Agricultural Officer - Perth (3052)

Job summary

Are you looking for a varied and rewarding role where you can be an integral part of the team that helps to support Scottish farmers and land managers farm in a sustainable way?

RPID teams manage the implementation of agricultural, environmental and rural policies, process applications for funding and provide high quality customer service. An exciting opportunity has arisen for four Agricultural Officers to join the Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Division (RPID) in the Perth area office.

Agricultural Officers perform a key role in the work of the Division and are often a key point of contact for farmers, crofters and the rural community. They undertake a wide variety of duties, many of an outdoor nature, including visits to farms and crofts to carry out inspections. The team also undertake desk-based processing of claims and applications, and engage directly with customers as the primary point of contact for the rural community in the area.

Due to the nature of this role, a considerable amount of driving is involved therefore a valid driving licence that enables the candidate to drive in the UK is mandatory.

Job description

• Conducting site verification of land use and area to meet regulatory requirements.
• Ensuring the accuracy of claims, including capital items purchased to meet regulatory requirements.
• Inspecting for livestock traceability, to meet regulatory requirements.
• Conducting plant health inspections to meet regulatory requirements.
• Engagement with customers to enable them to understand changes to support of Scottish agriculture.

Person specification

Technical / Professional Skills:

• Delivery and decision making at pace – Working Level

Experience

• Previous practical experience of working within UK agricultural or rural sector and the ability to demonstrate an understanding of the wider farming practices in Scotland.
• Demonstrate a knowledge of the schemes and support that RPID have available to help the farming sector, including those which assist the Scottish Government meet its Net Zero target.

Behaviours:

• Communicating and influencing – Level 2
• Working together - Level 2.

Licences

Driving Licence

Qualifications

Driving Licence

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Delivery and decision making at pace – Working Level

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £33,754, Scottish Government contributes £9,778 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements 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, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview and presentation. Assessments are scheduled for w/c 16 February 2026 however this may be subject to change.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Peter Keron
• Email : Peter.Keron@gov.scot

Recruitment team

• Email : scottishgovernmentrecruitment@gov.scot