Senior Recoveries and Recharge Manager

Are you looking for a new challenge which will offer experience in strategic leadership of a developing operational service? Would you like to understand more about financial management in a public sector organisation?  Social Security Scotland is looking for an individual to join our Benefit Expenditure and Debt Finance Branch as the Senior Recoveries and Recharge Manager.  This is part of the Finance and Corporate Services Division.

The successful candidate will lead the Recovery and Recharge team of approximately 50 staff within the Benefit Expenditure and Debt Finance Branch, in the Finance and Corporate Services Division.

This role offers the opportunity to contribute to the safeguarding of vital resources for the people of Scotland who need them. You will be leading the team tasked with the effective management and recovery of benefit overpayments and estate recharges and working alongside finance colleagues providing management information to support robust accounting.

Responsibilities 

• Supporting the development, implementation and delivery of the Debt Management service, including strategies and associated operational policies and procedures.
• Working flexibly and adapting to changing priorities to manage caseload and to ensure that overpayment referrals are dealt with promptly and caseload is effectively managed.
• Ensuring that appropriate management information is developed and used to inform service improvement, manage performance, reconcile accounts and meet reporting requirements. 
• Ensuring consistency of decision making and compliance with legal and financial requirements and processes, identifying risk and development of controls and mitigations.
• Managing performance and supporting staff with their personal development to help them reach their full potential and the team achieve their objectives.
• Developing, implementing and monitoring business plans including workforce planning, recruitment, induction and training.
• Developing and maintaining good relationships with internal and external partners including working with others across the public sector.
• Taking appropriate measures to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of yourself and your staff.

Success Profiles
We use an assessment framework called 'Success Profiles' which lists the elements we test and provides detailed descriptions of each.  Find out more about how we assess the Success Profile elements
 

Experience

• Experience of managing an operational delivery team across multiple sites, in a continually changing business environment.
   

Behaviours

• Changing and Improving - Level 4
• Communicating and Influencing – Level 4
• Managing a Quality Service – Level 4 

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours here: Success Profiles - Civil Service Behaviours ) 

Technical / Professional Skills
You will demonstrate the following skills within the ODP Framework.

1. Operational leadership and management - Practitioner Level

   Sets a compelling sense of direction and purpose for the team and builds costed, measurable plans to secure and maintain delivery excellence.

   Systematically manages risks which might impact on service delivery, using Risk Registers, Certificates of Assurance etc.

   Leads teams to ensure delivery is achieved within legal, regulatory and policy frameworks, and to promote a culture of compliance (where required).
    

2. Data and Insights - Practitioner Level

   Sources and analyses a range of data and insights (e.g. user-insights, socio-economic data) to inform options and make decisions.

   Leads the development of metrics, KPIs and dashboards to assess performance and improvements to services and operational delivery.

   Manages, supports and engages positively with inspections and audits - to gather data and evidence, and shape and act upon findings and recommendations.

How to Apply
Apply online, you must provide a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 1500 words) which provides evidence of how you meet the  Success Profiles above.  

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application, but all statements and examples provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. 

Please see our candidate guidance for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment. 

If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview and presentation. 

We aim to provide feedback on request. However, if we receive a large number of applications it may not be possible for us to provide specific feedback on your application. We will provide feedback on request to candidates who attend an interview/assessment. 

Information Session
We are holding candidate information sessions for this role to provide you with information about the application and interview process as well as further information on the role and team.   

The session will be held on Wednesday 3rd December :00 - 14:00 

Please join us using the link below to find out more about the role and working for Social Security Scotland.    

Please click here to join the meeting

Expected Timeline (subject to change) 
Sift – From 16th December 2025
Interview – From 6th January 2026

Reserve List   
In the event that there are more successful candidates than posts available, a reserve list will be kept for up to 12 months. 

About us
Social Security Scotland is an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government. Our benefits help people from all walks of life in Scotland. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles. We are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce that is representative of the clients we serve.  Find more about us here. 

We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer.

As part of the UK Civil Service, we uphold the Civil Service Nationality Rules.  

Working Pattern
Our standard hours are 35 hours per week and we offer a range of flexible working options, depending on the needs of the role. We embrace a hybrid working style where all colleagues will spend time in either our Glasgow or Dundee offices. There is an expectation of a minimum 2 days per week in your assigned location, which will be either Glasgow or Dundee.  If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us. 

Equality Statement 
Social Security Scotland are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.    

Social Security Scotland are a Disability Confident Employer. We will consider and implement any reasonable adjustments you may require throughout the recruitment process and during the course of your employment, should you be successful in securing a post. If you feel you may require assistance with any part of our recruitment process, please contact us at

Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer support and recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them. 

Further Information
This role is only available to existing permanent civil servants who have successfully completed their probation period within Social Security Scotland, or the broader Scottish Government.  

Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers Website.  

Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.  

The successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 3 years unless successful in gaining promotion to a higher Band or Grade.   

If you experience any difficulties accessing our website or completing the online application form, please contact the Resourcing Team via   

Apply before Monday 15th December at 23:55

Contact Name - Maggie McCardle

Contact Email –