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Principal Operations Manager
About the job
This newly created post will sit within ESS’ Corporate Services and Communications Team (CSC) and will provide support to all levels of the organisation including the CEO and Board.
Job description
The CSC team (nine people) has a wide range of responsibilities including: finance; human resources (HR); payroll, procurement; governance; information technology and security; communications; and legal provision.
This role requires significant experience across multiple areas of operational delivery, alongside strong leadership and stakeholder engagement skills and an excellent understanding of risk management.
It is critical to the success of this wide-ranging post that the postholder can work proactively with colleagues and third-party service providers, be creative, take the initiative and problem solve.
Application
Further information on the job role and interview process can be found here.
Applications should be submitted through Civil Service Jobs: Principal Operations Manager – Civil Service Jobs – GOV.UK
Applications should be submitted before 11:55pm on Sunday 19th April 2026
Principal Scrutiny Officer (two positions)
About the job
ESS’ role is expanding to take on two new roles:
- scrutinising the Scottish Government’s delivery against the new statutory biodiversity and nature restoration targets which will be set under the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026
- scrutinising local authorities’ reporting against climate change duties as set out in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009
To deliver these duties and to manage this significant organisational change, ESS will be recruiting new posts over the next twelve months to establish a new team within the organisation to lead the development of work to deliver these two new roles.
We are recruiting for two team leader roles within our newly created New Scrutiny Duties Development Department:
- Principal Scrutiny Officer (Climate Change Reporting)
- Principal Scrutiny Officer (Nature Recovery)
Job description
Together, working to the Head of New Scrutiny Duties Development, these post holders will play a crucial part in how we will plan, prioritise and deliver our new areas of work:
- scrutinising local authorities’ reporting against climate change duties as set out in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009
- scrutinising the Scottish Government’s delivery against the new statutory biodiversity and nature restoration targets which will be set under the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026
The Principal Scrutiny Officer (Climate Change Reporting) will lead the development of processes to enable ESS to scrutinise local authorities’ reporting against climate change duties. This will include building and supporting a new team of five who will carry out this work and engaging with ESS’ wider stakeholders.
The Principal Scrutiny Officer (Nature Recovery) will lead the establishment of the processes required to scrutinise the Scottish Government’s delivery against the new statutory biodiversity and nature restoration targets. This will include building and supporting a new team of four (including staff with scientific, policy and data expertise) who will carry out this work and engaging with ESS’ wider stakeholders.
Application
Further information on the job role and interview process can be found here.
Applications should be submitted through Civil Service Jobs: Principal Scrutiny Officer – Civil Service Jobs – GOV.UK
Applications should be submitted before 11:55pm on Monday 4th of May 2026