Information Request Co-ordinator

Job summary

About the team

Scottish Forestry is the Scottish Government agency responsible for forestry policy, support and regulations, grants incentives, technical forestry advice and new cross border arrangements. Scotland has 1.4m hectares of forests that we regulate, support and promote. We also lead on the delivery of woodland creation targets. Our staff are split between our National Office functions and five Conservancy offices that lead the local delivery of our functions.

The Scottish Forestry Corporate Affairs Team covers three different areas as follows:

Secretariat and Governance Support

We work closely with Private Offices, Directorate support and colleagues in Scottish Forestry to coordinate, allocate and monitor Scottish Forestry’s corporate work. We provide coordination for Ministerial contact and liaise with departments across Scottish Government. We provide PA support to the CEO, as well as administration support for events as required.

Corporate Planning, Governance and Responsibilities

We provide expertise on our corporate responsibilities as an executive agency, and work with colleagues across Scottish Forestry to deliver these and be compliant. We support our governance structure and manage the corporate planning infrastructure and processes. We provide information and advice on Data Protection and Open Information, working towards full compliance. We oversee the organisation’s approach to risk management.

Media and Corporate Communications

The Scottish Forestry Media Corporate Communications team is responsible for engaging and inspiring our people, customers, partners and stakeholders to connect with who we are, what we do, and why it matters to Scotland. Our team look after key areas including media relations, internal communications, brand, management of corporate publications and the Scottish Forestry website.

Job description

What you will do

The Information Request Co-ordinator supports the delivery of Freedom of Information (FOI) and Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) casework across Scottish Forestry. The role focuses on managing requests from end to end in line with statutory requirements, established procedures and best practice.

The post holder will liaise with colleagues across the organisation to gather, review and prepare information for disclosure, draft responses for review, and ensure cases are progressed accurately and within statutory deadlines. The role also provides support in coordinating responses to Ministerial and public correspondence.

This is an operational, delivery role requiring strong attention to detail, good judgement, and the ability to manage a varied caseload while working collaboratively with others.

Main Duties

The post holder will undertake a range of duties, including:

FOI / EIR Case Handling

• Manage FOI and EIR requests from receipt to response, using MiCase and internal trackers
• Liaise with colleagues across Scottish Forestry to gather relevant information within agreed timescales
• Review information provided and assess whether it falls within the scope of requests
• Draft clear, accurate responses for review by the Information Request Team Manager
• Undertake redaction of personal, sensitive or commercially confidential information in accordance with FOI/EIR legislation, GDPR and relevant guidance
• Apply established exemptions and exceptions, escalating complex or novel issues where appropriate

Correspondence Support

• Support the coordination of responses to Ministerial correspondence and correspondence from the public
• Review draft responses for clarity and compliance with relevant legislation and guidance
• Escalate complex, sensitive or high‑risk issues to the Information Request Team Manager

Quality, Improvement and Team Support

• Maintain accurate and up‑to‑date case records to support audit, reporting and assurance
• Contribute to team performance through meeting deadlines and supporting delivery of agreed metrics and KPIs
• Participate in lessons learned activities, and suggest improvements to processes and ways of working
• Work with Information Management Support Officers to improve records management practices
• Provide cover and support within the Corporate Affairs Team during busy periods or absences, as required

Person specification

Success Profile

The Success Profile below set outs the essential and desirable elements that make up the vacant position - you’ll be expected to demonstrate these elements in your application and/or during your interview and/or assessment.

Experience – Essential:

• Demonstrable experience handling FOI and/or EIR requests in line with statutory requirements, including applying exemptions or exceptions and applying redactions.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise and manage a challenging workload.
• Awareness of records management, data protection, information governance and information security.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present information clearly and accurately.
• Strong IT skills, particularly in the use of Microsoft applications and digital case management tools.

Experience – Desirable:

• Experience supporting responses to Ministerial or public correspondence.
• Experience working within a public sector corporate or policy environment.
• Experience using case management systems.

Behaviours

On the application form you’ll find four free text boxes to provide your behaviour responses. Please note, you’re only required to provide evidence against the below behaviours on your application. This means that if less than four behaviours are noted, you can leave the relevant free text(s) box blank on your application.

Behaviour 1 and Lead Criteria: Delivering at Pace
Behaviour 2: Communicating and influencing
ehaviour 3: Changing and improving

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £36,987, Scottish Forestry contributes £10,715 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

For more information, please see our careers page: Jobs , Scottish Forestry

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.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

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

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).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 : sfrecruitment@forestry.gov.scot
• Email : sfrecruitment@forestry.gov.scot

Recruitment team

• Email : sfrecruitment@forestry.gov.scot