Description Job Description Are you an experienced analyst (of any background) looking to make a difference to the way Scotland’s finances are managed? The Scottish Fiscal Commission has an exciting opportunity to lead its work providing analysis and commentary of the Scottish Government’s funding and spending. The role will also work closely with our Chair to identify and support opportunities to communicate the Commission’s work. It involves working closely with the fiscal sustainability team and other analysts in the organisation, taking a lead on communications planning, and looking for opportunities to publicise the Commission’s work to stakeholders. The team produces analysis and commentary on the Scottish Government’s plans for spending, funding and borrowing. These assessments are published in two reports each year that accompany the Scottish Budget and Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS). You can see our report from the most recent Budget our Fiscal Update published in August. Responsibilities Develop the Commission’s analysis and commentary on the Scottish Government’s funding and spending position in the Scottish Budget and Medium Term‑Financial Strategy, supported by your line manager. Lead the Commission’s assessment of the Scottish Government’s borrowing plans at each fiscal event. Ensure the work of the Commission is clearly presented and accessible to a wide range of audiences, including presenting to stakeholders and at public events. This will involve working closely with analysts across the Commission. Supporting the Chair with a programme of regular engagement disseminating the work of the Commission. Identify opportunities for the Commission to showcase its work, this includes speaking opportunities and the development of a regular blog series highlighting relevant work of the Commission to the public debate. Manage, support, coach and develop staff as appropriate, whilst managing a team of two analysts. Maintain strong, positive relationships with stakeholders including Scottish Government officials, the Office for Budgetary Responsibility, HM Treasury and the Northern Ireland Fiscal Council. Responsibilities Qualifications You should have a first or upper second class degree or postgraduate qualification in a numerate subject, for example: statistics, economics, actuarial science. Other qualifications or experience equivalent to these may also be acceptable; if you are in any doubt please contact Claire Murdoch. We do not expect applicants to have existing extensive knowledge of Scottish public funding and spending, though such experience would be an advantage. Success Profile Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills, experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on. Experience: Proven experience as an analyst, ideally with some experience of forecasting or projections. A strong understanding of analytical techniques with experience applying these to new areas and presenting complex analysis to non-technical audiences. Experience of leading a team, working with others to develop and communicate analysis. Behaviours: Changing and Improving - (Level 4) Delivering at Pace - (Level 4) Seeing the Big Picture - (Level 4) Communicating and Influencing - (Level 4) You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours, here: Behaviour levels - Success profiles: candidate guide - gov.scot How to apply Apply online, providing a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 1000 words) which provides evidence of how you meet the skills, experience and behaviours listed in the Success Profile above. If invited for further assessment, this will consist of a virtual interview and analysis exercise. Assessments are scheduled for 20th, 24th and 25th February, however this may be subject to change. Qualifications About Us We produce independent, robust forecasts and assessments to improve the transparency and scrutiny of the Scottish Budget. Our forecasts are vitally important to the setting of Scotland’s Budget and you’ll get the opportunity to have a real impact on how Scottish public finances are managed. We are independent of the Scottish Government and we give the answers to questions like: How much money will the Scottish Government get from taxes? How much will social security payments cost? What will climate change and aging population mean for public finances? Which spending decisions now could build up in the future? Our deep, impartial scrutiny and clear explanations bring transparency to the Scottish Government’s financial decisions. Find out more about us at: Staff Vacancies | Scottish Fiscal Commission. Our staff are part of the UK Civil Service, so we follow the Civil Service Nationality Rules. We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment and we mirror the Scottish Government employment terms and conditions. You can find out more about those on the Scottish Government's careers website. Working Pattern Our standard hours are 35 hours per week, but we also support part-time working. If the top candidate is part-time we will endeavour to adjust duties accordingly where possible. We offer flexible working hours between 7am and 7pm, Monday to Friday. We offer hybrid working. Our office is in central Edinburgh (EH1 3DE) and generally you can choose whether to work there, from home or a mixture of both. You would be expected to attend the office in person sometimes for all-staff days, all-team days or specific training events. We anticipate this would be around once a week. If you have specific questions please contact us. Equality Statement We are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, so if you’re interested in the job but your past experience or qualifications don’t align perfectly, we strongly encourage you to apply. Applications are welcome from all regardless of age, disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief, race, sex, sexual orientation, trans status or social economic background. 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 Vacancies Page. The Scottish Government provides our HR service and their Candidate Guide gives further information on the recruitment and application processes. In the event that further posts are required, a reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for up to 12 months.