If you are a strong communicator with excellent attention to detail and are looking to develop your career while supporting key Scottish Government priorities, this could be the ideal role for you?
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Tiree area office of the Rural Payments and Inspections Division (RPID) as part of our Customer Service Delivery team where you will play an important part in helping deliver high-quality services to crofters and rural communities across Scotland.
As the Grants and Loan Collection Officer, you willl gain hands-on experience assisting with the assessment and processing of applications and claims under the RPID administered Croft House Grant scheme, as well as other duties in relation to legacy housing loans, and rental collection on the Scottish Ministers Crofting Estates.
We work with a diverse range of crofters throughout the crofting counties of Scotland and strive to deliver excellent customer service to customers on a daily basis, you will therefore have the opportunity to develop your existing communication and customer service skills with both colleagues and customers.
Throughout your first 12 months, you will work towards a Level 2 SVQ in Business Administration. You will be supported by an internal assessor, who will work with you on a monthly basis to help you succeed.
Responsibilities
* Receipting, data capture, assessment and authorisations of applications and claims under the Croft House Grant (CHG) scheme.
* Delivering the administration of the legacy Crofters Building Grant and Loan Scheme (CBGLS) Loan Collection process. This includes creating records, calculating payments, issuing invoices and dealing with enquiries on outstanding debt.
* Create and issue rental and other invoices for Scottish Ministers crofting estates, and investigate and resolve suspected breaches of duties by tenants on the Scottish Ministers crofting estates.
* Deal with telephone and written enquiries from both internal and external customers including assisting with loan/rental/crofter duties and CHG enquiries.
* Use Rural Payments and Services and other IT systems to make assessments of information submitted relating to CHG applicants and their applications, as well as crofting estates enquiries and loan collection enquiries.
* General administrative duties, including filing, acknowledgement and onward processing of mail, compilation of eRDM files and maintaining spreadsheet information.
Success profile
Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills, experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on.
Experience
* Knowledge and understanding of Microsoft (Outlook, Excel and Word).
Behaviours
* Communicating and influencing – 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 and short in-tray exercise.
If you would like some guidance or assistance on the application process, please get in touch with Ross Dunsmore or Mary Paton on 0300 244 9340.
Assessments are scheduled for w/c 26 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.
As part of the UK Civil Service, we uphold the Civil Service Nationality Rules.
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.
The Tiree office follows The Scottish Government’s Hybrid Working Policy. However, due to the nature of the role, certain duties cannot be carried out from home and you may be required to attend the office more frequently.
For the period of employment, or until you are fully trained, the expectation is for successful applicants to work 100% of the time in the Tiree office.
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.