Head of People and Learning

Full time, Permanent
35 Hours
£80,345 – £87,663
Ref: EST1406/26

Introduction

An exciting and rarely available opportunity has arisen to join SCRA as our Head of People and Learning.
SCRA sits at the heart of Scotland’s unique Children’s Hearings System, and this influential leadership role plays a central part in shaping the culture, capability and effectiveness of our organisation.

The role

As a trusted adviser to the Principal Reporter/Chief Executive and a key member of our Senior Management Team, you will lead the development and delivery of our People Strategy, ensuring that our people, culture and organisational capability support the delivery of high-quality services for Scotland’s children, young people and families.

You will provide strategic leadership across all aspects of people management, organisational development and workforce planning. Working closely with the Senior Management Team and the Board, you will provide expert advice on employee relations, learning and development, wellbeing, reward, employment policy and organisational change. Through your leadership, SCRA will continue to foster an inclusive, high-performing culture in which colleagues can thrive and deliver the best outcomes for children and young people.

The postholder will be a trusted source of professional advice on complex and sensitive workforce matters and plays a key role in shaping organisational strategy and decision-making. You will lead the Human Resources function, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, customer-focused people services that support managers and staff across the organisation.

As a member of SCRA’s Senior Management Team, you will contribute to the governance, strategic development and corporate leadership of the organisation. You will work collaboratively with senior colleagues to ensure that people, learning, culture and organisational capability remain aligned with SCRA’s strategic priorities and values.

This is a highly influential leadership role requiring significant expertise in people management, organisational development and strategic leadership. It offers a unique opportunity to shape the future workforce of an organisation that makes a vital difference to the lives of children, young people and families across Scotland.

To learn more about the role, please refer to the Recruitment Pack, Job Description, Person Specification and Application Form. Links to each of these documents are provided below.

All SCRA posts are subject to a probationary period of 6 months or the term of the contract if shorter.

All posts are subject to PVG clearance by Disclosure Scotland.  It is normal practice to appoint at the minimum point of the salary scale.

The closing date is Friday 30 October 2026.
Interviews will take place on Tuesday 17 November and Wednesday 18 November 2026.

How to apply

Please save the application form together with the separate Inclusion and Diversity Monitoring form to your drive/desktop, fill in the relevant sections and then submit both to recruitment@scra.gov.uk. When the email opens, you must attach your completed forms to it. The diversity monitoring form enables us to monitor equalities throughout the recruitment process.

When completing section D of your application form, please explain how you meet each of the essential and desirable criteria laid out in page one of the Person Specification.

For the four Values referenced in the Person Specification, rather than providing evidence against each individual indicator bullet point, briefly describe how you demonstrate each Value (for example, being Child Centred) in consideration of the indicators listed under each Value.  You are not required to provide separate examples for every bullet point listed beneath the Values, as these will be explored further during the interview process.

At SCRA, we are proud to be a socially inclusive employer and welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and experiences. We value diversity in all its forms and recognise the strength that different perspectives bring to our work. We encourage applications from people of all sexes, gender identities, those undergoing or who have undergone gender reassignment, races, ethnic origins, ages, pregnancy and maternity statuses, sexual orientations, religions or beliefs, marital or civil partnership statuses, disabilities, care experience, socio-economic backgrounds and other lived experiences. We believe that diverse perspectives strengthen our work and help us better serve Scotland’s children and young people with compassion and integrity.

Recruitment Pack
Job Description
Person Specification
Corporate Accountabilities
Application Form
Inclusion & Diversity Monitoring Form