Senior Policy Officer

**Details**:
**Reference number**:

- 266424**Salary**:

- £40,086 - £46,662**Job grade**:

- Other- SFC grade E3**Contract type**:

- Permanent**Business area**:

- ALO**Type of role**:

- Policy**Working pattern**:

- Full-time**Number of jobs available**:

- 1Contents

Location

About the job

**Benefits**:
Things you need to know

Location
- EdinburghAbout the job

**Job summary**:
We are looking for talented, experienced and enthusiastic people with experience of delivering successful outcomes in a public policy environment to join us as Senior Policy Officer in Student Interests, Access & Pathways team.

The Scottish Funding Council is the national funding authority that invests £2 billion every year in tertiary education, research and knowledge exchange through Scotland’s colleges and universities.

As one of the biggest investors of public funds in Scotland, we make a huge contribution to Scotland’s economy and wellbeing, securing impact and quality outcomes for students, employers and wider social and economic objectives.

This is an exciting time for us: following a national Review of our mission, we are refocusing our priorities, operations and capabilities, in order to add even greater value and make a difference for Scotland.

By helping us develop and deliver our policy positions for the future you will be making a difference to the lives and wellbeing of people in Scotland.

**Job description**:

- Key responsibilities:
- Support the development of SFC’s approach to Student Interests with a view to

enhancing the student experience across the tertiary system.- Work with key stakeholders in the sector to oversee the implementation and next steps

of the SFC and Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) National Equality
- Outcomes (NEOs) for the tertiary system.- Research, produce and present briefing notes, reports, presentations and papers as

required for SFC senior management and key stakeholders to ensure colleagues are well
- informed and updated.- Manage projects and areas of activity to enhance the student experience, particularly in

relation to equality, mental health and wellbeing, including representing SFC and
- supporting the Scottish Government to develop and implement the Student Mental
- Health Action Plan.- Horizon-scan and provide advice and guidance to institutions and stakeholders (both

internal and external) as required and represent SFC on relevant committees and
- working groups.- Contribute to the management of relationships with and between key internal and

external stakeholders.- Maintain and develop knowledge of the tertiary system and relevant policy areas and

use this information to support the development of SFC’s work in the enhancement of
- the student experience.- Represent SFC at external meetings, conferences and other events, including giving

presentations, chairing and facilitating discussions when required.- Manage and develop staff as required. This post may include line management of staff

and paid student interns.- Contribute flexibly to the work of the wider directorate and other groups in SFC as

appropriate and when required. From time to time this may include deputising for your
- line manager or other colleagues.The above list is not exhaustive, and the job holder may be required to undertake such
duties commensurate with their grade or that may reasonably be required of them

**Person specification**:
To succeed in this role you will be experienced in policy development and/or implementation and in monitoring and evaluating projects/programmes.

You will use your interpersonal and communication skills to good effect to represent, negotiate and persuade, and to build and maintain effective working relationships with people at all levels.

You will be able to show that you can analyse, understand and respond to complex issues with good judgement, and that you can interpret, analyse and explain complex information to others in an effective way.

You will be someone who works well as part of a team, with the proven ability to lead and manage others. Your organisational and project-management skills will enable you to manage a diverse and changing workload in a fast-paced environment.

Ideally you will have a good understanding of the Scottish political and government environment, and knowledge of the further or higher education sector. Experience of working with external stakeholders would be an advantage.

**Benefits**:

- Normal full-time hours of work are 36 per week. We will consider flexible working
arrangements. A flexi-time system is in operation.
- Annual leave entitlement of 26.5 days pro-rata, rising to 30 days pro-rata after 4

years’ continuous service. Public and privilege holiday entitlement of 11.5 days
pro-rata.
- A flexible approach to hybrid working, giving you flexibility to work from home for

some of the time while also maintaining regular in-person contact with colleagues.
- Annual pay review: approved wi