and their carers in inspection and scrutiny activities.
- In conjunction with Participation & Equalities team colleagues, develop and implement proposals for the participation of people in the Care Inspectorate’s work including, organisational workforce development, staff recruitment, and the delivery of scrutiny and assurance activities.
- Build relationships and networks with external support agencies for people experiencing care to strengthen participation activities.
- Assist in the development and implementation of policies and procedures to support the participation of people experiencing care within the Care Inspectorate.
- Lead with the recruitment, selection and development of inspection volunteers as appropriate.
- Give advice and information to members of the public, service providers and other agencies relating the participation activities within the Care Inspectorate.
- Prepare reports and written guidance on matters related to the development of the participation of people who use social care and social work services and their carers/ families for internal and external use.
- Arrange and contribute to/facilitate events – seminars, workshops, information/development sessions, input to conferences as required, both internally and externally.
Relationship management
- This post has line management responsibility for some staff in the equalities and participation team (participation co-ordinators).
- Develop effective working relationships with colleagues
- Effectively contract manage any outsourced contracts related to participation
- Portray a positive image of the Care Inspectorate when communicating both inside the organisation and externally.
- Work with external agencies.
Other duties
This is not a contractual document. We will expect the post holder 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.
Attributes
We will use these attributes to recruit the role.
Experience
Essential:
- Experience of managing or coordinating volunteers
- Proven experience of line managing staff, including supervision, performance management and personal development.
- Experience of inclusive recruitment, selection and onboarding processes for volunteers.
- Experience in handling sensitive or confidential situations using a trauma informed approach.
- Experience of working with groups and facilitating inclusive participation activity.
- Experience in chairing and facilitating meetings, and creating safe, supportive spaces for people with lived care experience to contribute
Desirable:
- Understanding of inspection, improvement and the work of the Care Inspectorate.
- Experience in managing projects and contracts with external partners.
- Experience in leading codesign or coproduction to develop / redesign services.
- Experience of working with external involvement or lived care experience networks.
- Experience of managing or coordinating volunteers with lived experience of care.
Education, qualifications and training
Essential:
- Demonstrable experience of engaging communities and/or individuals in matters that directly affect them, ensuring their voices influence decision making and service delivery.
- Educated to SCQF Level 9 (or equivalent) in community learning and development, social work, education, health, social care, or a related discipline.
- A strong commitment to continuous professional development (CPD) and maintaining up to date knowledge relevant to the role.
Desirable:
- Demonstrable experience of using the Scottish Approach to Service Design.
Skills and knowledge
Essential:
- Strong understanding of the issues and experiences of people who use social work and social care services, including the barriers they face and the factors that support positive outcomes.
- Knowledge of trauma informed and asset based practice, and the ability to apply these approaches when engaging with individuals and communities.
- Awareness of the current policy landscape for people experiencing care and care experienced people in Scotland, such as The Promise, UNCRC incorporation and national Dementia Strategy.
- Proficient IT skills, including confident use of Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word.
Desirable:
- Experience in chairing and facilitating meetings.
Key performance outcomes
We will use these key performance outcomes to recruit for the role.
Effective communication
Essential:
- Effective communicator, both orally and in writing, with the ability to apply different approaches to communication as required.
- Ability to build and maintain constructive working relationships with others internally and outside the organisation.
Desirable:
- Knowledge of different models and approaches to involving people.
Improvement focus
Essential:
- Aware of trends and changes and maintains professional knowledge.
- Encourages and promotes ideas and expects others to do likewise.
- Generates creative ideas and provides SMART solutions for improvement.
Desirable:
- Experience of project working, presenting to groups and participatory appraisal methods.
Working in partnership
Essential:
- Works with partners to develop shared goals, objectives and support processes.
- Identifies and created opportunities to work in partnership with stakeholder groups.
Desirable:
- Experience of working with external involvement networks.
Team working
Essential:
- Remains tolerant and fair towards others always.
- Contributes to shared vision and purpose.
- Contributes to and supports the work and decisions of the team.
Objective decision making
Essential:
- Makes effective decisions based on critical evaluation of all the relevant facts.
- Understands the limits of their own knowledge & experience and when decisions need to be referred.
- Is prepared not to make a decision if insufficient evidence is available.
- Learns from experience focusing on preventing recurrence when things go wrong.
Participation Adviser
Job title: Participation Adviser
Salary: £41,910 - £46,302 (Grade 5)
Hours: 35 hours per week
Location: flexible (any Care Inspectorate office)
Contract: temporary for 6 months (secondments welcome)
Closing date: 08:00 on Tuesday 28 April 2026
About us
We are a scrutiny body that supports improvement. That means we look at the quality of care in Scotland to ensure it meets high standards. We are responsible for providing assurance and protection for people who experience care services, their families, carers and the wider public. Our vision is that people across Scotland experience high-quality care that meets their needs, rights and choices.
Our values
1. Person-centred: we put people, empathy, compassion, and kindness at the heart of everything we do
2. Respect: we value everyone's dignity and are respectful in everything we do
3. Equity: we embrace diversity and nurture an inclusive environment where everyone is supported to achieve equal outcomes
4. Integrity: we act impartially, fairly, and consistently, upholding transparency and accountability in all our actions
5. Impact: we focus on making a positive impact for everyone experiencing care in Scotland whilst ensuring our work delivers the best value to the public
Work-life balance
Our desire is to achieve an effective and balanced way of working, which enables us to meet organisational needs and achieve a work-life balance that promotes wellbeing and collaboration opportunities. Our hybrid working policy gives you the flexibility to mix working from home with attendance at your base office and other work locations, spending no more than 60% of your working time working from home, measured over a four-week period.
About the role
This role is central to fulfilling our statutory responsibilities for participation and ensuring that people who experience care and those important to them have their voices heard. You will lead our Volunteer Development Programme, lead participation development work and provide line management to our Participation Coordinators. A key part of the role is ensuring volunteers are well supported, confident in their contribution and deployed effectively and meaningfully to enhance our organisational work.
You will collaborate with external partners and colleagues across assurance, improvement and wider organisational functions to ensure our participation activity is targeted, timely and aligned to organisational priorities. Your leadership will help ensure that participation is embedded across our work and that the voices of people who experience care meaningfully contributes to our everyday work.
We welcome opportunities for secondments and are open to hosting individuals who wish to broaden their experience, share knowledge, and contribute to our team. If you are interested in arranging a secondment with us, we would be pleased to discuss this further.
You will find more information in the job profile and person specification.
About you
You should be educated to SCQF level 9 or equivalent in social work, education, community development, health, social care, or a related discipline, or have the relevant skills and experience for this role.
You can find more about SCQF Level 9 on their website.
You should be passionate about participation, human rights, and equalities, with a strong commitment to ensuring people’s voices are heard and valued. You should have experience supporting and managing others and can confidently oversee
volunteer programmes and participation in activities in an inclusive and empowering way.
You will bring excellent communication and organisational skills, with the ability to build trusting relationships across diverse groups. You should be proactive, approachable, and values-driven, with a focus on creating meaningful opportunities for people to get involved and influence change.
Starting salary
New employees start at the minimum salary for the grade. However, we offer a generous benefits package.
Next steps
If you would like more information or an informal chat about the role, please contact Amanda Tough at
If you believe that your skills, experience and motivation make you a suitable candidate for this post, please complete our online application form by 08:00 on Tuesday 28 April 2026.
We anticipate holding interviews during the week commencing 25 May 2026 at our Dundee office or on Microsoft Teams.
Please note that choosing a Teams interview will not negatively impact your application in any way. We recognise the current challenges associated with fuel costs and travel and aim to offer flexibility to support all applicants.
Read moreJob profile and person specification
Job title: Intelligence Researcher
Job location: flexible (any Care Inspectorate office)
Responsible to: Senior Intelligence Analyst
Job purpose
To support the delivery of a professional analytical function for the Care Inspectorate’s strategic inspection programmes, in particular the joint national review of group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation.
This job description is a broad picture of the post at the date of preparation. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties, and we recognise that jobs change and evolve over time.
Principal working contacts:
- Head of Data and Information
- Service Manger Strategic Scrutiny Adults
- Intelligence and Analysis Manager
- Senior Intelligence Analyst
- Strategic Inspectors
- Information Analysts
- Strategic Support officers
- External agencies including inspection partners and contacts within health and social care partnerships (HSCPs)
- Managers and employees of the Care Inspectorate
Key accountabilities
Intelligence research, support and coordination
Provide analytical support for the Care Inspectorate’s Strategic Inspection programmes which includes:
- The maintenance and development of data collection tools to ensure they meet the needs of the inspection programme
- Identify and summarise key inspection findings in the form of written and visual analysis reports for both internal and external audiences.
- Work collaboratively with colleagues in both the Intelligence team and wider strategic team to identify and resolve data quality issues and improve the programme’s data collection and reporting process.
- Maintain GDPR compliance when working with confidential and sensitive data.
- Provide ongoing analytical advice and support to inspection leads and external colleagues when required.
- In conjunction with Intelligence analysts, develop and deliver local area statistical profiles for specific topics.
- Respond to and co-ordinate internal and external requests for intelligence team support.
- Identify, investigate and resolve data quality issues, and co-ordinate responses to data cleaning programmes.
- Undertake such other duties as may be required.
- Promote diversity and equality of opportunity, ensuring that these principles are upheld across all areas of work.
Relationship management
- Develop effective working relationships within the team and with colleagues across the organisation and externally, ensuring effective collaborative working.
- Contribute to the continuous development of the Care Inspectorate and support change effectively and creatively.
- Adhere to effective working protocols in accordance with the Care Inspectorate’s policies and procedures.
- Demonstrate a commitment to the Care Inspectorate’s aims, vision and values and to the Care Inspectorate’s overall objective of improving care in Scotland.
- Carry out your duties in accordance with our Health and Safety policies, procedures, guidance, practices and legislative requirements, taking reasonable care for your safety and that of others who may be affected by what you do or fail to do while at work.
Other duties
This is not a contractual document. We will expect the post holder 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.
This job may require some travel.
Attributes
We will use these attributes to recruit the role.
Experience
Essential:
- Experience in some of the following:
- Working with and reporting on statistical data.
- Working with large volumes of data.
- Performance measurement and reporting
- Identifying and resolving data quality issues
- Working with external/internal colleagues at all levels
Desirable:
- Experience of working within the social care sector
- Experience of working with confidential and sensitive data
- Knowledge of and experience in using the Care Inspectorate’s ICT systems
Education, qualifications and training
Essential:
- Educated to SCQF level 7 or have the equivalent appropriate work experience.
Skills and knowledge
Essential:
- Experienced in the use of MS office packages. In particular must be an experienced user of Excel and Word to an advanced level, including the use of functions, and pivot tables.
- Experienced in working with data to produce accurate, well-presented tables and charts of data.
- Effective written and oral communicator.
- Well developed interpersonal skills.
- Good literacy skills.
- Understanding of data quality issues
Desirable:
- Experience with using Power BI or similar dashboard tools
- Experience of sampling and survey design
Key performance outcomes
We will use these key performance outcomes to recruit for the role.
Effective communication
Essential:
- Articulate and positive communicator on a 1-1 basis and in larger groups.
- Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely and to adapt communication to suit the needs and abilities of different audiences.
- Portrays a positive image of the Care Inspectorate when communicating both inside the organisation and externally.
- Listens actively to people, questions and checks understanding.
Impact and influence
Essential:
- Ability to give realistic advice, based on relevant, up to date and verifiable information
- Evidence of building positive relationships, engaging and collaborating effectively with others internally and externally
Improvement focus
Essential:
- Uses knowledge and experience to gather and consolidate information in order to make appropriate changes and improvements.
- The ability and willingness to learn new skills quickly.
Planning and organising
Essential:
- Uses a systematic approach to manage and accommodate competing workloads, often under pressure to tight deadlines
- The ability to work autonomously with the minimum of supervision
- Involves others where appropriate and optimises resources to achieve desired results.
- Recognises the need to be flexible in order to meet changing priorities
Flexibility
Essential:
- Demonstrates a flexible, positive approach to work.
- Listens to feedback and ideas from people and takes appropriate and considered action.
- Adapts well to change, adjusting priorities as required.
- Adapts quickly in a fast paced environment, adjusting priorities as required
Team working
Essential:
- Contributes to and supports the work and decisions of the team.
- Works collaboratively with a wide range of teams both internally and externally.
Personal accountability and responsibility
Essential:
- Takes responsibility for decisions and actions taken.
- Maintains a high standard of work and actively seeks out continuous improvement.
- Demonstrates initiative within own area of expertise.
- Takes responsibility for identifying and addressing areas of personal and professional development.
Read more
Intelligence Researcher
Job title: Intelligence Researcher
Salary: £34,722 - £38,403
Hours: 35 hours per week
Location: flexible (any Care Inspectorate office)
Contract: temporary until September 2027
Closing date: 08:00 on Monday 20 April 2026
About us
We are a scrutiny body that supports improvement. That means we look at the quality of care in Scotland to ensure it meets high standards. We are responsible for providing assurance and protection for people who experience care services, their families, carers and the wider public. Our vision is that people across Scotland experience high-quality care that meets their needs, rights and choices.
Our values
1. Person-centred: we put people, empathy, compassion, and kindness at the heart of everything we do
2. Respect: we value everyone's dignity and are respectful in everything we do
3. Equity: we embrace diversity and nurture an inclusive environment where everyone is supported to achieve equal outcomes
4. Integrity: we act impartially, fairly, and consistently, upholding transparency and accountability in all our actions
5. Impact: we focus on making a positive impact for everyone experiencing care in Scotland whilst ensuring our work delivers the best value to the public
Work-life balance
Our desire is to achieve an effective and balanced way of working, which enables us to meet organisational needs and achieve a work-life balance that promotes wellbeing and collaboration opportunities. Our hybrid working policy gives you the flexibility to mix working from home with attendance at your base office and other work locations, spending no more than 60% of your working time working from home, measured over a four-week period.
About the role
This is a national role and an excellent opportunity for a motivated and enthusiastic individual to apply their data and analytical skills to make a meaningful difference for people who experience care across Scotland. You will be part of a team providing analytical support for a joint national review of group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation. You will work closely with the multidisciplinary team responsible for delivering this review which includes Care Inspectorate and external partners. Given the nature of the programme, all perspective candidates must be aware that they will be dealing with particularly sensitive and confidential information.
You will contribute analytical expertise throughout the inspection process by developing, improving and maintaining data collection tools, identifying and summarising key inspection findings, and producing accurate statistical reports for a range of internal and external audiences. You will work with colleagues at all levels across the Care Inspectorate, as well as with external organisations including inspection partners and health and social care partnerships.
You will find more information in the job profile and person specification.
About you
You will be educated to SCQF level 7 or be able to demonstrate equivalent relevant work experience.
The Intelligence Team will provide training and support in the specialist software and skills required for this role. You will, however, need to be confident working with raw data and have a proficient working knowledge of Microsoft Excel. The successful candidate will demonstrate excellent attention to detail when cleaning and validating data, and will proactively identify opportunities to improve data quality.
In addition to strong written communication skills, you will be able to work accurately with facts and figures. Excellent IT skills are essential, enabling you to work with large datasets and present information clearly for a range of audiences.
As the role involves working with colleagues across the Care Inspectorate and external organisations, you will need excellent interpersonal skills and a willingness to develop a sound understanding of inspection data in order to respond effectively to business needs.
Starting salary
New employees start at the minimum salary for the grade. However, we offer a generous benefits package.
Next steps
If you would like more information or an informal chat about the role, please contact Francesca Colaco at
If you believe that your skills, experience and motivation make you a suitable candidate for this post, please complete our online application form by 08:00 on Monday 20 April 2026.
We anticipate holding interviews on either Tuesday 5 May or Wednesday 6 May 2026 at our Dundee office.
Read moreOpportunity to become a co-opted member of the Care Inspectorate’s Finance and Resources Committee
Would you like to make a difference and contribute to the work of the Care Inspectorate? If so, this is a role which may interest you. We are offering an opportunity to join the Care Inspectorate’s Finance and Resources Committee as a co-opted member - a non-voting role that will support the Committee’s work on key issues affecting the organisation.
About us
Our Corporate Plan 2026-2031 sets out our aspirations and strategic direction for the next five years. Our vision is that everyone in Scotland receives high-quality compassionate care, support and learning when they need it, which upholds their rights and choices. We are also investing in our digital and data services, playing our part in the public service reform agenda, and engaging widely with other organisations and providers across the sector. For more information about us, please see our Who we are document which supports our Corporate Plan.
We currently have around 680 staff, a Board of 11 members and an executive leadership team of five, led by our Chief Executive. We are keen to hear from individuals with experience in human resources, organisational change, and equality, diversity and inclusion who can contribute to the future direction of our organisation.
Finance and Resources Committee
We are looking to co-opt a non-executive committee member onto the Finance and Resources Committee, a committee of our Board. The Committee has been in place for almost two years and addresses the key budget reporting and preparations for the Board, as well as Human Resource related functions of a strategic nature. This role is not a full Board Member position and therefore does not carry voting rights.
In this role you will provide support, advice and assurance to the Finance and Resources Committee specifically in respect of human resource issues to promote the effective running of the organisation.
Skills required for the committee
The role requires strong strategic thinking to support planning and decision making. You will draw on your experience to understand the context we operate within and offer constructive ideas. It also involves the ability to interpret and use data effectively by reviewing supporting papers, assessing proposals, and considering the wider strategic environment. In addition, an understanding of how finance and resources underpin high standards of governance is essential, including the ability to promote effective practices and ask thoughtful, challenging questions.
In addition, we are looking for applications from candidates who have relevant background or experience in one or more of the following areas:
-
a qualified human resources professional with a breadth of experience in the public sector, in particular experience of oversight or leading the implementation of organisational change
-
experience in promoting and embedding health, safety and wellbeing across organisations
-
experience in developing and implementing people strategies
-
experience in promoting and embedding equality, diversity and inclusion across organisations.
Length of appointment
The appointment will be for an initial period of six months and may be renewed, by mutual agreement.
Time commitment, remuneration and allowances
Remuneration for this post will be £24.94 per hour therefore £187.05 per day for every 7.5 hours (this includes meeting preparation) on a pro-rata basis. This will include two quarterly meetings in the first six months, subject to any renewal or extension. Travel and subsistence as a result of carrying out the duties associated with this appointment will be reimbursed. You are not entitled to a pension in respect of your appointment, and you are not entitled to any gratuity or compensation when your appointment ends.
We welcome and encourage applications from all candidates regardless of age, race, sex or gender identity, religious beliefs, marital status, sexual orientation, disability or neurodiversity. We particularly welcome applications from groups currently under-represented on Scotland’s public bodies, such as women, disabled people and people aged under 50, and from candidates who are looking for a first step towards being a non-executive committee or Board member. This role presents an opportunity to see first-hand how a public body operates and to learn about how you can contribute to the organisation’s success.
Our Equality Duty Annual Progress Report 2026 provides a comprehensive update on the progress we’ve made in embedding equality, diversity and inclusion across all areas of our work both as a scrutiny body and as an employer.
We look forward to receiving your application.
Yours sincerely,
Doug Moodie, Chair
How to apply
To apply, please submit your CV along with a supporting statement setting out your experience against the required skills. Your supporting statement should be no more than 1000 words.
Email your CV and supporting statement to
If you require any reasonable adjustments to support you through the application and selection process, you should contact us at the above email address.
The appointment process will include an interview with the Chair of the Board, the Chief Executive and a Board Member. It is anticipated that interviews will take place on Thursday 30 April. Interviews will be conducted via Microsoft Teams.
Thank you for your interest and we look forward to receiving your application.
Read more