This vacancy has now closed

Chair and Member for Scottish Commission on Social Security

  • Management Board
  • Sessional
  • Edinburgh
  • Closing 1st May 2024


  • Advertised from 12th March 2024
  • Member - £225.00/Per Day. Up to 36 days per annum. Chair - £306.00/Per Day. Up to 60 days per annum.

Role

Appointment of Chair and Member to the Scottish Commission on Social Security.

The Scottish Commission on Social Security (SCoSS) is an independent body set up in 2019 to provide independent scrutiny of the Scottish social security system and hold Scottish Ministers to account.

The Commission is separate from the Scottish Government and from the Scottish Parliament. It carries out its work independently of both, but works closely with both.

Information on the Commission’s functions are set out within Section 22 of the Social Security (Scotland Act) 2018. SCoSS’s role is made up of three parts:

Scrutinising draft regulations and publishing a report including recommendations to the Scottish Government.

Reporting on the Social Security Charter to the Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament on whether the expectations in the Social Security Charter are being met. The Scottish Government and Social Security Scotland published the Social Security Charter in January 2019. It is called ‘Our Charter’.

Responding to requests from the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government to report ‘on any matter relevant to social security’ when asked by either of them.

You can find out more about the Board and the work that it has done on the SCoSS webpage. This includes reports, information about the organisation and minutes of Board meetings.

Chair

The Chair will be reimbursed for reasonable travel and other expenses incurred to carry out their role, such as:

  • Any travel and subsistence costs
  • Reasonable childcare or carer expenses
  • Disability-related reasonable adjustments

The Chair will be expected to devote up to 60 days per annum. You will be expected to attend meetings of the Body regularly, to prepare for and to contribute fully to these and to perform your other functions. Board meetings are currently held roughly every 4-6 weeks and there are often ad-hoc meetings in between as well.

Skills/Experience Required

Scottish Ministers welcome applications from people from a wide range of backgrounds who have the following skills/knowledge/experience:

The following priority criterion:

  • Leadership

This is in addition to either one or both of the following priority criteria:

  • The ability to use your lived experience of the impact of disability arising from a physical or mental impairment, to help bring about positive change
  • Experience of policy development and/or delivery; implementation and/or evaluation of policy in a public service context.

Applicants must also provide evidence of the following essential criteria:

  • Analysing information and making recommendations
  • Working collaboratively, constructively and effectively with others
  • Personal Commitment to progressing the Social Security Principles.

Members

Members will be reimbursed for reasonable travel and other expenses incurred to carry out their role, such as:

  • Any travel and subsistence costs
  • Reasonable childcare or carer expenses
  • Disability-related reasonable adjustments

Members will be expected to devote up to 36 days per annum. You will be expected to attend meetings of the Body regularly, to prepare for and to contribute fully to these and to perform your other functions. Board meetings are currently held roughly every 4-6 weeks and there are often ad-hoc meetings in between as well.

Skills/Experience Required

Scottish Ministers welcome applications from people from a wide range of backgrounds who have the following skills/knowledge/experience:

The following priority criterion:

  • The ability to use your lived experience of the impact of disability arising from a physical or mental impairment, to help bring about positive change. This may include experience as a carer or as someone advocating for those with lived experience of the impact of a disability.

Applicants must also provide evidence of the following essential criteria:

  • Analysing information and making recommendations
  • Working collaboratively, constructively and effectively with others
  • Personal commitment to progressing the Social Security Principles.
  • Understanding of policy development and/or delivery; implementation and/or evaluation of policy in a public service context.

Engagement Event

There will be an online Engagement event held on Wednesday 27 March 2024 from 10:00 – 11:00, with the existing interim Co-Chairs of SCoSS. This is an opportunity to find out more about SCoSS and ask any questions that you may have. If interested in attending please email Julie.McKinney@gov.scot

Application notes

For further information and to apply for the Chair role, please click here.

For further information and to apply for the Member role, please click here.

Appointments to the Scottish Commission on Social Security are regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.