Portfolio Analyst (3167)

Job summary

Are you interested in having a positive effect on the lives of Scottish citizens whilst dealing with some high profile but rewarding challenges? Social Security Scotland’s Portfolio Management Office are looking for a Portfolio Analyst to support with the development and ongoing enhancement of the function. This role will play a crucial part in defining and maintaining the portfolio level planning, risk, reporting, benefits management, and governance responsibilities across the overall transformation portfolio within Social Security Scotland.

This is a Fixed Term Appointment Opportunity for a period of 23 months with the possibility of extension or permanency however this cannot be guaranteed and will depend on the needs of the business.

Social Security Scotland, an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government, is undertaking the largest and most complex IT and digital change programme since devolution. With a lifetime budget of over £300m, Social Security Scotland is delivering a social security system that will support the people of Scotland for decades to come.

We aim to develop within Social Security Scotland, a positive and inclusive culture, which supports our people to flourish, by embedding a working environment where we treat each other with dignity and respect, and recognise each other’s contributions.

As Portfolio Analyst, you will support the development of a relatively new Portfolio Office function within Social Security Scotland, in accordance with Management of Portfolios (MoP) and Portfolio, Programme & Project Offices (P3O) principles.

Working directly to, and supported by, the Senior Portfolio Analyst, the Portfolio Analyst will collaborate proactively within the Portfolio Office team to support all P3O functions including planning, risk, change control, measurable improvements (benefits) management, and reporting. Building trusted and credible relationships with critical stakeholders across Social Security Scotland is a key part of this role, as well as ensuring the implementation of best practice and enabling consistency across the portfolio.

This role requires analytical expertise and a high-level of proficiency in working with the standard Microsoft 365 suite (including Excel and SharePoint), to provide high quality portfolio support, ensuring effective assistance in resource planning, risk management, and other portfolio management activities. This will promote positive outcomes, and through proactive communication, facilitate interaction between complimentary projects and teams across the division.

Ideally, you will have experience working within a Portfolio, Programme, or Project Management Office (PMO). It is expected that the Portfolio Analyst will have working knowledge of at least one technical competency of portfolio management.

Job description

• Measurable Improvements (Benefits) Management: Support the Senior Portfolio Analyst in ensuring projects and programmes track their measurable improvements, and tracking these post-delivery.

• Risk Management: Support the Senior Portfolio Analyst in ensuring portfolio risks proposed by colleagues are proportionate, clearly articulated, and have involved all key stakeholders.

• Reporting: Support the Senior Portfolio Analyst in the accurate and timely reporting of collated portfolio updates for senior audiences within Social Security Scotland and across the wider Scottish Government.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Build relationships with all operational areas, delivery, and PMO colleagues, including Social Security Scotland Digital Portfolio Management team, Social Security Programme PMO, and Social Security Programme Risk Team to ensure an integrated plan and clearly articulated risks and issues.

• Management Control: Support the Senior Planning Analyst in ensuring the Portfolio Office can employ management by exception, tracking delivery against plan and escalating as required.

• Resource Management: Support the Senior Planning Analyst in maintaining role/resource profiles and capacity plans to ensure alignment with Programme benefit deliveries and Social Security Scotland projects.

• Planning & Scheduling: Support the Senior Planning Analyst in the development and continuous improvement of Portfolio Planning.

• Continuous Improvement: Supporting the team in the implementation and improvement of portfolio management functions.

• Deputising for the Senior Portfolio Analyst and other colleagues when required.

Person specification

Success Profiles
We use an assessment framework called ‘Success Profiles’ which lists the elements we test and provides detailed descriptions of each. Find out more about how we assess the Success Profile elements.

Essential Experience

1. Experience at working level in ONE of the following as listed in Project delivery competencies - Government Project Delivery:
Planning; Scheduling; Resourcing Management; Risk and Issue Management; Change Control; Benefits Management; Governance; Assurance.

2. Experience of handling project data and communicating complex information to a variety of audiences.

Behaviours

• Changing and improving (Level 3)
• Working together (Level 3)

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours here.

Technical / Professional Skills
You will demonstrate the following skills from Project delivery competencies - Government Project Delivery

• Planning – Level: Awareness
• Scheduling – Level: Awareness
• Stakeholder engagement – Level: Awareness

Benefits

Annual Leave - You will receive 25 days annual leave on joining us. This will increase to 30 days after four full years of service. You will also have 11.5 public and privilege days of leave every year. We also offer Flexi-time. Any extra hours you've worked can be taken as leave when suitable.

A Civil Service Pension - This job comes with a Civil Service pension. New joiners to the Civil Service will join a career average pension scheme as standard. Read more here - www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk.

Healthy work life balance - We can offer the possibility of full-time, part-time, term-time, and job shares. We also encourage flexible working.

Discounts - You can enjoy a vast range of retail, travel and lifestyle discounts through our benefit scheme.

Personal support for you - Our Employee Assistance Programme gives you confidential, independent information and guidance 24/7.

Volunteering special leave - Up to six days paid special leave a year for volunteering. We support our staff to help causes important to them.

Great locations - Our bright and modern offices in the heart of Dundee and Glasgow have been designed with staff in mind. Both locations are ideal for public transport.

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

Sift – By 13th March
Interview – 18/19th &/or 25/26th March – these dates are subject to change
Location – In Person in either Dundee or Glasgow

To apply please submit an application form by clicking on the ‘Apply at Advertisers Site’ button.

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.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 : Resourcing Team
• Email : Recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot
• Telephone : 08001577194

Recruitment team

• Email : Recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot

Further information

https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/working-with-us/help-with-your-application