*Please note this opportunity is now closed to further applications. Should you be interested in similar roles and wish to have an exploratory discussion, please contact Douglas Adam at [email protected].
Continuing our partnership with Skills Development Scotland, Livingston James is supporting in the recruitment of two newly created, business critical roles – Head of Sector Development (Climate) and Head of Sector Development (Digital)
Skills Development Scotland (SDS) is Scotland’s national skills body and contributes to Scotland’s sustainable economic growth by supporting people and businesses to develop and apply their skills. With more than 1,600 colleagues working across the country with businesses, in schools, careers centres and partner locations, we are passionate about skills development and its contribution to a modern, innovative and prosperous Scottish economy.
As Scotland’s national skills agency, we have responsibility to help our country face the global challenges we have seen as a consequence of the COVID pandemic. The Scottish Government has identified both the Digital Technologies & Financial Services and the Climate Emergency & High Value Manufacturing (HVM) sector families as key drivers of Scotland’s post-COVID economic recovery. In response, SDS has created two new and business critical Head of Sector Development roles.
As the Head of Sector Development, you will shape and develop cross-sectoral strategies and interventions to ensure skills planning, investment and delivery are demand led and deeply informed by industry perspectives. You will also oversee the successful delivery of multi-year plans and activities across several stakeholders. Developing and maintaining effective partnerships with key industry leaders to understand their current needs and forecast future skills needs, including horizon scanning activities as appropriate, the successful candidate will also directly influence Scottish Government policy and investment plans, supporting long-term targeted interventions and developing a skills system that delivers the best outcome for the economy.
The successful candidate will bring expert knowledge and understanding of the Climate Emergency or relevant expertise gained within either Digital Technologies or Financial Services, having operated at senior leadership level. Each postholder will also require robust influencing and interpersonal skills to engender a high level of collaborative working and resolve matters where there are differences in terms of view and approach by the various stakeholders.
You will also be able to demonstrate:
- Strong operational management and strategic leadership skills
- Demonstrable experience of developing strategies, turning them into actions and programmes and delivering successful and impactful results
- The ability to evaluate the effectiveness of strategy in operation and identify and implement changes in response to external factors
- Direct experience of, and the ability to operate in a highly politicised environment and work with politicians
- A strong customer focus coupled with the ability to build creative solutions to organisational issues that deliver value for SDS and drive through to implementation
Full role profiles can be accessed below:
SDS – Head of Sector Development (Climate)
SDS – Head of Sector Development (Digital)
Skills Development Scotland is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status or pregnancy and maternity.
