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Social Security Scotland provided pay range
This range is provided by Social Security Scotland. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.
Base pay range
We are currently seeking a talented Lead Application Operations Engineer to join our Applications & Platforms branch, part of the Chief Digital Office, where we are responsible for delivering, supporting, and managing our essential business applications and platforms. You will lead a team of senior engineers, providing support for our critical systems and ensuring optimal performance.
In this key role, you will work closely with internal and external stakeholders, applying your technical expertise and strong problem‑solving skills to resolve complex, high‑priority incidents. You will play a vital part in maintaining application availability and reliability through effective monitoring, maintenance, and configuration oversight.
We are seeking experienced IT leaders with a broad technical background in supporting infrastructure, cloud, and enterprise systems. The ideal candidate will be adept at navigating complex digital environments and communicating effectively with stakeholders at all levels, both technical and non‑technical. Please note, this position is not within a DevOps capacity. If you’re ready to lead in a fast‑paced, evolving environment, we want to hear from you.
Social Security Scotland, an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government, delivers 17 major benefits, reaching around 2 million people across Scotland. With an annual benefit budget of £6.7 billion for 2025–26, Social Security Scotland plays a central role in supporting low‑income and disabled individuals, carers, and families, while contributing to the Scottish Government’s statutory child poverty targets. Our Charter affirms the agency’s values and commitments, ensuring that clients are treated with dignity, fairness and respect, and that their feedback informs service enhancements.
Social Security Scotland embeds a positive and inclusive organisational culture. This focuses on employee wellbeing, diversity and inclusion, professional development, and performance improvement. The agency recognises that its workforce is key to delivering high‑quality public services and is committed to creating an environment where staff are empowered to grow and contribute meaningfully.
A lead application operations engineer defines the application strategy and the strategy for security administration.
At This Role Level, You Will
* liaise with leads within IT operations on how applications are performing and changes that need to be put in place
* potentially manage and maintain certain aspects of an application (depending on the complexity and size of a project, and the likely impact it will have on the business)
Responsibilities
* Manage service components to ensure they meet business needs and performance targets
* Lead the investigation and resolution of complex incidents
* Take accountability for issues that occur and be proactive in searching for potential problems
* Initiate and monitor actions to investigate patterns and trends to resolve problems
* Effectively consult specialists where required
* Determine the appropriate remedy and assist with its implementation
* Determine preventative measures
* Take inputs and establish coherent frameworks that work
* Demonstrate knowledge of the life cycle or capability elements of ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library)
* Draft and maintain procedures and documentation
* Understand the core technical concepts related to the role, and apply them with guidance
* Identify process improvements and contribute to the definition of best practice
* Offer recommendations on the best tools and methods to use
Success Profiles
We use an assessment framework called ‘Success Profiles’ which lists the elements we test and provides detailed descriptions of each. Find out more about how we assess the Success Profile elements
Essential Experience
* Demonstrable experience leading teams in managing and supporting a diverse portfolio of business‑critical applications, with a proven track record of leading multi‑disciplinary teams through complex incident investigations and resolution.
* Proven ability to drive continuous service improvement by challenging established practices with evidence‑based strategies, including delivering large‑scale projects in line with methodologies such as ITIL, Prince 2, or Agile.
* Demonstrable ability to provide advanced technical support and act as an escalation point for complex issues, with hands‑on experience in diagnosis and resolving problems across multiple platforms (e.g. Windows, Linux, networking, AWS Public Cloud services)
Behaviours
* Leadership (Level 4)
* Communicating and Influencing (Level 4)
Technical / Professional Skills
This role is aligned to Lead application operations engineer within the Digital, Data and Technology Profession.
These skills will be tested during the Technical Assessment if you are successful at sift stage. They will be not be assessed at application stage. Please review the following to understand the skill expectations: Application operations engineer - Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework
How To Apply
Apply online, you must provide a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 1000 words) which provides evidence of how you meet the experience and behaviours listed in the Success Profiles above. Be sure to provide specific examples of work that you’ve done that showcase your relevant experience.
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
Expected Timeline (subject to change)
Sift – w/c 12th January 2026
Interview – w/c 26th January 2026
Location – In Person in either Dundee or Glasgow
Reserve List
In the event that there are more successful candidates than posts available, a reserve list will be kept for up to 12 months.
About Us
Social Security Scotland is an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government. Our benefits help people from all walks of life in Scotland. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles. We are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce that is representative of the clients we serve. Find more about us here.
We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer.
As part of the UK Civil Service, we uphold the Civil Service Nationality Rules.
DDaT Pay Supplement
This post is part of the Scottish Government Digital, Data and Technology (DDAT) profession and as a member of the profession you will join the professional development system. This post currently attracts a £5,000 annual DDAT pay supplement, applicable after a 3 months competency qualifying period. The payment will be backdated to your start date in the role. Pay supplements are reviewed regularly and there is one currently underway. Changes will be communicated when the review is concluded.
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. We embrace a hybrid working style where all colleagues will spend time in either our Glasgow or Dundee offices. There is an expectation of a minimum 2 days per week in your assigned location, which will be either Glasgow or Dundee. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us.
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
Social Security Scotland are committed to equality and inclusion, and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.
Social Security Scotland are a Disability Confident Employer. We will consider and implement any reasonable adjustments you may require throughout the recruitment process and during the course of your employment, should you be successful in securing a post. If you feel you may require assistance with any part of our recruitment process, please contact us at Recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot.
Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them.
Right to Work in the UK
Social Security Scotland is an approved sponsor under the UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker route. Please note that UK immigration guidance, including skill and salary thresholds and eligible occupations, is reviewed regularly and subject to change. If you require visa sponsorship, you should check the latest criteria to confirm whether this role meets current requirements before applying. You can find further advice on Gov.UK - Skilled Worker visa: Overview - GOV.UK
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.
The successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 3 years unless successful in gaining promotion to a higher Band or Grade.
Social Security Scotland’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the recruitment principles of the Civil Service Commissioner, which outline that selection for appointment be made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition - Recruitment - Civil Service Commissioner (independent.gov.uk)
If you feel at any time your application has not been treated in accordance with the values in the Civil Service Code and/or if you feel the recruitment has been conducted in such a way that conflicts with the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, you can make a complaint, by contacting Social Security Scotland at recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commissioner.
If you experience any difficulties accessing our website or completing the online application form, please contact the Resourcing Team via recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot
Apply before 23:55 on 7th January 2026.
Contact Name- Resourcing Team
Contact email – Recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot
Seniority level
Mid‑Senior level
Employment type
Full‑time
Job function
Engineering and Information Technology
Government Administration
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