Scottish Forestry
Information Request Team Manager
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Scotland
Job Summary
About the Team
Scottish Forestry is the Scottish Government agency responsible for forestry policy, support, and regulations, grants incentives, technical forestry advice, and new cross-border arrangements. Scotland has 1.4 million hectares of forests that we regulate, support, and promote. We also lead on the delivery of woodland creation targets. Our staff are split between our National Office functions and five Conservancy offices that lead the local delivery of our functions.
The Scottish Forestry Corporate Affairs and Communications Team
The team covers three different areas:
Executive and Governance Support
- We work closely with Private Offices, Director General, Directorate support, and colleagues in Scottish Forestry to coordinate, allocate, and monitor Scottish Forestry’s corporate work.
- We provide coordination for Ministerial and government commissions, contact, and liaise with departments across the Scottish Government.
- We provide PA support to the CEO, as well as administration support for key meetings and events as required.
Corporate Planning, Governance, and Statutory Responsibilities
- We provide expertise on our corporate responsibilities as an executive agency, and work with colleagues across SF to deliver these and be compliant.
- We support our governance structure and manage the corporate planning and associated processes.
- We provide information and advice on Data Protection and lead on Open Information requests.
- We oversee the organization’s approach to risk management.
- The Information Request Team plays a critical role in ensuring Scottish Forestry meets its statutory obligations relating to openness, transparency, and information governance.
External and Corporate Communications
- The External and Corporate Communications team is responsible for engaging and inspiring our people, customers, partners, and stakeholders to connect with who we are, what we do, and why forestry matters to Scotland.
- Our team is also key to supporting Scottish Government Ministers convey the importance of forestry across a range of communication channels.
- We look after key areas including media relations, internal communications, brand, management of corporate publications, and the Scottish Forestry website.
Job Description
What You Will Do
This is a senior, specialist leadership role with statutory accountability.
The Information Request Team Manager is responsible for leading Scottish Forestry’s compliance with Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act (FOISA) and Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) requirements.
The post holder will provide authoritative advice, assurance, and leadership on open information matters, manage complex and sensitive casework, and oversee a high-performing team delivering large volumes of FOI, EIR, review, and appeal cases - many of which are precedent-setting, high-risk, or legally complex.
The role requires a high degree of autonomy, expert judgment, and influence, with regular engagement at senior management and Executive Board level, and external engagement with the Scottish Government FOI Unit, legal advisers, and the Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner (OSIC). This role carries delegated authority for organizational compliance with FOI and EIR legislation and requires the post holder to exercise significant professional judgment, autonomy, and influence at a senior level.
Main Duties
The successful candidate will perform a wide range of duties including, but not limited to, those listed below:
FOI Lead for Scottish Forestry
- Provide expert leadership and assurance on compliance with FOISA, EIR, and associated Codes of Practice
- Advise the Executive Board and senior leaders on legal compliance, risk, precedent, and emerging issues
- Lead organizational preparedness for legislative reform, Commissioner guidance, and proactive publication duties
- Represent Scottish Forestry as the authoritative voice on FOI and open information matters
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Leadership of FOI / EIR Casework
- Provide strategic oversight and expert input into complex, sensitive, high-profile, and precedent-setting FOI and EIR cases
- Lead casework triage and decision-making on approach, exemptions/exceptions, and public interest tests
- Oversee the quality assurance of responses, ensuring they are legally robust, defensible, and timely
- Manage review, appeal, and OSIC casework, including legally binding decisions with strict compliance deadlines
- Act as the primary point of contact with the Scottish Government FOI Unit, OSIC, and legal advisers
Line Management and Workforce Leadership
- Line manage a team of FOI / EIR case officers (PB5), including performance management, capability development, and wellbeing
- Lead change within the team and contribute to wider service improvement initiatives
- Allocate work, monitor delivery against statutory deadlines, and manage resource pressures
- Provide expert coaching and support to colleagues handling complex casework
Corporate Assurance, Risk, and Performance
- Lead the development, monitoring, and reporting of FOI/EIR performance metrics and KPIs
- Provide senior assurance on service quality, risks, and compliance trends
- Identify lessons learned from adverse decisions, complaints, and appeals and drive continuous improvement
- Contribute to organizational risk management and governance processes
Organizational Capability and Continuous Improvement
- Design and deliver training and guidance to staff across Scottish Forestry on FOI and EIR casework
- Promote best practice and consistent standards across the organization
- Work closely with Information Management colleagues to improve records quality and accessibility
- Explore and implement service improvements, including the use of digital tools
Person Specification
Success Profile
The Success Profile below sets out the essential and desirable elements that make up the vacant position - you’ll be expected to demonstrate these elements in your application and/or during your interview and/or assessment.
Experience – Essential
- In-depth expert knowledge of FOI, EIR, data protection, and information governance legislation and best practice
- Experience of leading and overseeing complex, sensitive, and precedent-setting cases requiring sound professional judgment
- Proven line management experience, including leading high-performing teams under pressure
- Ability to communicate complex legal and technical issues clearly to senior leaders and non-specialists
- Strong decision-making skills, with the confidence to provide independent professional advice and assurance
- Experience of driving service improvement, using data, lessons learned, and regulatory feedback to strengthen organizational performance
Experience – Desirable
- Experience working within the public sector, ideally in a corporate or central governance function
- Experience of direct engagement with the Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner, legal advisers, or central government FOI units
- Experience engaging with senior or board-level stakeholders
- Experience of designing and delivering training or capability-building initiatives
- Experience using case management systems, KPI reporting tools, or redaction software
- Experience in producing analytical reports and using data to inform organizational decisions
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Behaviours
On the application form, you’ll find four free text boxes to provide your behavior responses. Please note, you’re only required to provide evidence against the below behaviors on your application. This means that if less than four behaviors are noted, you can leave the relevant free text(s) box blank on your application. You may find this candidate guide useful to refer to.
- Behaviour 1 and Lead Criteria: Managing a quality service – Level 3
- Behaviour 2: Making effective decisions – Level 3
- Behaviour 3: Working together - Level 3
- Behaviour 4: Delivering at pace – Level 3
Strengths
You will not be assessed against this at application stage. However, this will be assessed if you are successful for interview.
Travel
As this role involves working with colleagues across Scotland, there may be some travel involved which may include overnight stays away from home.
What We Offer You
If successful, you will be entitled to a wide range of benefits, the detail of which can be found here.
Additional Information
We believe it’s important to create an inclusive and supportive work culture, and we welcome applications from everyone, regardless of background.
It’s important you complete the entire application form (where relevant) in sufficient detail – this will give you the best chance of being invited for interview and/or assessment. Where a vacancy attracts a higher number of applications, only ‘Behaviour 1 - lead criteria’ will be assessed at sift stage. However, it is still important that you complete the entire application form in sufficient detail, as there is no way of knowing that a vacancy will have a high number of applications.
Alongside your salary of £45,711, Scottish Forestry contributes £13,242 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
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
For more information on the selection process, please see Success profiles for candidates, Scottish Forestry.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Medical
Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.
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
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