The Scottish Government
Senior Assurance Manager
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Job Description
Are you looking for a role where you can use your food safety skills and build new and diverse relationships with a range of stakeholders? If so, this new exciting opportunity, in our Regulatory Oversight & Delivery Portfolio, could be for you.
We are looking for an experienced Environmental Health Officer or Food Safety Officer to support our work across the Audit Assurance Division and the Local Authority Delivery Division. The role of Senior Assurance Manager will report to the Head of International Assurance, providing support for third country assurance matters as well as technical official control delivery support to both FSS and local authority colleagues.
You will provide support to the International Assurance function, in the delivery of inward third country audits, particularly leading on local authority engagement and support in the audit preparation and delivery, and development of local authority action plans. This work supports Scottish Government’s Programme for Government 2026 – 2031 which aims to grow the economy by supporting exporting businesses. In addition, the role will provide technical support within the Local Authority Delivery function, taking a leading role in local authority engagement, responding to enforcement enquiries and providing technical input and subject matter expertise to support local authority support priorities.
Responsibilities
- Support third country audits by contributing to preparation and participating in audit activities, and monitoring delivery of agreed corrective actions.
- Support in the coordination of input to the annual report against the Multi-Annual National Control Plan.
- Lead projects to facilitate the review of local authority support materials.
- Provide subject matter expertise within FSS as required to support organisational priorities.
- Lead on the provision of risk management and enforcement advice in relation to food safety incidents.
- Represent FSS at local authority facing meetings and lead on local authority engagement, focusing on building and enhancing relationships.
- Represent FSS at external meetings and presentations. Keep up to date with key FSS developments, the FSS’s strategic objectives, and effectively communicate to stakeholders at external meetings.
Qualifications
Environmental Health Officer or Food Safety Officer with an appropriate qualification recognised by REHIS/EHRB, or suitable equivalent qualification.
Proof of qualifications will be checked at the assessment stage.
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Success profile
Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of behaviours, experience and technical criteria (if applicable) that candidates will be assessed on.
Technical / Professional Skills
- Connections and communications – Practitioner level
- Delivery and decision making at pace – Practitioner level
You can find out more about the skills required, here.
Experience
You will be expected to have direct significant experience of regulating the food sector, including formal enforcement, in-depth experience of inspecting and auditing in the high-risk food processing and manufacturing sector. There is a need to have a comprehensive and practical understanding of the legislation and official guidance relating to food law, and the regulatory systems for delivering official controls.
Behaviours
- Working Together - Level 3
- Seeing the Bigger Picture - Level 3
Find out more about Success Profiles.
How To Apply
Apply online, providing a CV and supporting statement (of no more than 1500 words) providing evidence of how you meet the behaviours, experience and technical skills listed in the Success Profile above. Both the CV and the supporting statement provided will be assessed against the criteria for the role.
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.
Skilled Worker Sponsorship not being offered
Skilled Worker sponsorship is not available for this role. As a result, we are unable to appoint candidates who require Skilled Worker sponsorship now or in the future. Applicants must have an existing and ongoing right to work in the UK.
If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview and presentation.
Assessments are scheduled for w/c 16th November 2026 however this may be subject to change.
About Us
Food Standards Scotland (FSS) is Scotland’s is the public sector food body, established under the Food (Scotland) Act 2015. FSS is science and evidence-led and we are responsible for:
- regulating food and feed businesses and overseeing the regulation food businesses regulated by local authorities.
- providing independent advice food safety, authenticity, consumer interests (in relation to food), and healthy diets to government, to businesses and to consumers
- protecting consumers through our Scottish Food Crime and Incidents Unit (SFCIU)
- developing policy and supporting trade, in line with our regulatory strategy and with the Common Frameworks agreed between the UK Government and devolved governments, and with the UK’s international obligations.
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FSS is a non-ministerial office of the Scottish Government and 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. This role is suitable for hybrid working. 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, and read about the Government Vetting Charter, or about all the different levels of security checks in our Candidate Guide.
Internal candidates may need to gain higher security clearance than they currently hold if successful in their application.
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.
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