Strategic Inspector

Location:

Flexible (Any Care Inspectorate office)

Contract:
Permanent, fixed term (18 months) or secondment (18 months)

Closing date: 08:00 on Monday 9 February 2026

We are a scrutiny body that supports improvement. That means we look at the quality of care in Scotland to ensure it meets high standards. We are responsible for providing assurance and protection for people who experience care services, their families, carers and the wider public. Our vision is that people across Scotland experience high-quality care that meets their needs, rights and choices.

• 1. Person-centred:we put people, empathy, compassion, and kindness at the heart of everything we do
• 2. Respect:we value everyone's dignity and are respectful in everything we do
• 3. Equity:we embrace diversity and nurture an inclusive environment where everyone is supported to achieve equal outcomes
• 4. Integrity:we act impartially, fairly, and consistently, upholding transparency and accountability in all our actions
• 5. Impact: we focus on making a positive impact for everyone experiencing care in Scotland whilst ensuring our work delivers the best value to the public

Our desire is to achieve an effective and balanced way of working, which enables us to meet organisational needs and achieve a work-life balance that promotes wellbeing and collaboration opportunities. Our hybrid working policy gives you the flexibility to mix working from home with attendance at your base office and other work locations, spending no more than 60% of your working time working from home, measured over a four-week period.

As a Strategic Inspector, you will lead and support inspections that evaluate how well local partnerships and services work together to deliver positive outcomes for people across Scotland.

You’ll assess strategic planning, leadership, and delivery across sectors such as health, social work, education, and justice with a strong focus on how lived experience informs and shapes care and support.

Using national frameworks, data, and evidence, you will produce high-quality public reports that highlight strengths, identify areas for improvement, and support meaningful change.

You’ll work closely with senior leaders, the Scottish Government, and national partners to influence improvement, contribute to the development of inspection methodologies, and support both internal and external quality assurance initiatives.

This is a key leadership role with significant scope to make a lasting impact on the quality of care and support in Scotland.

You will find more information in thejob profileandperson specification.

Experience - You’ll be a skilled and experienced professional with a strong background in social work, health or education. You’ll bring a track record of leading strategic projects, service delivery, or improvement initiatives at a senior level, with the insight and confidence to evaluate complex systems and make evidence-based decisions.

Your experience may come from roles such as service manager, strategic lead, inspector, or advisor, where you’ve worked collaboratively across sectors and driven meaningful change. You will have excellent analytical, communication, and report writing skills, with the ability to engage stakeholders at all levels and influence decision-making locally and nationally.

You’ll be values-driven, politically astute, and committed to equity, inclusion, and person-centred practice, motivated by the opportunity to make a real difference to people’s lives through scrutiny and improvement.

To apply for this role, you must hold a professional qualification atSCQF Level 9or above that enables registration with a recognised regulatory body such as the Scottish Social Services Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council, General Teaching Council for Scotland, or Health and Care Professions Council. In addition, your qualification must meet the requirements for Secondary Authorised Officerstatus under the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010.

This means it must be directly relevant to social work, health, education, or a related discipline. If you are…