Job Description
Are you ready to play a key role in shaping Scotland’s planning and environmental decisions?
The Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) is responsible for handling a wide range of planning and environmental casework, including housing, renewable energy, and electricity transmission proposals.
This role involves supporting reporters in the appeals process, ensuring statutory procedures are followed efficiently, and acting as a key point of contact for all parties involved. The team operates in a fast-paced environment with a strong focus on learning and development, offering opportunities to build skills in an inclusive and collaborative setting.
DPEA falls within Core Scottish Government, Corporate Division, Directorate for Legal Services.
Responsibilities
* Managing a busy and varied caseload, working closely with Reporters to administer all aspects of appeal work including high profil planning appeals, renewable energy proposals and development plan examinations.
* Preparing letters throughout the various appeal stages, managing each exchange of information between all parties to an appeal, to enable the relevant decision to be made within the targets set by Scottish Ministers.
* Being the point of contact for internal and external enquiries.
* Developing and maintaining good working relationships both internal and external stakeholders to deliver a high quality service.
* Preparing first draft correspondence in respect of statutory information requests, official replies and Parliamentary Questions.
* Acting in a mentoring role to other staff in your team, actively sharing skills and knowledge.
* The job role falls within the administrative section and focuses on ensuring that all the statutory parts of appeals procedures are carried out efficiently and on time, and acting as the public face of DPEA through corresponding, liaising and dealing with queries from all parties involved in the appeal process.
Success profile
Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills, experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on.
Behaviours
* Seeing the bigger picture - Level 1
* Delivering at Pace - Level 1
* Managing a quality service Level 1
* Working Together - Level 1
You can find out more about Success Profiles here: Success profiles: candidate guide - gov.scot
How To Apply
Apply online, providing a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 750 words) which provides evidence of how you meet the skills, experience and behaviours listed in the Success Profile above.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application, but all statements and examples provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.
Please see our candidate guidance for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment.
If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview. Assessments are scheduled for w/c 26th January 2026 however this may be subject to change.
About Us
The Scottish Government is the devolved government for Scotland. We have responsibility for a wide range of key policy areas including: education, health, the economy, justice, housing and transport. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles.
Our staff are part of the UK Civil Service, working for Ministers and senior stakeholders to deliver vital public services which improve the lives of the people of Scotland.
We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer.
Working pattern
Our standard hours are 35 hours per week and we offer a range of flexible working options depending on the needs of the role. From October 2025, the Scottish Government will require staff in hybrid-compatible roles to work in-person 40% of the time, either in an office or other agreed work location. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us.
This post is suitable for Hybrid working in line with Scottish Government policy however due to the nature of the new starter induction process it is expected you will undertake training and consolidation face to face in Hadrian House, Falkirk. This can vary in length and will be discussed with the successful applicant.
Security checks
Successful candidates must complete the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), before they can be appointed. BPSS is comprised of four main pre-employment checks – Identity, Right to work, Employment History and a Criminal Record check (unspent convictions).
You can find out more about BPSS on the UK Government website, or read about the different levels of security checks in our Candidate Guide.
Equality statement
We are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.
Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them.
Further information
Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers Website.
Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.