Inspector (adults)

Join us and make a difference – for you, for everyone

It’s our job to ensure care for everyone, everywhere in Scotland is as good as it can be. If you are as passionate about high-quality care as we are, and you’re experienced in your field, we’d love to hear from you. We are looking for talented people to join us in making a difference.  

About you

You’ll have considerable experience in adult health or social work/care as well as significant knowledge of current policy drivers and challenges within the sector. You will have a successful track record in working with people, assessing standards of care, managing conflict and promoting the rights of people who use care services.  

We’re currently recruiting for vacancies in our inspection teams. We are looking for applicants particularly in the central belt, North West Scotland, Argyll and Bute, and Dumfries and Galloway. However, we welcome applications from candidates across mainland Scotland. 

We would welcome applications from candidates across mainland Scotland. As an inspector you must be able to travel with occasional overnight stays as required.

About us

We are different because of our great benefits, our investment in learning and development, and above all, giving you the opportunity to help shape care in Scotland. 

What you will be doing as an inspector 

Making a difference through working with services delivering adult and older people care. You’ll work with people experiencing care, care service providers, managers and staff and be confident in supporting and advising on improvement. 

Click here to watch a short video on what one of our inspectors has said about their role.

The skills you need 

If you think this job is where you can make a real difference to people’s lives, there are a few things you need. Whilst it’s important to have the basics, we will support you in developing your skillset throughout your journey with us. 

You’ll be confident about what good-quality care looks like and how to deliver it across adults and older people services. You’ll be resilient and adaptable, able to work on your own initiative or as part of a team, manage competing priorities, build effective networks with partners, and have strong communication skills. Equally, you’ll be good at analysing information and evidence, and you’ll have excellent writing skills to produce reports that are clear, concise, and focused on outcomes.   

We need you to have a relevant qualification (minimum SCQF Level 9) and be registered or eligible to register with a professional body like the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) or General Teaching Council (GTC). Please see further information at the bottom of this advert on recent updates to the registration process for the SSSC.

All new entrants will start on the grade minimum for the role however we have a generous benefits package which is highlighted below. 

Salary and benefits 

  • Salary: £46,569 - £54,975 plus excellent benefits.
  • Network of offices across Scotland.
  • Flexible Hours: 140 hours to be worked over a 4-week period.
  • Up to 37 days annual leave (after 5 years’ service) + 6 fixed public holidays.
  • Contract: Permanent, two-year secondment or locum (where candidates have previously worked for us as inspectors).

We desire to achieve an effective and balanced way of working, that 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 4-week period. 

In addition to our excellent benefits package, we also pride ourselves on the values we hold, person-centred; fairness; respect; efficiency and integrity - all supported with a culture of care and kindness. We’re proud to be a progressive, supportive employer, and equality, diversity and inclusion are important to us. 

This is an exciting time to join the Care Inspectorate, with an opportunity to be at the heart of change as we consider the impact of the independent care review. We’ve recently changed our recruitment process and how we assess new people.  We’re looking to attract inspectors from a broader range of professional backgrounds and now is the perfect time to come and join us. 

What next?

Click here to find out more on our careers site. You can also contact the recruitment team at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for further information.

If you’re ready to apply now, please click here to access our gateway questions and application form. Your application should be received no later than Monday 3 March 2025 at 08:00.

The Care Inspectorate is committed to recruiting, retaining and developing a workforce that reflects the diverse communities that we serve. It is vital that we monitor and analyse diversity information so that we can identify how we can improve the way we meet the needs of our applicants and staff. To assist us to monitor the effectiveness of our equality and diversity practices, we would encourage you to complete the equalities monitoring form at the end of the application form.

We anticipate holding Stage 1 of our assessment process between Friday 14 - Monday 17 March, and Stage 2 no earlier than Monday 7 April 2025 over a 2 week period at one of our main offices.

If you successfully complete our selection process, we’ll either confirm you’re the preferred candidate for a suitable vacancy (based on your specialism and location) or you’ll be invited to join our talent pool for future vacancies that would be suitable for you.

Registration information and process

As an Inspector you will support the Assurance and Improvement Directorate to ensure that the Care Inspectorate meets its responsibilities as defined by the Public Services Reform Act 2010 and other relevant legislation.

The successful applicant must be registered with a professional body (this can be NMC, GTCS, NMC, HCPC, SSSC), within three months of appointment.

For SSSC registration, there is a specific registration category for Care Inspectorate Authorised Officers (AO). Regulated Care Inspectors who register with SSSC will do so as a Primary Authorised Officer under both types of work (Social Care and Children & Young People). Primary Authorised Officers will require to complete a Professional Development Award in Scrutiny and Improvement Practice within 5 years of initial registration.

Employees will be expected to maintain registration with the same professional body throughout their employment in the Care Inspectorate. This includes employees working in authorised officer roles who are recruited to the Care Inspectorate based on their registration with the NMC, GTCS, HCPC or other recognised professional body. It is a contractual requirement to maintain registration with the same professional body and employees should not transfer their registration to the SSSC from another recognised professional body, including the NMC, GTCS or HCPC.

Job profile

Person specification


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HR Adviser

Job title: Human Resources Adviser

Salary: £38,553 to £42,597

Hours: 35 hours per week

Location: Flexible (Any Care Inspectorate office) 

Contract: Permanent


About us

We are the national regulator and scrutiny body responsible for providing assurance and protection for people who experience care services, their families, carers and the wider public, as well as supporting delivery partners to improve the quality of care for people in Scotland. Our vision is that people across Scotland experience high quality care that meets their needs, rights and choices.

We are a scrutiny body that supports improvement. We inspect individual care services and we also work with other scrutiny bodies to inspect the social care and social work services people are experiencing in their local areas.

Our desire is to achieve an effective and balanced way of working, that enables us to meet organisational needs and achieve a work-life balance that promotes wellbeing and collaboration opportunities. We are moving towards an expectation that all staff will work collaboratively, within and across teams, in person, for approximately 40% of their working week. The Care Inspectorate employs approximately 600 employees.

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity to work with a dynamic HR team on a hybrid basis. Reporting to the Senior HR Business Partner, you will support managers and staff across the organisation to provide expert advice and guidance on a wide range of HR related matters.

The HR Adviser will play a crucial role in fostering a positive work environment, advising on employee relations matters including absence management, performance management and disciplinary and grievance cases. You will also play an active role in the development and review of our people management policies continually seeking feedback from our managers, unions and stakeholders across the organisation.

About you

You will be an experienced HR generalist with a strong track record of managing complex employee relations matters. You will bring extensive knowledge of employment legislation and its practical application, coupled with hands-on experience in developing and implementing people management policies and designing and delivering HR related training for managers and staff.

You will be educated to SCQF Level 9 or have equivalent experience and be a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). It is essential that you are comfortable working with managers at all levels across the organisation to provide a high-quality advisory service. You will have the ability to foster good working relations within the wider HR team, your business partnering areas and with our trade unions through your positive interpersonal, communication and influencing skills.

The application process

If you believe that you are a suitable candidate for this post, please download and complete an applicant form and equal opportunities form and submit both by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Next steps

You’ll find more information in the job profile and person specification.

If you would like more information or an informal chat about the role please contact Louise Maxwell at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - please include a contact telephone number that would be best to reach you on in your email.

If you believe that you are a suitable candidate for this post, please download and complete an application form and equal opportunities form and submit it by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 08:00 on Monday 13 May 2024.

It is anticipated that interviews will be held on Monday 27 May 20024 at our Dundee Headquarters office.


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Job profile

Job title: Human Resources Adviser

Responsible to: Senior HR Business Partner

Principal working contacts:

  • HR business partnering team
  • Shared service recruitment and transactions teams
  • Care Inspectorate colleagues and management
  • Trade Union officials and representatives

Job purpose

The HR adviser will work closely with stakeholders across the organisation to provide expert advice and guidance on a wide range of HR related matters. This includes all employment related matters, employee relations, people management policies and employment regulations.

The HR adviser will play a crucial role in fostering a positive work environment, promoting employee engagement and contributing to the overall success of the Care Inspectorate through the delivery of a cohesive HR service across the organisation.

Key responsibilities

  • To provide advice and guidance to managers and staff members on complex case management issues including absence management, wellbeing, disciplinary, dignity at work, capability and grievance matters, during both informal and formal processes.
  • Support the Senior HR Business Partner in developing, implementing and evaluating HR policies, practice and procedures in line with best practice and to ensure that statutory obligations and organisational objectives are met.
  • Provide advice, guidance and coaching to managers on HR policies and procedures, ensuring that managers are equipped with the knowledge and understanding to effectively operate within the parameters of the policy.
  • Design, deliver and evaluate people management training on HR related policies, projects and practice.
  • Facilitate and support organisational change initiatives by providing expert advice and guidance. Collaborate with stakeholders to develop change strategies and monitor the effectiveness of these initiatives.
  • Promote Equality, Diversity and Inclusion as part of the culture of the organisation and contribute to working groups as required.
  • Keep abreast of employment law and best practice issues and be able to advise management on these. Keep abreast of key issues and changes in the social care sector.
  • Support the Senior HR Business Partner with HR input into relevant projects, working groups or focus groups, including providing specialist advice and support to managers in a range of complex organisational change and redesign issues.
  • Foster productive working relationships and collaborative working throughout the organisation and in all working practices in accordance with the Partnership Agreement with the trade unions.
  • Assist in maintaining management information systems to ensure that information for statutory reporting purposes and that additional information for organisational reporting purposes, is collated.
  • Assist in preparing written reports to the Board/Committees, and advisory and guidance notes for Line Managers.
  • Actively support and develop junior members of the HR team, providing advice and guidance on work related matters.
  • Process the necessary administrative tasks associated with the day-to-day HR queries and issues.
  • Undertake any other ad-hoc duties as defined by the Senior HR Business Partner or Head of Human Resources.

Other duties

This job may require travel to Care Inspectorate offices throughout Scotland and may involve some occasional overnight stays and 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.


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Person specification

Job title: Human Resources Adviser

Attributes

Essential

Desirable

Experience

  • Significant Human Resources (HR) generalist experience, with proven experience of managing complex employee relations matters.
  • Extensive working knowledge of employment legislation and its practical application.
  • Previous experience of restructuring and change management.
  • Demonstrable experience of developing and updating people management policies and procedures.
  • Previous experience of designing and delivering HR related training for staff at all levels.
  • Previous experience producing high quality written work including policies, procedures and meeting invite and outcome letters.
  • Previous experience working in the Care sector.

Education, qualifications and training

  • Hold a degree or similar equivalent qualification to a minimum of Level 9 of the SCQF Framework along with proven experience held in an HR Adviser/Business Partner roles.
  • Member of the CIPD
  • Relevant management qualification
  • Coaching qualification/experience
  • Mediation qualification/ experience
 

Skills and knowledge

  • Ability to build effective working relationships with stakeholders at all levels across the organisation.
  • Demonstratable interpersonal, communication and influencing skills.
  • Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
  • Strong problem-solving skills with an ability to implement solutions
  • Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
  • Detail-orientated with strong organisational and time management skills. An ability to evidence working under pressure and meeting deadlines.
  • Proficiency in MS Office and HRIS systems.
  • Experience of working collaboratively with trade union representatives.

Key performance outcomes

Essential

Desirable

Effective communication

  • Demonstrate clear and concise verbal and written communication skills.
  • Ability to select appropriate communication style and methods depending on the needs and abilities of the audience.
  • Empathy and sensitivity in dealing with employee issues

Partnership working

  • Respect others, recognise and value difference and diversity and be aware of the impact of your views on others.
  • Ability to quickly build rapport and collaborative working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Team working

  • Ability to contribute to and support the work and decisions of the team.
  • Ability to work co-operatively and supportively with others. 

Objective decision making

  • Demonstrate analytical and systematic approach to problem solving.
  • Ability to make appropriate and realistic judgements based on professional expertise, relevant, up-to-date and verifiable information.
  • Ability to act consistently with the Care Inspectorate values to achieve the desired outcomes.
  • Ability to analyse complex information.

Planning and organising

  • Ability to plan and deliver own workload effectively in the short, medium and long term.
  • Able to prioritise effectively and achieve deadlines in a changing environment.
  • Demonstrate initiative, drive and determination to complete tasks and achieve objectives.
  • Ability to show initiative and work without close supervision.
  • Proactive and solution-orientated

Understands and uses appropriate methods and tools to meet targets.

 

Please note – these are key performance outcomes to be used to recruit into the role. Successful applicants will be assessed against all the performance indicators used in the Performance Development Review System once established in the role.


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Person specification

Job title: Communications Coordinator

Attributes

Experience 

Essential: 

  • Demonstrates a successful record of accomplishment within a relevant role.

Education, qualifications and training

Essential:

  • Holds a relevant qualification at degree level or equivalent (SCQF Level 9).

Desireable: 

  • Membership of a relevant professional bodySkils and knowledge

Skills and knowledge

Essential:

  • Excellent communication skills.
  • Excellent literacy skills.
  • Consistently delivers creative solutions.
  • Manages conflicting priorities and works to tight deadlines.
  • Flexible and responsive, reacting positively to rapidly changing priorities and demands.
  • Works on own initiative and prioritises workload.
  • Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office software.
  • Excellent understanding of social media in an organisational setting.
  • Up-to-date knowledge, understanding and experience of the range of today’s communications disciplines and channels.
  • Understands how to monitor, measure and demonstrate success through analytics and appropriate performance measures.

Desireable: 

  • Experience using Joomla, Wordpress, Umbraco and other content management software.
  • Knowledge of the social care sector.
  • Experience responding to journalists.

Key performance outcomes

Effective communication

Essential:

  • Expresses ideas clearly and concisely and to adapt communication to suit different audiences
  • Produces written and verbal communication which is clear and concise
  • Listens actively to people, questions and checks understanding
  • Develops and maintains positive working relationships at all levels.

Desireable:

  • Plain English training or qualification.
  • Copywriting or proofing training or qualification.

Objective decision making

Essential:

  • Understands the limits of their knowledge and experience and when to refer decisions to others
  • Acts consistently with the Care Inspectorate values to achieve the desired outcomes
  • Keeps aims and objectives consistently at the heart of decision making.

Planning and organising

Essential:

  • Plans workload effectively in the short, medium and long term in conjunction with their line manager and work to strict deadlines
  • Demonstrates attention to detail in all areas
  • Shows initiative and proactively works without close supervision.

Team working

Essential:

  • Tolerant and fair towards others, values diversity and is non-discriminatory in their actions
  • Values and makes use of the skills, knowledge and experience of others
  • Cooperates with and supports others.

Personal accountability and responsibility

Essential:

  • Takes responsibility for actions
  • Maintains a high standard of work and actively looks for opportunities to improve their work
  • Demonstrates initiative within own areas of expertise
  • Ambitious and positive in quality assuring their work.

Please note – these are key performance outcomes to be used to recruit into the role. Successful applicants will be assessed against all the performance indicators used in the Performance Development Review System once established in the role.


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