Pay/Pensions Services Manager

Are you a confident and skilled people manager with the ability to handle the demands of a significant operation day to day? 

The HR Shared Service Centre is a busy operational environment located within People Directorate. We are responsible for ensuring salary and pension changes are processed accurately and timeously to approx. 20,000 staff. These staff include Scottish Government and other public bodies. 

Work in this area is structured around meeting key monthly deadlines and delivering a high level of customer service. To facilitate those demands you will need to work flexibly to meet business needs. 

Responsibilities

• Work with other Managers you will lead operational teams in ensuring all payments are made through payroll including compliance with legislation; making all contractual and statutory payments; and working with internal stakeholders including Finance as well as external bodies. 
• Work with Heads of Services to ensure Key Controls are met for teams. 
• Provide direction and support across operational teams. 
• Manage people and resources within your area to meet customer demand to ensure we deliver Customer service. 
• Work collaboratively with other Pay/Pensions Services Managers to share resource across priority areas to meet demands. 
• Support delivery of all KPI’s and performance metrics. 
• Be an effective member of the HR Service Centre supporting change and improvement initiatives and contributing to the successful delivery of service centre activities.  
• Work collaboratively with your peers to improve systems and processes to be more responsive to our customer needs and our statutory responsibilities. 
• Be an inspirational leader and empower others to work collaboratively with a positive and enthusiastic approach. 

Success Profile

Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills, experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on.

Experience:

• Experience working in an HR or Operational Environment.
• Demonstrate good management and leadership skills across teams.
• Digital proficiency and an ability to source, analyse and use data to provide advice and solutions.

Behaviours:

• Communicating and Influencing - Level 3.
• Making Effective Decisions - Level 3.
• Delivering at Pace – Level 3.
• Managing a quality service – Level 3.

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours here

How to apply

Apply online, providing a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 1000 words) which provides evidence of how you meet the experience and behaviours listed in the Success Profile above.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application but all statements and examples 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, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. 

Please see our candidate guidance for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment.

If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview and presentation.

Assessments are scheduled for w/c 8 September 2025 however this may be subject to change.

About us

The Scottish Government is the devolved government for Scotland. We have responsibility for a wide range of key policy areas including: education, health, the economy, justice, housing and transport. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles.

 

Our staff are part of the UK Civil Service, working for Ministers and senior stakeholders to deliver vital public services which improve the lives of the people of Scotland.

 

We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer.

 

As part of the UK Civil Service, we uphold the Civil Service Nationality Rules.

 

Working pattern

Our standard hours are 35 hours per week and we offer a range of flexible working options depending on the needs of the role. From October 2025, the Scottish Government will require staff in hybrid-compatible roles to work in-person 40% of the time, either in an office or other agreed work location. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us.

 

Security checks

Successful candidates must complete the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), before they can be appointed. BPSS is comprised of four main pre-employment checks – Identity, Right to work, Employment History and a Criminal Record check (unspent convictions).

 

You can find out more about BPSS on the UK Government website, or read about the different levels of security checks in our Candidate Guide. 

 

Equality statement

We are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation. 

 

Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them.

 

Further information

Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers Website.

 

Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.

 

Apply before 23:59 on 29 August 2025.  

 

This post is open to internal candidates and Common Citizenship Organisations only.