Interim Head of Legal and Policy

Are you passionate about Human Rights?

Do you want to help improve the realisation of Human Rights for everyone in Scotland?

Do you have the skills, values, experience and expertise to help make that happen?

Are you interested in strengthening Scotland’s National Human Rights Institution?

If so, you could be just what we are looking for!

The Scottish Human Rights Commission (SHRC) is Scotland’s human rights watchdog.

We are an independent, expert body that works with and for the people of Scotland; we monitor, listen, and speak up for all our rights and respond when things go wrong. We are a public body created by statute, with a mandate to protect and promote the human rights of all people in Scotland.

The Commission is established as a National Human Rights Institution. As such we are part of a global network of bodies accredited by the United Nations to monitor state compliance with international and national human rights law and treaties. We are independent of government. It is the job of National Human Rights Institutions to use the rule of law to promote and protect the human rights of all of the people who live in any given country and assess the actions of the state on that basis. This is how the Scottish Human Rights Commission approaches its work.

Interim Head of Legal and Policy

This is a critical post for the Commission, and will be in central in strengthening the impact of the Commission in informing the human rights legal and policy framework and for the progressive realisation of rights in the everyday lives of people in Scotland

Reporting to the Executive Director, this is a key leadership role with responsibility for ensuring organisational effectiveness of the legal and policy function and as an integral part of the Senior Leadership Team as the Commission delivers its People and Culture plan in 2025. The postholder will effectively lead and manage the Legal and Policy Team to deliver its core work programmes of advice to Parliament, international treaty monitoring, spotlight monitoring, and strategic litigation opportunities via the Commission’s powers to uphold human rights. The role will be responsible for quality assurance of legal and policy outputs in addition to ensuring delivery of key commitments in the Commissions Strategic Plan.

Full time (37 hours per week)

12-month contract – secondment opportunities very welcome

Grade 5 (£65,800 plus 5% responsibility allowance)

Based in Edinburgh, Hybrid working available

For a recruitment pack, please click Apply now

Closing date for applications: 9.00am, Monday 20 January 2025

Interview date: W/C 10 February, tbc

Please note that CVs will not be accepted and applications received after the deadline will not be considered.