Estates Clerk of Works

Job summary

The Estates Clerk of Works role offers a unique opportunity to join the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), supporting a property portfolio that underpins Scotland's justice system. This is a varied, hands-on position where you'll use your construction expertise to provide quality assurance, technical oversight, and independent scrutiny of maintenance, refurbishment and capital works projects across the estate.

This is a highly mobile role requiring extensive travel throughout Scotland, making it ideal for someone who enjoys working across multiple sites and building strong relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders. If you're an experienced construction professional who takes pride in high standards, attention to detail, and achieving value for money, this role will give you the autonomy to make a real impact. You'll work closely with contractors, project teams and stakeholders, helping to ensure that estates projects are delivered safely, efficiently and to the highest quality standards.

In return, you'll benefit from professional development opportunities and the chance to contribute to an organisation that plays a critical role in keeping Scotland safe. If you're looking for a rewarding role that combines technical expertise, site-based activity and meaningful public service, we’d love to hear from you.

Job description

General Responsibilities

• Support the delivery of the Estates Strategy through effective quality assurance, project oversight, and contract scrutiny.
• Work collaboratively with Estates, Health & Safety, Business Support Services, Facilities Management providers, and external partners to ensure high-quality service delivery across the estate.
• Promote value for money by providing financial scrutiny and challenging costs, quotations, and contractor proposals where appropriate.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders, contractors, landlords, local authorities, and internal teams.
• Ensure compliance with relevant legislation, organisational policies, contractual requirements, and quality standards.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of estates management processes, contractor performance, and quality assurance arrangements.
• Provide professional advice and guidance on estates maintenance, facilities management activities, and project delivery.
• Support the achievement of organisational objectives through proactive monitoring, reporting, and assurance activities.
• Undertake regular site visits and inspections across the estate to assess standards, identify issues, and monitor progress.
• Maintain accurate records, reports, and documentation relating to inspections, projects, audits, and contractor performance.

Role-Specific Activities and Duties

Quality Assurance and Compliance

• Undertake quality inspections of maintenance works and estates projects to ensure completion in accordance with agreed specifications, statutory requirements, and contractual standards.
• Provide formal quality assurance sign-off for completed estates projects prior to project closure and financial approval.
• Work collaboratively with the Health and Safety Manager to verify that actions arising from risk assessments have been appropriately completed and provide quality assurance sign-off where required.
• Monitor the quality and effectiveness of reactive and planned maintenance activities undertaken across the estate.
• Support Office Services Managers in scrutinising contractor performance and the quality of works delivered within their respective offices.

Contract Monitoring and Financial Scrutiny

• Monitor and review works ordered through the Facilities Management Contractor application/system.
• Assess quotations, variations, and costs submitted by contractors, challenging where necessary to ensure value for money and appropriate use of resources.
• Verify that completed works meet agreed standards before invoices are authorised for payment.
• Identify and report recurring issues, patterns of poor performance, or opportunities for contract improvement.

Estates Project Support

• Work collaboratively with Estates Managers to support the planning, delivery, and completion of estates projects.
• Attend and actively participate in project pre-start, progress, and completion meetings.
• Provide quality-focused support to Estates Project Managers, ensuring projects deliver outcomes that meet agreed requirements and organisational standards.
• Monitor project progress, highlighting risks, issues, or quality concerns and recommending corrective action where required.
• Support the delivery of office relocation programmes, refurbishment projects, and capital works identified within the Estates Strategy.

Operational Estate Support

• Work alongside Office Services Managers across Sheriffdoms to resolve reactive maintenance issues and support the completion of planned works.
• Carry out minor maintenance and repair tasks identified during inspections where appropriate.
• Conduct routine inspections of buildings and facilities, identifying maintenance requirements and opportunities for improvement.
• Ensure maintenance activities contribute to safe, compliant, and effective working environments.

Stakeholder and Supplier Management

• Build effective working relationships with the Facilities Management Contractor to establish and maintain clear quality expectations and performance standards.
• Liaise with the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service's primary landlord and other property stakeholders regarding maintenance, project, and accommodation requirements.
• Engage with local authorities and other external organisations as required to support office relocations, refurbishments, and estate development projects.
• Act as a key point of contact for quality assurance matters relating to estates and facilities management activities.

Strategic Contribution

• Support the implementation of the Estates Strategy, including office relocations, property refurbishment programmes, and works arising from condition survey reports.
• Contribute to the development of quality assurance frameworks, inspection regimes, and contract monitoring processes.
• Support the establishment of expected standards under the Hard Services FM Contract and assist stakeholders in monitoring compliance against those standards.
• Provide reports, recommendations, and performance information to assist management decision-making and strategic planning.

Please note that the above is not an exhaustive list and further responsibilities may be required of the role.

Person specification

The successful candidate will hold a recognised construction trade qualification and have experience of quality assurance, inspection, or compliance activities within the construction industry. They will possess a strong understanding of construction standards, workmanship requirements, and health and safety practices, with the ability to assess completed works, identify defects, and ensure projects meet agreed quality standards. The postholder will be able to work effectively with contractors and stakeholders, providing constructive challenge and ensuring value for money. A health and safety qualification, CSCS Card, and Level 2 Diploma in Site Inspection (or equivalent) are desirable; however, candidates who do not currently hold these qualifications must be willing to work towards obtaining them within an agreed timeframe, which COPFS will support them to do so.

Qualifications

•Significant experience working within the construction industry, supported by a recognised construction trade qualification.
•Proven experience of carrying out quality inspections of construction, maintenance, refurbishment, or building works.
•Demonstrable examples of experience inspecting completed works and assessing compliance with specifications, quality standards, and industry best practice.
•Experience of identifying defects, poor workmanship, or non-compliance and taking appropriate action to achieve the required standards.

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

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

• City and Guilds or equivalent recognised construction trade certification

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,789, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service contributes £11,526 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

We offer an excellent range of benefits which include:

• 25 days paid holiday + 11.5 public and privilege holidays (rising to 30 days paid holiday after 2 years).
• Generous Civil Service Pension employer contribution, on average over 28.97% of your pay
• Flexible working hours and family friendly approach to work.
• Cycle to Work Scheme and Season Ticket Loans.
• Employee Wellbeing Support with Mental Health First Aiders and access to an Employee Assistance Programme.

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.Selection will be Success Profiles based. More information can be found in the Application Pack.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo an enhanced (or equivalent) 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 : Robert Green
• Email : Robert.Green@copfs.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@copfs.gov.uk

Attachments

Band D Estates Clerk of Works - Application pack Opens in new window (pdf, 282kB)