Are you passionate about ensuring the people of Scotland can count on social work services being provided by a trusted, skilled and confident workforce?
We are looking for a passionate and strategic communicator to join the Office of the Chief Social Work Adviser (OCSWA) as Participation and Engagement Manager, working at the centre of the Scottish Government’s efforts to establish the National Social Work Agency (NSWA). The OCSWA provides expert advice on all aspects of social work policy and practice across children’s, adult, and justice services.
The NSWA aims to provide national leadership, direction and support for the social work profession – from education and workforce development to improving practice and raising the status of the profession. Your role will be key to ensuring the workforce and sector partners are fully engaged and involved in this work.
As Participation and Engagement Manager, you will lead the design and delivery of a coordinated communications and engagement strategy focused on social workers and key stakeholders across the sector. Your main objective will be to ensure that the social work workforce has a meaningful voice in shaping the NSWA – creating a shared sense of ownership, trust and ambition in its development.
Responsibilities
* Lead the development of a participation and engagement strategy to ensure the involvement of the social work profession in the NSWA design stage.
* Support OCSWA colleagues with planning and developing engagement and co-design activity across all areas of work to ensure that that all activity in the business plan is underpinned and informed by stakeholder participation and the voice of the sector.
* Support colleagues across OCSWA to ensure that the key outcomes in each workstream within the NSWA are informed by high levels of social worker participation and engagement.
* Engage with our programme management support to ensure that our key deliverables and workstreams are informed by engagement and co-design with the sector.
* Work closely with the NSWA Programme Manager to ensure appropriate governance structures are developed for the NSWA with strong links to social work leadership and stakeholder groups to ensure social work values are at the forefront of the Agency’s objectives and vision.
* Align comms work with the NSWA Programme Manager ensuring that our comms and engagement work supports the Programme Plan for the NSWA, fits with the timescales for the establishment of the NSWA, ongoing policy and analytical activity and the establishment of governance structures for the NSW.
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
* Understanding and experience of working either within local government or a Health and Social Care Partnership with strong understanding of the issues affecting the social work profession.
* Organisational skills with the ability to ensure plans and activities reflect wider strategic priorities of the NSWA.
* Experience in bringing together diverse stakeholder views and needs to gain a broader understanding of the issues surrounding policies and activities within social work including the effective delivery of outcomes.
Behaviours
* Seeing the Big Picture – Level 4.
* Communicating and Influencing – Level 4.
* Leadership – Level 4.
You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours, here
How To Apply
Apply online, providing 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 Profile above.
If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview and presentation.
Assessments are scheduled for w/c 4 August 2025, 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. We offer a range of flexible and hybrid working options depending on the needs of the role. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us.
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.
Apply before: 21 July 2025 (23:59) #J-18808-Ljbffr