Information Request Team Manager

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 and Communications Team covers three different areas as follows:

Executive and Governance Support

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

Corporate Planning, Governance and Statutory Responsibilities

We provide expertise on our corporate responsibilities as an executive agency, and work with colleagues across SF to deliver these and be compliant. We support our governance structure and manage the corporate planning and associated processes. We provide information and advice on Data Protection and lead on Open Information requests. We oversee the organisation’s approach to risk management.

The Information Request Team plays a critical role in ensuring Scottish Forestry meets its statutory obligations relating to openness, transparency and information governance.

External and Corporate Communications

The External and 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 forestry matters to Scotland. Our team is also key to supporting Scottish Government Ministers convey the importance of forestry across a range of communication channels. We 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
This is a senior, specialist leadership role with statutory accountability.

The Information Request Team Manager is responsible for leading Scottish Forestry’s compliance with Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act (FOISA) and Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) requirements.

The post holder will provide authoritative advice, assurance and leadership on open information matters, manage complex and sensitive casework, and oversee a high‑performing team delivering large volumes of FOI, EIR, review and appeal cases - many of which are precedent‑setting, high‑risk or legally complex.

The role requires a high degree of autonomy, expert judgement and influence, with regular engagement at senior management and Executive Board level, and external engagement with the Scottish Government FOI Unit, legal advisers and the Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner (OSIC). This role carries delegated authority for organisational compliance with FOI and EIR legislation and requires the post holder to exercise significant professional judgement, autonomy and influence at a senior level.

Main Duties

The successful candidate will perform a wide range of duties including, but not limited to, those listed below:

1. FOI lead for Scottish Forestry

• Provide expert leadership and assurance on compliance with FOISA, EIR and associated Codes of Practice
• Advise the Executive Board and senior leaders on legal compliance, risk, precedent and emerging issues
• Lead organisational preparedness for legislative reform, Commissioner guidance and proactive publication duties
• Represent Scottish Forestry as the authoritative voice on FOI and open information matters

2. Leadership of FOI / EIR Casework

• Provide strategic oversight and expert input into complex, sensitive, high‑profile and precedent‑setting FOI and EIR cases
• Lead casework triage and decision‑making on approach, exemptions/exceptions and public interest tests
• Oversee the quality assurance of responses, ensuring they are legally robust, defensible and timely
• Manage review, appeal and OSIC casework, including legally binding decisions with strict compliance deadlines
• Act as the primary point of contact with the Scottish Government FOI Unit, OSIC and legal advisers

3. Line Management and Workforce Leadership

• Line manage a team of FOI / EIR case officers (PB5), including performance management, capability development and wellbeing
• Lead change within the team and contribute to wider service improvement initiatives
• Allocate work, monitor delivery against statutory deadlines and manage resource pressures
• Provide expert coaching and support to colleagues handling complex casework

4. Corporate Assurance, Risk and Performance

• Lead the development, monitoring and reporting of FOI/EIR performance metrics and KPIs
• Provide senior assurance on service quality, risks and compliance trends
• Identify lessons learned from adverse decisions, complaints and appeals and drive continuous improvement
• Contribute to organisational risk management and governance processes

5. Organisational Capability and Continuous Improvement

• Design and deliver training and guidance to staff across Scottish Forestry on FOI and EIR casework
• Promote best practice and consistent standards across the organisation
• Work closely with Information Management colleagues to improve records quality and accessibility
• Explore and implement service improvements, including the use of digital tools

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:

1. In‑depth expert knowledge of FOI, EIR, data protection and information governance legislation and best practice
2. Experience of leading and overseeing complex, sensitive and precedent‑setting cases requiring sound professional judgement
3. Proven line management experience, including leading high‑performing teams under pressure
4. Ability to communicate complex legal and technical issues clearly to senior leaders and non‑specialists
5. Strong decision‑making skills, with the confidence to provide independent professional advice and assurance
6. Experience of driving service improvement, using data, lessons learned and regulatory feedback to strengthen organisational performance

Experience – Desirable:

1. Experience working within the public sector, ideally in a corporate or central governance function
2. Experience of direct engagement with the Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner, legal advisers or central government FOI units
3. Experience engaging with senior or board‑level stakeholders
4. Experience of designing and delivering training or capability‑building initiatives
5. Experience using case management systems, KPI reporting tools or redaction software
6. Experience in producing analytical reports and using data to inform organisational decisions

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. You may find this candidate guide useful to refer to.

Behaviour 1 and Lead Criteria: Managing a quality service – Level 3
Behaviour 2: Making effective decisions – Level 3
Behaviour 3: Working together - Level 3
Behaviour 4: Delivering at pace – Level 3

Strengths

You will not be assessed against this at application stage. However, this will be assessed if you are successful for interview.

Travel

As this role involves working with colleagues across Scotland, there may be some travel involved which may include overnight stays away from home.

What we offer you

If successful, you will be entitled to a wide range of benefits, the detail of which can be found here.

Additional information

We believe it’s important to create an inclusive and supportive work culture, and we welcome applications from everyone, regardless of background.

It’s important you complete the entire application form (where relevant) in sufficient detail – this will give you the best chance of being invited for interview and/or assessment. Where a vacancy attracts a higher number of applications, only ‘Behaviour 1 - lead criteria’ will be assessed at sift stage. However, it is still important that you complete the entire application form in sufficient detail, as there is no way of knowing that a vacancy will have a high number of applications.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £45,711, Scottish Forestry contributes £13,242 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).

• 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 on the selection process, please see Success profiles for candidates , Scottish Forestry.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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