Senior Civil Service recruitment: candidate guide

About the Scottish Government

The Scottish Government is the devolved government for Scotland. Our work impacts on every aspect of society and the everyday lives of the people of Scotland.

We have responsibility for a wide range of key policy areas including:

• health
• education
• the economy
• social security
• culture
• rural affairs
• transport

We work collaboratively to deliver the commitments made in the Programme for Government and measure our impact with the National Performance Framework.

We employ over 9,000 people, at locations across Scotland in a diverse mix of roles and professions. We strongly believe in diversity and inclusion, and we aim to recruit a workforce that is reflective of our diverse population.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader, Stonewall Diversity Champion, and holder of an Investors in People accreditation.

Our mission, vision and values

At the Scottish Government, we share a clear mission, vision and set of values. They guide everything we do, day in and day out, in the service of Scotland.

Our mission

We work together to improve the lives of the people of Scotland.

Our mission sets out the core purpose for everyone who works in the Scottish Government. It describes why our organisation exists. 

Our vision

To be a dynamic, diverse and connected organisation serving Scotland now and in the future.

Our vision statement describes the organisation we must be to support the government of the day, in the service of Scotland. It sets the direction for the meaningful action we will take in the coming years to change our organisation for the better.

Our values

Our values have been developed by Scottish Government colleagues, for Scottish Government colleagues. They align to the Civil Service Code and National Performance Framework:

• we act with integrity: our actions reflect the values of the Civil Service
• we are inclusive: we have a respectful work environment which includes everyone
• we are collaborative: we work with others to realise Scotland’s full potential
• we are innovative: we test different approaches and develop new solutions
• we are kind: we care and show kindness towards people and the natural environment

These values guide the decisions we take, our actions, and how we work together across all parts of the Scottish Government and with our partners to improve the lives of the people of Scotland.