Contract Type: Permanent, Full time 9am-5pm Monday-Friday (35 hours per week), Flexi-time available, subject to business need.
Location: Edinburgh with hybrid working available, subject to business need.
Salary scale: Grade 7: £89,122 – £112,945, starting salary is normally offered at the beginning of the scale
Benefits: 40.5 days of annual leave (including public holidays), Flexible working arrangements, Civil Service Pension Scheme arrangements, Life Assurance scheme, Employee Assistance Programme
Reporting directly to the Ombudsman and serving as a key member of the organisation's Leadership Team, the Executive Director will provide strategic leadership across service delivery, organisational performance, governance, corporate services and transformation.
We are looking for an experienced senior leader with a strong track record of delivering strategic and operational success within a public sector, regulatory, complaints, customer-focused or similarly complex environment. You will bring substantial experience of organisational transformation, performance improvement, governance and risk management, together with the ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and build high-performing, inclusive cultures.
Please read the Candidate Information Pack for further information on the SPSO and the Executive Director role.
If you are interested in joining an organisation that enjoys challenge and strives for continuous improvement, please download the application pack below.
You can also contact us on 0131 243 0982 or by emailing recruitment@spso.gov.scot.
Recruitment timetable
Please note that the dates below are provisional and may be subject to change.
Closing Date for applications: 10:00, 26 October 2026
Application shortlisting: 26 – 30 October 2026
Applicant updates: 2 November 2026
Interview and assessment: 9 November 2026
Following initial interview and assessment a second stage interview may be held to assist in the final decision.
Equal opportunities statement
We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and communities and in particular those that are currently under represented in our workforce. This includes, but is not limited to Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates and candidates with disabilities.
We are committed to providing equal opportunities in employment and in the service provided to complainants. No job applicant, staff member or person receiving a service from us will receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of sex, gender, marital status, or racial grounds or on grounds of disability, age, sexual orientation, language or social origin, or of other personal attributes including beliefs or opinions, such as religious beliefs or political opinions.
We are totally opposed to discrimination. We are committed to conducting the business in a way that is fair to all sections of the community. This may mean taking positive steps to ensure equal opportunities for staff involved in staff selection, staff management and service delivery.