HR Business Partner

Do you have the skills, experience and ability to lead and influence at a senior level? Do you have a wide knowledge of HR and are looking for a new challenge? Do you hold a CIPD qualification at Chartered Level? If so, then our Human Resources Business Partner role could be a good opportunity for you.

This role forms a critical part of the HR function within Social Security Scotland. Our HR Business Partners operate at a strategic level as part of our business leadership team. 

In this role you will work with the other HR Business Partners to support and influence the senior business management and their teams to drive sustained improvements in all aspects of HR including workforce planning, organisation design, team and individual performance, talent management, inclusion and working practices.

Responsibilities

• Partnering, supporting and providing a consultancy service to senior business leaders in all aspects of people management, including people strategies (linked to corporate people strategy), workforce planning, inclusion, talent, capacity, capability and business performance. 
• Helping management teams to apply HR policies, processes and effective practices. 
• Creating and delivering measurable HR interventions and change programmes. 
• Feeding business insights back into the wider HR function to inform corporate strategy and priorities. 
• Identifying/addressing continuous improvement opportunities.
• Building effective stakeholder relationships within the business, wider HR, and stakeholders (e.g. Trade Unions)

Qualifications
Candidates must hold Chartered Membership of Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD)

Please include CIPD membership number in your CV.

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 the framework here.

For this post, the following Success Profile elements will be assessed:  

Technical / Professional Skills:

1. Organisational development and design (OD&D) 

• Consultancy skills and the ability to create shared inquiry, surface underlying issues, and facilitate group processes to achieve outcomes.
• Able to use a range of OD&D methods and processes to design and shape operating models, systems and structures to meet current and emerging business needs.
   

2. Workforce planning and talent management

• Coach leaders through workforce planning processes to assess future needs, and shape integrated strategies to address short and longer terms gaps and capability.
• Integrates (sources, analyses and presents) wider people data into workforce planning approaches to inform people practices and wider business planning.
• Collaborates with senior leaders and HR colleagues on talent processes and can use talent data to inform workforce planning.
   

3. Employee relations and experience

• Works with leaders to evaluate and improve management practices and behaviours to create a culture of trust and better employee experience
• Understands and coaches senior leaders on how to interpret and apply key HR policies and employment law in a range of situations, managing risk in ways that balances business and employee needs and expectations.
   

4. Business Acumen

• Able to work with leaders to develop a people plan (review, develop insight, align with corporate people strategy, create proposal).
• Understands and can operate within governance structures

Further details can be found in the CIPD Profession Map

Experience

• Building and managing relationships and partnership with colleagues, Trade Union and other stakeholders
   

Behaviours

• Changing and Improving – Level 4
  
  Seek out opportunities to create effective change and suggest innovative ideas for improvement. Review ways of working, including seeking and providing feedback.

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours here.

How to Apply
Please apply online, providing a Supporting Statement (of no more than 1000 words) providing evidence of how you demonstrate the Success Profiles noted 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. 

There will be an initial sift for this campaign. Only candidates who can demonstrate their Chartered Membership of CIPD will be eligible for the full sift process.

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

We aim to provide feedback on request. However, if we receive a large number of applications it may not be possible for us to provide specific feedback on your application. We will provide feedback on request to candidates who attend an interview/assessment. 

Information Session
We are holding a candidate information session to provide you with information about the application and interview process, as well as further information on the role and team.    

The session will be held on: Wednesday 4th March 2026, 12:00 - 13:00

Please join us using the link below;

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/37545306765386?p=aPrj837fPe6FEGNpVn

Expected Timline (subject to change)
Sift – w/c 16th February 2026 
Interview – from 4th March 2026 
Location – In person at Agnes Husband House, Dundee or 220 High Street, Glasgow

Reserve List
In the event that there are more successful candidates than posts available, a reserve list will be kept for up to 12 months.

About Us
Social Security Scotland is an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government. Our benefits help people from all walks of life in Scotland. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles. We are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce that is representative of the clients we serve.  Find more about us here.

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. We embrace a hybrid working style where all colleagues will spend time in either our Glasgow or Dundee offices. There is an expectation of a minimum 2 days per week in your assigned location, which will be either Agnes Husband House, Dundee or 220 High Street, Dundee. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us.

Equality Statement
Social Security Scotland are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.  

Social Security Scotland are a Disability Confident Employer. We will consider and implement any reasonable adjustments you may require throughout the recruitment process and during the course of your employment, should you be successful in securing a post. If you feel you may require assistance with any part of our recruitment process, please contact us at Recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot.

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

Further Information
This role is only available to existing permanent civil servants who have successfully completed their probation period within Social Security Scotland, the broader Scottish Government or Other Government Departments. 

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.

The successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 3 years unless successful in gaining promotion to a higher Band or Grade. 

If you experience any difficulties accessing our website or completing the online application form, please contact the Resourcing Team via recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot.

Apply before: 12th February 2026 at 23:55

Contact Name - Alison Duncan
Contact Email - Alison.Duncan@socialsecurity.gov.scot.