Inspector (registration)

Join us and make a difference – for you, for everyone

It’s our job to ensure care for everyone, everywhere in Scotland is as good as it can be. If you are as passionate about high-quality care and learning as we are, and you’re experienced in the field, we’d love to hear from you. We are looking for talented people to join us in making a difference.

About you

We are looking to add resource to a team of Inspectors to support the work of the Registration teams.  

You will be able to achieve significant improvement in outcomes for people and children and families through the range of day-to-day responsibilities. The role is different and very varied: 

• give advice on registration matters both internally and externally
• assess registration and variation applications across the full range of care service types
• assess allegations of illegally operating services and take forward regulatory action in this respect. 

You’ll be improvement focused, confident in your professional knowledge base and able to apply it to influence others.  You will be flexible, able to prioritise, to respond to short-notice deadlines and manage an ever-changing caseload. You will work closely with inspection and complaints colleagues in our inspection teams.

We are a national team so would welcome applications from candidates across mainland Scotland. As an inspector you must be able to travel with occasional overnight stays as required.

About us

We are different because of our great benefits, our investment in learning and development, and the opportunity this role will give you to help shape high quality experiences in childcare across Scotland.

What you will be doing as an inspector

Making a difference through working with services delivering care for children and adults. You’ll work with people experiencing services, service providers, managers and staff and be confident in supporting and advising on improving outcomes for children and adults.

Click here to watch a short video on what one of our inspectors has said about their role.

The skills you need

If you think this job is where you can make a real difference to service user’s experiences, there are a few things you need. Whilst it’s important to have the basics, we will support you in developing your skillset as an inspector throughout your journey with us.

You’ll be confident about what good-quality care and learning looks like and how to deliver it across the sector. You’ll be resilient and adaptable, can work on your own initiative or as part of a team, manage competing priorities, build effective networks with partners, and have strong communication skills. Equally, you’ll be good at analysing information and evidence, and you’ll have excellent writing skills to produce reports that are clear, concise, and focused on outcomes. You will have a sound and insightful understanding of the challenges facing the sector and be an advocate for service users recognising what is important to them.

We need you to have a relevant qualification (minimum SCQF Level 9) and be registered or eligible to register with a professional body like the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) or General Teaching Council (GTC). Please see further information at the bottom of this advert on recent updates to the registration process for the SSSC.

All new entrants will start on the grade minimum for the role however we have a generous benefits package which is highlighted below.

Salary and benefits

• Salary: £46,569 - £54,975 plus excellent benefits.
• Network of offices across Scotland.
• Flexible Hours: 140 hours to be worked over a 4-week period.
• Up to 37 days annual leave (after 5 years’ service) + 6 fixed public holidays.
• Contract: Permanent, two-year secondment, or locum (where candidates have previously worked for us as inspectors).

We desire to achieve an effective and balanced way of working, that enables us to meet organisational needs and achieve a work-life balance that promotes wellbeing and collaboration opportunities. Our hybrid working policy gives you the flexibility to mix working from home with attendance at your base office and other work locations, spending no more than 60% of your working time working from home, measured over a 4-week period. 

In addition to our excellent benefits package, we also pride ourselves on the values we hold, person-centred; fairness; respect; efficiency and integrity - all supported with a culture of care and kindness. We’re proud to be a progressive, supportive employer, and equality, diversity and inclusion are important to us.

What next?

Click here to find out more on our careers site. You can also contact the Recruitment team at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for further information.

If you’re ready to apply now, please click here to access our gateway questions and application form. access the application form. Your application should be received no later than Monday 3 March 2025 at 08:00.

The Care Inspectorate is committed to recruiting, retaining and developing a workforce that reflects the diverse communities that we serve. It is vital that we monitor and analyse diversity information so that we can identify how we can improve the way we meet the needs of our applicants and staff. To assist us to monitor the effectiveness of our equality and diversity practices, we would encourage you to complete the equalities monitoring form at the end of the application form.

We anticipate holding Stage 1 of our assessment process between Friday 14 - Monday 17 March, and Stage 2 no earlier than Monday 7 April 2025 over a 2 week period at one of our main offices.

If you successfully complete our selection process, we’ll either confirm you’re the preferred candidate for a suitable vacancy (based on your specialism and location) or you’ll be invited to join our talent pool for future vacancies that would be suitable for you.

Registration information and process

As an Inspector you will support the Assurance and Improvement Directorate to ensure that the Care Inspectorate meets its responsibilities as defined by the Public Services Reform Act 2010 and other relevant legislation.

The successful applicant must be registered with a professional body (this can be NMC, GTCS, NMC, HCPC, SSSC), within three months of appointment.

For SSSC registration, there is a specific registration category for Care Inspectorate Authorised Officers (AO). Regulated Care Inspectors who register with SSSC will do so as a Primary Authorised Officer under both types of work (Social Care and Children & Young People). Primary Authorised Officers will require to complete a Professional Development Award in Scrutiny and Improvement Practice within 5 years of initial registration.

Employees will be expected to maintain registration with the same professional body throughout their employment in the Care Inspectorate. This includes employees working in authorised officer roles who are recruited to the Care Inspectorate based on their registration with the NMC, GTCS, HCPC or other recognised professional body. It is a contractual requirement to maintain registration with the same professional body and employees should not transfer their registration to the SSSC from another recognised professional body, including the NMC, GTCS or HCPC.

Job profile

Person specification

Information Governance Lead

Job title: Information Governance Lead

Salary: £55,530 to 61,314

Hours: 35 hours per week

Location: Flexible (Any Care Inspectorate office)

Contract: Permanent

About us

We are the national regulator and scrutiny body responsible for providing assurance and protection for people who experience care services, their families, carers and the wider public, as well as supporting delivery partners to improve the quality of care for people in Scotland. Our vision is that people across Scotland experience high quality care that meets their needs, rights and choices.

We are a scrutiny body that supports improvement. We inspect individual care services, and we also work with other scrutiny bodies to inspect the social care and social work services people are experiencing in their local areas.

Our desire is to achieve an effective and balanced way of working, that enables us to meet organisational needs and achieve a work-life balance that promotes wellbeing and collaboration opportunities. We are moving towards the expectation that all staff will work collaboratively, within and across teams, in person, for approximately 40% of their working week.

About the role

We are looking for a talented and experienced person to provide leadership in information governance and assurance, both internally and externally, ensuring our data protection, records management and wider information governance work is of high quality.

The post holder will provide the Care Inspectorate with leadership in information governance and assurance, internally & externally. They will be the prime source of expert advice and policy development, to create and maintain high level awareness, profile and understanding of the strategic and operational importance of information governance.

About you

You will play a key role in ensuring that the Care Inspectorate meets its statutory and legal obligations and be the prime source of expert advice and policy development to create and maintain high level awareness, profile and understanding of the strategic and operational importance of information governance. You will be capable of acting as a Data Protection Officer as defined under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2018 and Data Protection Act 2018.

You will be responsible for overseeing important change programmes in how we manage, use and share information. We need applicants who are ambitious and motivated with a “can do” attitude.

You will be able to demonstrate considerable working experience in Information Governance. You will have excellent communication skills and an ability to engage with and understand the information needs of different audience types.

You’ll be able to support, develop and line manage staff, and have experience in data analysis, interpretation and management reporting.

We would welcome someone qualified as a solicitor, but that’s certainly not essential: your core skill may be in data protection or records management. Either way, you will have a detailed understanding of the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation, Freedom of Information Act and other information-related legislation and regulations, with practical experience of helping organisations meet these requirements.

You will have the ability to liaise with internal groups, external partners and system suppliers to ensure IG requirements of projects, information systems and day-to-day operations are met.

Next steps

You’ll find more information in the job profile and person specification.

If you would like more information or an informal chat about the role please contact Ewan Stewart at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

If you believe that you are a suitable candidate for this post, please download and complete an application form and submit it by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 08:00 on Monday 29 July 2024.

Please also complete the equal opportunities form and submit along with your application.

It is anticipated that interviews will be held in person at our Dundee Office during week of 12 August 2024.