Thank you for your interest in the post of Director of Heritage with Historic Environment Scotland, based at Longmore House, Edinburgh.  This is a permanent and pensionable appointment.

We are looking for an ambitious heritage professional with excellent leadership skills to join Historic Environment Scotland. Reporting to the Chief Executive, the successful candidate will be a key member of the HES Senior Management Team, working closely with senior leadership colleagues across the organisation to lead HES to achieve its strategic vision.

About us

Historic Environment Scotland is Scotland’s national heritage agency, a charity dedicated to protecting Scotland’s places and sustaining the historic environment and its benefits for future generations. We’re at the forefront of researching and understanding the historic environment and addressing the impact of climate change on its future. We investigate and record architectural and archaeological sites and landscapes across Scotland, look after internationally significant collections and archives and protect our places and promote sustainable development through designation, consents and our role as part of the planning system.

Over 300 properties of national importance are in our care, over 70 of which we operate commercially including some which are amongst Scotland’s most popular visitor attractions such as Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle, Skara Brae, Urquhart Castle and Melrose Abbey.

For further information about us please visit Director of Heritage | Historic Environment Scotland.

Overview of the post and information about the team

This post is key to the management of Scotland’s historic environment.  We want to appoint an ambitious candidate who will lead our regulatory functions and our advisory work as part of the national planning system, working with and leading a team of 150 skilled colleagues across a wide range of disciplines.

The Directorate protects our historic places through survey and recording, designations and consents, and through working with a range of partners, such as Local Authorities, aims to inform and enable good decision-making so that the historic environment of Scotland is valued and protected.  The Directorate is also responsible for HES activities related to archaeology and world heritage and our archives.

We want to attract an experienced leader to take forward this work in an innovative manner, and who can provide advice, policy and guidance for the management of the historic environment. 

Reporting to the Chief Executive, you will part of the organisation’s Senior Management Team. As a Director your responsibilities will also cover effective financial and operational management of the organisation and for delivering and demonstrating performance that meets our values and aspirations. 

Key responsibilities, duties and objectives

• Lead a programme of policy and guidance development aimed at supporting good decision making in the historic environment.

• Lead our regulatory functions to deliver a sector leading advice service in the Scottish planning system.

• Deliver a consents and enforcement regime for scheduled monuments, a designations regime that is fit for purpose and the buildings at risk register for Scotland.

• Deliver a high-quality archive service including enabling enhanced access.

• Shape our survey and research activity that aligns with the corporate research strategy and which provides a strong evidence base for planning and decision making, informing the articulation of the value and impact of the historic environment sector to Scotland’s national outcomes.

• Empower the Heritage leadership team to set and drive the strategic direction of the Heritage Directorate.

• Provide leadership to and ensure coordination of key work strands across HES on areas such as World Heritage responsibilities and delivery of the Archaeology Strategy.

• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, to contribute to and inform the development and delivery of proposals and projects, whether undertaken by HES or others.

• Effectively manage the Directorate’s allocated budget and ensure compliance with HES governance arrangements.

• Contribute to the leadership of HES as a member of the Senior Management Team, ensuring delivery of our Corporate and Annual Operating Plans and the development of ambitions for the future.  In so doing, work closely with the Board of HES.

• Lead and provide advice on any decision, issue or case that requires escalation to the Chief Executive, HES Board or Scottish Government and on the management of high-profile casework

• Lead the Heritage team, creating the right environment to encourage fresh thinking and empowerment, developing colleagues, to support HES in realising our ambition and enabling us to be a great place to work for all.

Knowledge, skills and experience

You will be required to demonstrate that you meet the requirements and qualifications below as part of the selection process. 

Essential requirements:

• Experience in leading in a context relevant to the requirement of this post.
• Knowledge and experience of the Scottish Planning system
• Experience in leading and developing regulatory and planning services.
• The ability to think strategically, with vision and creativity.
• Experience of working at a senior level within an organisation, preferably including working with Board members 
• A proven track record in building partnerships and relationships to deliver services

• Proven track record of leading a large, successful team to deliver high performance

Desirable requirements:

• Experience and knowledge of a multi-functional organisation.

Qualifications & Professional Memberships:

• You will be educated to a degree level in a relevant subject
• Relevant professional qualification

What we offer

We welcome applications from all nationalities, ensuring that they have the right to work in the UK and applying for a job with us could open the door to a unique work environment. It could also give you job satisfaction and excellent development opportunities, plus a competitive salary, 25 days paid holidays (rising to 30 days after 5 years’ service) and 11.5 public holidays a year – pro rata for part time staff. 

In addition we offer a great benefits package to our employees which includes:

• flexible working hours (where appropriate)
• special leave
• maternity/paternity leave
• adoption leave
• reimbursement for relevant professional subscriptions
• support for further education and personal development
• study leave for work related courses
• access to a learning resource centre
• civil service defined benefit pension scheme.

Health and welfare

We offer you access to:

• our Employee Assistance Programme – for confidential advice and counselling
• an occupational sick pay scheme
• discounts at some local authority leisure facilities
• interest free loans for bicycles and annual travel passes (see ‘season ticket’ below)
• reasonable adjustments when needed, as part of our Equalities policy

Staff discounts

You will receive:

• free entry to all of our properties (with up to three guests)
• free entry to English Heritage, Manx and Cadw properties
• 20% off purchases in our retail outlets

Season tickets

You can receive an advance to help with the cost of buying an annual season ticket for travel between home and work. The advance is then repaid from your salary over the life of the season ticket. Available to all permanent and fixed-term staff.

How to apply for this post

You can apply by submitting a C.V. and Statement of Competence relating to the main duties and objectives of the post.

Please return your C.V. and completed Statement of Competence to recruit@hes.scot by the 15 January 2021. Your application must arrive by the advertised closing date.

Please note that, as we operate an electronic recruitment system, we will contact you via the email address that you provide in your C.V. to inform you of the outcome of your application.

We anticipate holding interviews early February for this post.

You can access further information about HES and the role here.  If you would like to find out more about the role, please contact Alex Paterson, Chief Executive, via alex.paterson@hes.scot.

Thank you.

Historic Environment Scotland