Senior Scrutiny Officer; Climate Change

Senior Scrutiny Officer (Climate Change)

Job Type: Permanent

Region: Scotland

Vicinity: Edinburgh

Salary: £49,401 - £59,152

Salary

Description:

New entrants are expected to start on the minimum pay band

Start Date: confirmed following successful pre‑employment checks which can take several weeks

Recruiter: Environmental Standards Scotland

Job : 466505

Closing Date: 12/07/2026

We are recruiting for four Senior Scrutiny Officers (Climate Change) within our newly created New Scrutiny Duties Development Department. Together, working to the Principal Scrutiny Officer and Head of New Scrutiny Duties Development, these post holders will play a crucial part in how we will deliver our new area of work scrutinising local authorities’ reporting against climate change duties as set out in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

• supporting the Head of Department and Principal Scrutiny Officer to develop an effective approach to how ESS will scrutinise local authorities’ implementation of their climate change duties
• identifying, summarising, interpreting and presenting evidence on the way in which local authorities in Scotland implement their climate change duties
• identifying and engaging with relevant stakeholders to access support, advice and opinion on climate change best practice
• obtaining, by way of written requests for information, calls and meetings, research and consultation with other staff, all substantive, relevant information pertinent to matters under consideration
• identifying potential issues for investigation
• assisting in the planning and managing of the team in achieving planned outputs as agreed with the Head of Department and Principal Scrutiny Officer
• assisting the Head of Department and Principal Scrutiny Officer in providing high quality information on any aspect of the work of the team
• working collaboratively and flexibly with colleagues across ESS on key operational work streams to support the development of effective and efficient processes and systems within ESS
• representing ESS, and supporting and coordinating relationships with key external senior stakeholders in central and local government and the wider environmental sector