Description
Scottish Funding Council's ambition is for Scotland to be the best place in the world to learn, educate, research and innovate, so that all of our nation can flourish.
Our purpose is to create and sustain a world-leading system of tertiary education, research and innovation that changes lives for the better, enriches society and supports sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
SFC is currently looking for new external members to join its People Committee and contribute to the oversight and development of its People Strategy. The People Committee is a sub-committee of the SFC Board which provides assurance to the Board that SFC’s executive has undertaken the necessary scrutiny and due diligence for all its People Strategy, Reward, HR Matters and Nominations programmes.
Virtual interviews will take place on 30 July 2026 (via Teams).
Key Responsibilities
As a Non-Executive Member of our People Committee, you will contribute to the high-level oversight of all people aspects of SFC, and your external perspective will bring independent judgement and advice. Successful candidates will draw on their experience to provide constructive challenge through insightful questioning and provide appropriate strategic guidance and HR specialist expertise.
Specifically, external members of the People Committee will be involved in:
- The development and implementation of the SFC People Strategy.
- Overseeing the Transformation Programme which will deliver a redesigned funding body.
- Determining and approving the framework for the remuneration of the Chief Executive Providing guidance and support to the Chief Executive in relation to the process for selecting and appointing Executive Directors.
- Supporting the process for external appointments to Board Committees.
The full standing orders and remit of the People Committee are available
As an external member of the People Committee, you would be expected to make a full contribution to the work of the committee and bring relevant expertise and experience this vital area of work.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
It is important through your CV / Cover Letter that you give evidence of proven experience of each of the following essential criteria:
ESSENTIAL CRITERIA
- Extensive professional experience within executive level HR leadership (including people strategy development, organisational design, organisational development, employee relations, people analytics and reward).
- Senior level experience of one of more branches of business, industry, professional or public sector work.
- Experience of leadership and management in large, diverse and complex institutions;
- Demonstrable experience of people and remuneration.
- Excellent analytical skills and the ability to interrogate and interpret complex information and participate fully in Committee deliberations.
- Effective interpersonal and communication skills, demonstrating an ability to work collaboratively, identify key issues and reach balanced conclusions.
At least one of these:
- Knowledge or experience of the tertiary education sector.
- An understanding of the role of the further and higher education sectors to provide high-quality teaching and research and to provide economic, social and cultural value to society.
- Strong knowledge of employment law.
- Demonstrable commitment to inclusion, equality and diversity in the workplace.
- Proven ability to work effectively within the public sector requirements for accountability and openness and within financial constraints.
Additional Information
This is an unremunerated role (travel and expenses incurred through the attendance of meetings will be reimbursed) and offers a unique opportunity to work with dedicated and expert colleagues supporting the vital work of our Board. The People Committee meets four times a year and the committee meetings are a mix of in person and virtual.
Committee meetings planned for 2026 are due to take place on the following dates:
Wednesday 16 September 2026 (In Person in Edinburgh)
Wednesday 11 November 2026 (Virtual via Teams).
External committee members would be required to comply with
Further information about the committee and its current members can be found on .
Vacancies close 6 July 2026
Applications shortlisted 9 July 2026
Interviews to take place 30 July 2026 (via Teams)
Induction with SFC Officers and People Chair to take place weeks commencing 24 and 31 August
Successful candidates attend first People Committee meeting Wednesday 16 September 2026 (In person in Edinburgh).
We are the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council, more commonly known as the Scottish Funding Council (SFC).
We are Scotland’s tertiary education and research authority and our purpose is to sustain a world-leading system of tertiary education, research and innovation that enables students to flourish, changes lives for the better, and supports social, economic and environmental wellbeing and prosperity.
We do this by investing around £2 billion of public money to deliver:
- Tertiary learning and teaching.
- Skills and apprenticeships.
- Student support and participation.
- Research, innovation and knowledge exchange.
- Data collection and dissemination.
- National quality assurance and enhancement processes.
- Capital and digital infrastructure for the sector.
- Strategic change, responsive provision and research priorities.
As a non-departmental public body established by the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005, we are directly accountable to Scottish Government Ministers and the Scottish Parliament. We work across many government portfolios and are sponsored by the Lifelong Learning Directorate.
We hold colleges, universities and other funded bodies to account for their delivery of required outcomes. We are also the statistical authority for colleges, and work closely with the UK-wide Higher Education Statistical Authority (HESA), to provide data and statistics for government, decision-makers, and the wider public.
We work in partnership with a wide range of partners and bodies, including those we fund, across all aspects of our remit.
General information for applicants for SFC roles
You must already be eligible to work in the UK to apply for these roles. SFC do not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skills Worker License and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.
We are pleased to support applications from everyone regardless of age, disability, race and ethnicity, socio-economic background, gender, sexual orientation, sex, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief, as well as those who have skills in Scottish Gaelic or British Sign Language, who have the right skills for the job.
We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and actively encourage interviews through the scheme.
Further information about SFC is available on our website . Additional information about our recruitment process can be found at (sfc.ac.uk).
