Dear Applicant,
Are you looking to learn how a public body operates and have ambitions to become a future non-executive Board member? Do you have relevant experience to contribute to discussions and decision making which will assist in its ongoing development and success?
Revenue Scotland is looking to increase the diversity of its Board committees by providing opportunities to become a co-opted member of one of our committees. While this will be a non-voting position, it will provide valuable experience and be a potential stepping stone to a future public appointment.
We are a dynamic, forward thinking, organisation with an outstanding reputation for our performance. We look forward to receiving your application!
Yours sincerely,
Aidan O'Carroll
About Us
Since 2015, Revenue Scotland has been responsible for collecting almost £7 billion from two devolved taxes, Land and Buildings Transaction Tax and Scottish Landfill Tax. The revenue we collect in Scotland is used to help fund vital public services in Scotland. We have designed and delivered a high quality and efficient service that costs under one penny for every pound of tax we collect, well within our target of 1%. Our capability, equalities work and culture are hugely important and we are becoming the employer of choice we aspire to be, with outstanding People Survey results in recent years, ahead of both the Scottish Government and civil service benchmark in every area.
Our Corporate Plan 2024-27 sets out our aspirations for the future and strategic objectives. Over the next three years we will be preparing to introduce two new devolved taxes: Scottish Aggregates Tax and Scottish Building Safety Levy. We are also investing in enhancements of our digital and data services, playing our part in the public service reform agenda and engaging more widely with other organisations involved in tax and related public services to enhance the user experience. For more information about us, please visit our website.
We currently have just under 100 staff, a Board of seven non-executive directors and a senior leadership team of four, led by our Chief Executive. 2025 will be our 10-year anniversary and we are looking for passionate and creative people to support us on our journey. We highly value the benefits having a diverse workforce can bring to our organisation, in order that we reflect the population we serve.
We welcome and encourage applications from all candidates regardless of age, race, sex or gender identity, religious beliefs, marital status, sexual orientation, disability or neurodiversity. We also welcome applications from candidates who are looking for a first step towards being a non-executive committee member and this role will present the opportunity to see first hand how a high performing Public Body operates and to learn about how you can contribute to the organisation’s success.
To find out more about our commitment to ensuring we are representative of the people we serve please visit our Equalities Mainstreaming report for 2024-2028 which sets out outcomes to guide our efforts.
Our Committees
We are looking to co-opt non-executive committee members onto our standing committees of our Board; the Audit and Risk Committee and Staffing and Equalities Committee. This position is not a full Board Member role and is therefore a non-voting role.
In these roles you will provide support, advice and assurance to our Board and Senior Leadership Team to promote the continued effective running of the organisation.
Members of our Audit and Risk Committee support the Board in its responsibilities for issues of risk, control and governance and associated assurance through a process of constructive challenge. The committee advises the Board and Chief Executive on matters such as: risk, control and governance; accounting policies; internal and external audit; corporate governance and the effectiveness of the internal control environment.
Members of our Staffing and Equalities Committee support Revenue Scotland to be an employer of choice, maintaining the highest possible standards in the engagement and management of employees. The committee provides advice and assurance to the Board and Chief Executive on strategic issues relating to people; equality, diversity and inclusion; and health, safety and wellbeing.
Skills Required for both committees
We are seeking applications from individuals who:
- can bring strategic thinking to planning, decision making and direction of our organisation. For example:
- offering ideas and alternative solutions.
- contributing to the development of a strategy or business plan.
- evaluating our priorities, challenges, opportunities and risks and assessing how they might impact our organisation.
- understanding context, seeing the bigger picture and drawing on previous experience.
- have the ability to understand and use data to help make informed decisions by:
- reading through papers which support findings and proposals.
- considering whether the proposals that have been made on the basis of the data make sense.
- learning about the wider strategic environment and taking it account when making decisions.
- have an understanding of how governance and risk management help us to operate at the highest standards. For example:
- promoting effective working practices and understanding good governance principles.
- providing thoughtful, constructive and challenging questions.
In addition, we require the below specific skills for each committee:
For our Audit and Risk Committee we are looking for applications from candidates who have relevant background or experience in one or more of the following areas:
- Public and/or private sector financial management, audit, tax, risk and compliance oversight and scrutiny. This will include (but is not limited to) the ability to identify key risks in a wide range of areas and to monitor risk and compliance management frameworks and systems.
- Data and Digital would be desirable; in particular the strategic governance and use of information management and information technologies and/or experience in the design and/or implementation of IT systems (e.g. ERP, Finance, CRM) and the use of robotics, AI and other data mining.
- Sustainability reporting, Environment Social and Governance and impact assessments on organisational change to a sustainability agenda.
For our Staffing and Equalities Committee we are looking for applications from candidates who have a background or experience in one or more of the following areas:
- A qualified HR professional with a breadth of experience, in particular experience of oversight or leading implementation of organisational change.
- Experience in promoting and embedding health, safety and wellbeing across organisations.
- Experience in developing and implementing People Strategies.
- Experience in promoting and embedding Equality, Diversity and Inclusion across organisations.
Length of term of appointment
The successful applicant will be expected to take part in induction days once appointed. The appointment will be for an initial period of 18 months and may be renewed, by mutual agreement.
Time Commitment Remuneration and Allowances
Remuneration for this post will be £303.52 per day for every 7.5 hours (this includes meeting preparation) devoted to performing your functions on a pro rata basis. For the Audit and Risk Committee this will include four quarterly meetings, a Risk Strategy session and ad hoc meetings as required. For the Staffing and Equalities Committee this will include three meetings over the year and ad hoc meetings as required. Travel, subsistence, preparation for meetings and reasonable dependent carer allowance incurred as a result of carrying out the duties associated with this appointment will be reimbursed. You are not entitled to a pension in respect of your appointment, and you are not entitled to any gratuity or compensation when your appointment ends (whatever the reason). You are not entitled to remuneration for any period during which you are disqualified from appointment.
How to Apply
Under the Revenue Scotland Tax Powers Act 2014, schedule 1 paragraph 2, exclusions apply in relation to appointments as a Member of Revenue Scotland. Please note that, although the appointment of co-opted members of Revenue Scotland to its Committees is not a full member role and has no voting rights, we are applying the same restrictions. Please visit Revenue Scotland and Tax Powers Act 2014 (legislation.gov.uk) for detailed information on these restrictions.
If you are a non-British national you can apply for, and be appointed as a co-opted member of Revenue Scotland to its Committees, however, you must be legally entitled to work in the UK.
To apply, please prepare a supporting statement setting out your evidence against the requested criteria in no more than 1,000 words. This is to be accompanied with a CV of no more than two pages setting out your experience and skills against the criteria required for the role.
The supporting statement and CV must be accompanied by the equalities monitoring information form. The form is available to download – Equalities Monitoring Information Form.
The form should be emailed with the supporting statement and CV to BusinessManagement@assured.systems.gov.scot by the closing date of midnight 27 October 2024.
The appointment process will include an interview with the Chair of the Board, the Chief Executive and a Board Member. It is anticipated that sifting will take place week commencing 28 October, with interviews taking place week commencing 4 November.
Interviews will be conducted via Microsoft Teams. Please ensure you have a suitable space to complete a virtual interview/assessment if selected and a device which has the Microsoft Teams application downloaded. You should ensure there is sufficient Wi-fi/Broadband capacity to carry both audio and video feeds.
We are holding a webinar on Friday 18 October 10:00 - 11:00 in which you will have the chance to find out more about these roles and to ask our Board members and Senior Leadership Team questions. You can sign up for the webinar here: Webinar sign up. Please register your interest no later than Thursday 17 October. The information sessions will be held online via Microsoft Teams.
Revenue Scotland is a diverse and inclusive workplace and we want to help you demonstrate your full potential. If you would like to request any adjustments during our appointment process, please let us know via BusinessManagement@assured.systems.gov.scot.
As part of this process Revenue Scotland will collect and process personal data relating to applicants. For further details about how we manage your data please see Revenue Scotland’s Candidate Privacy Notice.
Personal information you provide during the appointment process may be shared with the Scottish Government and our additional data processors.
Thank you for your interest in Revenue Scotland. We look forward to receiving your application.