Policy Officer, Nhs Pay

Overview:
Health Workforce Strategy, Planning and Delivery sits within the wider Health Workforce Directorate. The Directorate has 3 substantive policy divisions, which collectively oversee strategic responsibility for all aspects of Scottish Government policy in relation to NHS Scotland’s multidisciplinary workforce.

Our collective ambition is to achieve the best health and social care outcomes for the people of Scotland, through ensuring that we have a happy, healthy and sustainable workforce that is equipped to meet current and future healthcare demands. The work is cross-cutting in a high profile, fast moving area that attracts significant Ministerial, stakeholder and media interest. It is a fascinating time to join as we emerge from the pandemic and to support the service to recover and rebuild through the development of a National Workforce Strategy for Health and Social Care.

This post offers the opportunity to work in a fast-paced Unit with a high level of ministerial, parliamentary and media interest and engagement. You will lead the team in responding to reactive enquiries whilst supporting and delivering longer-term pieces of work including projects. You will work alongside stakeholders to deliver commitments from the workforce strategy and previous workforce plans, develop relevant policy, and support the development of other members of the team.

**Responsibilities**:

- Manage a small policy team on the production of succinct, prompt, and high quality briefing for Ministers and senior officials including researching and preparing submissions, speeches for engagements, media lines, FOIs, PQs, FMQs, MiCase and support at Ministerial events.
- Support the business lead to deliver the National Workforce Strategy for Health and Social Care. This includes managing and monitoring of the actions, managing progress and risk.
- Support the development of the yearly refresh of the National Workforce Strategy.
- Lead on the delivery of bespoke project work, for example linked to the delivery of published workforce commitments and the increasing the quality and usefulness of workforce-related statistics.
- Develop and manage productive working relationships between the team and key stakeholders, including via the National Workforce Advisory Group and the National Workforce Forum, offering responses to publications and reports where relevant and providing Workforce Strategy representation and advice at meetings.
- Lead on the development of policy and actions to improve planning for the health and social care workforce, analysing evidence and making sound recommendations.
- Responsibility for the line management of two B2 policy officers.

**Competencies**
Self-Awareness

People Management

Communications and Engagement

Analysis and Use of Evidence

Essential Criteria & Qualifications:
**Essential Criteria**
1. Excellent communication skills, to support the delivery of complex issues at pace to a variety of audiences, including Senior Leaders and Ministers.

2. Experience of working with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders with proven track record of building credible, trusting, productive relationships with these stakeholders.

3. Experience of using data and evidence to inform policy development and support decision making.

4. Good planning and organisational skills.

**Further Information**
For further information on this vacancy please download and review the “Further Information for Job Applicants” which you will find below.

Person_Specification_Band_B_Updated_9.9.22_PDF

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**Important Information Regarding Interviews**
In recognition of the Scottish Government's ongoing measures and guidance in its response to Covid-19 (Coronavirus), we would like to advise applicants that a decision has been taken that all interviews must be conducted in a virtual/remote setting.

**The Scottish Government is a diverse and inclusive workplace and we want to help you demonstrate your full potential whatever type of assessment is used. If you require any adjustments to our recruitment process, please let us know via