Service Manager - Data Provisioning (2996)

Job summary

Are you an experienced Service Manager with a passion for data and digital innovation? The Data Office at Social Security Scotland is seeking a proactive professional to lead the strategic use of data across the organisation and the wider public sector. If you excel in large-scale agile delivery, have strong data domain knowledge, and can manage diverse teams and contracts, this is an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful impact in shaping social security services through data-driven solutions.

As Service Manager, you will oversee a mixed delivery team comprising internal and contracted resources, responsible for delivering multi-year data pipeline capabilities. You will be accountable for the quality, performance, and outcomes of your service, providing clear end-to-end direction, prioritisation, risk management, and decision-making aligned with departmental goals, policy requirements, and user needs.

You will work closely with operational delivery leaders within the Digital, Data, and Technology (DDaT) community, driving continuous improvement, fostering innovation, and ensuring the delivery of cost-effective, high-quality services. Your strategic vision and expert leadership will support the organisation’s mission to maximise the strategic use of data and deliver tangible benefits to users and stakeholders alike.

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 all treat each other with dignity and respect and recognise each other’s contributions.

DDat Pay Supplement
This post is part of the Scottish Government Digital, Data and Technology (DDAT) profession and as a member of the profession you will join the professional development system. This post currently attracts a £5,000 annual DDAT pay supplement, applicable after a 3 months competency qualifying period. The payment will be backdated to your start date in the role. Pay supplements are reviewed regularly and there is one currently underway. Changes will be communicated when the review is concluded.

Job description

Responsibilities

Leadership and Methodology

• Coach and lead teams in Agile and Lean practices, tailoring approaches to maximise effectiveness.
• Promote innovative working methods to achieve optimal outcomes and build stakeholder consensus.
• Act as a recognised expert, advocating approaches and challenging teams to improve processes and delivery.

Technical and Service Expertise

• Apply advanced knowledge of design, technology, and data principles within the service area.
• Identify and implement solutions for assisted digital and support the required digital, data, and technology (DDaT) roles.
• Demonstrate knowledge of tools, concepts, and phases of product delivery, adapting approaches as needed.

Product and Delivery Management

• Develop, own, and iteratively refine Agile business cases throughout the product lifecycle.
• Determine appropriate deliverables and assign the right people to ensure effective delivery.
• Recognise when to progress or pause initiatives based on experience across the product lifecycle.
• Ensure delivery aligns with industry best practice and continuous improvement.

Stakeholder Engagement and Operational Management

• Collaborate closely with operational delivery leaders in DDaT.
• Build consensus with stakeholders and act as an escalation point for major operational issues.
• Champion operational management and foster cross-team collaboration.

Strategic and User Focus

• Develop a long-term vision and objectives, focusing on what is most relevant and valuable.
• Ensure user needs across multiple channels are met, applying insights into evolving requirements.
• Apply strategic thinking to deliver the best possible service for end users.

Risk and Problem Management

• Anticipate potential issues and mitigate them early, understanding their broader impact.
• Maintain a proactive approach to problem-solving within the wider service context.

Person specification

Success Profiles
We use 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. Proven experience in leading large-scale data and digital projects or programmes, including developing long-term vision and objectives, and translating these into credible business cases aligned with an organisation’s strategic priorities. Skilled in delivering roadmaps and plans on time and within budget through strong leadership and agile decision-making.
2. Extensive experience in leading data teams through all phases of a product lifecycle to deliver large-scale digital projects or programmes that involve complex user requirements, business and technical challenges, and require effective cross-silo collaboration, maximising the opportunities offered by digital technology.

Behaviours

• Seeing the Big Picture (Level 4)
• Leadership (Level 4)

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours here:

Technical / Professional Skills:
This role is aligned to Service Owner in the Digital, Data and Technology Profession.

These skills will be tested during the Technical Assessment if you are successful at sift stage. They will be not be assessed at application stage. Please review the following to understand the skill expectations: Service owner - Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework

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

Expected Timeline (subject to change)
Sift - w/c 19th January
Interview - w/c 2nd February
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