Partner with directors and managers to deliver strategic HR solutions, lead HR support for organisational change (including upcoming TUPE transfer), advise on employee relations and performance management, drive workforce planning, equality and inclusion, use HR data to inform decisions, support learning and development, and contribute to policy and HR/OD implementation across the organisation.
Our ambition is for Scotland to be the best place in the world to learn, educate, research and innovate, so that all of our nation can flourish.
Our purpose is to create and sustain a world-leading system of tertiary education, research and innovation that changes lives for the better, enriches society and supports sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
The purpose of the role is to support ongoing delivery of a modern HR business partnering and advisory model; and of organisational change and transformation across our Directorate teams.
Our purpose is to create and sustain a world-leading system of tertiary education, research and innovation that changes lives for the better, enriches society and supports sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
The purpose of the role is to support ongoing delivery of a modern HR business partnering and advisory model; and of organisational change and transformation across our Directorate teams.
From April 2027 SFC is taking on significant additional responsibilities including the funding of apprenticeships and national training programmes in Scotland, and we are seeking to grow the HR function and service to support effective delivery of this change. This will also involve the TUPE transfer of a large group of employees from Skills Development Scotland as we work to design a new organisation for the future. This is an exciting time to join the organisation as a HR professional and play an important role in shaping the future design, ways of working and culture of the new organisation.
Virtual interviews for this post will take place 22 July (via Teams).
Virtual interviews for this post will take place 22 July (via Teams).
Key Responsibilities
1. Partner with Directors, senior leaders and managers to deliver strategic HR solutions aligned with organisational goals and transformation priorities. Support Directors and their teams with building a positive working culture as we transform our service model and implement new ways of working.
2. Provide expert HR advice to business areas on employee relations, performance management, organisational change and development, and workforce planning.
3. Working as part of the team, lead on implementing and consolidating HR and OD developments within business areas across the organisation: such as resourcing, succession planning, employee engagement and culture programmes.
4. Support the implementation of SFC’s equality, diversity, and inclusion strategies, contributing to a culture of inclusion and belonging.
5. Working as part of the team, ensure managers are given appropriate support to handle complex casework, ensuring compliance with HR policies, employment legislation and best practice.
6. Use HR metrics and trends to inform business decisions and continuous improvement.
7. Collaborate with the wider HR team to deliver effective learning and development interventions in business areas and across the organisation.
8. Contribute to policy development and review, ensuring SFC remains compliant and well-positioned to be an employer of choice.
2. Provide expert HR advice to business areas on employee relations, performance management, organisational change and development, and workforce planning.
3. Working as part of the team, lead on implementing and consolidating HR and OD developments within business areas across the organisation: such as resourcing, succession planning, employee engagement and culture programmes.
4. Support the implementation of SFC’s equality, diversity, and inclusion strategies, contributing to a culture of inclusion and belonging.
5. Working as part of the team, ensure managers are given appropriate support to handle complex casework, ensuring compliance with HR policies, employment legislation and best practice.
6. Use HR metrics and trends to inform business decisions and continuous improvement.
7. Collaborate with the wider HR team to deliver effective learning and development interventions in business areas and across the organisation.
8. Contribute to policy development and review, ensuring SFC remains compliant and well-positioned to be an employer of choice.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
It is important through your CV / Cover Letter that you give evidence of proven experience of each of the following essential criteria:
ESSENTIAL SKILLS, QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
ESSENTIAL SKILLS, QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
- Proven track record of effective delivery in a HR business partner role supporting Directors and business areas to deliver people solutions to support delivery of business priorities, ideally within the public sector or an organisation going through significant change.
- Experience of partnering teams in the context of significant organisational change with a proactive, solutions-oriented and innovative approach. Partnering and seeking the involvement of the wider HR team and corporate service teams.
- Good working knowledge and understanding of employment law, HR best practice, and current trends in people management.
- Commitment to role-model the organisation’s values and foster an environment which supports inclusion and belonging. Working cohesively and collaboratively with senior leaders and their teams to do the same.
- Excellent communication, interpersonal and influencing skills, with the ability to build trust and credibility at all levels of the organisation.
- Ability to take an analytical approach, with experience in using data and management information to inform decisions and measure success.
- Relevant professional body qualification (e.g. Chartered membership of CIPD) or equivalent relevant experience.
Terms and Benefits
· Normal full-time hours of work are 35 per week. We will consider flexible working arrangements. A flexi-time system is in operation.
· Annual leave entitlement of 30 days pro-rata, plus public and privilege holiday entitlement of 13 days pro-rata.
· A flexible approach to hybrid working, giving you flexibility to work from home anywhere in the UK for some of the time while also maintaining regular in-person contact with colleagues.
· Annual pay review: approved within the framework of the Scottish Government’s Public Sector Pay Policy and negotiated with our recognised trade union, Unite. Salaries are reviewed annually in April for employees who commence employment prior to 1 October in the preceding year.
· Eligibility to join the Civil Service Pension Scheme. With its low member contribution rates and generous employer contributions, this gives you a secure, inflation-proof pension for life with no investment uncertainty. Details of contribution rates together with further details of the pension benefits are available on the Civil Service Pensions website. There is also the option of a Partnership pension account.
· Support for continuous professional development: as a part of SFC, we are dedicated to providing comprehensive support for continuous learning and professional development. Civil Service-Learning curriculum has thoughtfully designed to cater to various learning preferences, allowing employees to engage in a manner that best suits their needs. All our educational resources are conveniently accessible through the CSL website.
· Support for health and wellbeing, including generous occupational sick pay, free access to confidential advice and support through our 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme, Special Leave (paid and unpaid), a contribution to learning outside work through our Lifelong Learning Fund, free winter flu vaccination, and access to occupational health support.
· We provide support to SFC employees with Volunteering Days.
· Support for travel to and from work, including a salary sacrifice cycle loan scheme, cycle storage and shower facilities, an interest-free loan for bus or rail season tickets and free office car parking for employees on a first-come basis.
Although most salaried roles are advertised as full time positions (35 hours a week), we are happy to discuss part-time or compressed hours to suit a candidates circumstances. We also operate a flexible working scheme to work around a candidate's other commitments such as caring responsibilities.
We will consider secondment applications for most salaried fixed-term or temporary positions and in many cases also for salaried permanent positions. If you are interested in applying on a secondment basis and this option is not explicitly mentioned in the job advert, please contact [email protected] for further information.
Although most salaried roles are advertised as full time positions (35 hours a week), we are happy to discuss part-time or compressed hours to suit a candidates circumstances. We also operate a flexible working scheme to work around a candidate's other commitments such as caring responsibilities.
We will consider secondment applications for most salaried fixed-term or temporary positions and in many cases also for salaried permanent positions. If you are interested in applying on a secondment basis and this option is not explicitly mentioned in the job advert, please contact [email protected] for further information.
About
We are the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council, more commonly known as the Scottish Funding Council (SFC).We are Scotland’s tertiary education and research authority and our purpose is to sustain a world-leading system of tertiary education, research and innovation that enables students to flourish, changes lives for the better, and supports social, economic and environmental wellbeing and prosperity.We do this by investing around £2 billion of public money to deliver:Tertiary learning and teaching.Skills and apprenticeships.Student support and participation.Research, innovation and knowledge exchange.Data collection and dissemination.National quality assurance and enhancement processes.Capital and digital infrastructure for the sector.Strategic change, responsive provision and research priorities.As a non-departmental public body established by the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005, we are directly accountable to Scottish Government Ministers and the Scottish Parliament. We work across many government portfolios and are sponsored by the Lifelong Learning Directorate.We hold colleges, universities and other funded bodies to account for their delivery of required outcomes. We are also the statistical authority for colleges, and work closely with the UK-wide Higher Education Statistical Authority (HESA), to provide data and statistics for government, decision-makers, and the wider public.We work in partnership with a wide range of partners and bodies, including those we fund, across all aspects of our remit.General information for applicants for SFC rolesYou must already be eligible to work in the UK to apply for these roles. SFC do not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skills Worker License and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship. We are pleased to support applications from everyone regardless of age, disability, race and ethnicity, socio-economic background, gender, sexual orientation, sex, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief, as well as those who have skills in Scottish Gaelic or British Sign Language, who have the right skills for the job. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and actively encourage interviews through the scheme. Further information about SFC is available on our website Scottish Funding Council home page (sfc.ac.uk). Additional information about our recruitment process can be found at Recruitment Information and Tips | Scottish Funding Council Careers (sfc.ac.uk).
Similar Jobs
Internet of Things • Cybersecurity
The HR Business Partner will align people strategies with business objectives, manage employee relations, drive performance culture, and oversee regional HR operations across EMEA and APJ.
.png)
Gaming
The Full Stack Engineer will develop scalable server APIs and front-end applications, optimize performance, and collaborate with global teams.
Top Skills:
.Net 8AgileAsp.Net CoreC#JavaScriptPerforceReactT-SqlTypescript
HR Tech • Information Technology • Professional Services • Sales • Software
The Partner Ecosystem Programs & Success Manager will drive operational excellence across partner strategy, focusing on onboarding, program design, and performance benchmarks while collaborating with cross-functional teams.
What you need to know about the Edinburgh Tech Scene
From traditional pubs and centuries-old universities to sleek shopping malls and glass-paneled office buildings, Edinburgh's architecture reflects its unique blend of history and modernity. But the fusion of past and future isn't just visible in its buildings; it's also shaping the city's economy. Named the United Kingdom's leading technology ecosystem outside of London, Edinburgh plays host to major global companies like Apple and Adobe, as well as a growing number of innovative startups in fields like cybersecurity, finance and healthcare.
