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South Ayrshire Council

Welcome to South Ayrshire

Help us make a difference

We're an ambitious, forward-looking and responsive organisation and consider ourselves the most improved Council in Scotland. We're looking for the right people to help us make a difference for the people of South Ayrshire.

South Ayrshire is a great place to live and work with a wealth of cultural heritage, breathtaking coastal scenery, fascinating history and vast array of tourist attractions.

We believe there is no better place to be than South Ayrshire, why not come and join us?

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Working With Us

Working with South Ayrshire Council

Making a difference for our communities is at the heart of what we do and working with us means, you can use your skills, knowledge and experience to help us do just that. We currently employ around 6000 people to serve a population of more than 112,000 people located across a diverse area that includes the towns of Ayr, Girvan, Maybole, Prestwick and Troon as well as small rural villages, coastline and farmland.

Our services are as diverse as our area – from beaches to building cleaning, care homes to civil ceremonies, day care to debt advice or social work to swimming pools – and having the right people in place is key to delivering these services and many more besides.

We're only as good as our employees and that's why we want the best, so come and work for us!

Here’s what we can offer!

Recruitment_Charter_January_2026.pdf

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…and it’s not over! We also offer a range of super-duper benefits!

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Living Here

South Ayrshire

The place to be

Located in south-west Scotland, South Ayrshire covers 422 square miles that includes some of the most stunning scenery in the country. With beautiful beaches, quality housing, great schools, terrific leisure opportunities and fantastic transport links via air, rail, road and sea – it’s the ideal place to call home.

Known as the home of Open Golf and Robert Burns, we’re a popular tourist destination and welcome thousands of visitors to our area every year to try our unique mix of top quality public and private golf courses (including the championship courses of Royal Troon and Turnberry), visit our internationally-renowned tourist attractions and soak up our arts and culture.

Whether you prefer to be at the heart of town life or fancy some country living, South Ayrshire has it all.

Golf

We have some of the finest golf courses in the world, including three internationally recognised Open Championship courses. We are the ‘The Birthplace’ of The Open where championship golf first began at Prestwick Golf Club in 1860. The Open returned to Royal Troon Golf Club in 2016, putting Ayrshire’s coastline back at the forefront of world golf. We also operate eight high-quality links and parkland courses including three James Braid Classics, which are open all year.

Burns

We are the birthplace of internationally-renowned poet Robert Burns and you can visit the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, which has the most significant Burns collection anywhere in the world. You can also step back in time and visit the cottage where Burns was born and lived as a child. Alloway is also the setting of Burns’ most famous work Tam o‘ Shanter. Other attractions include the famous Bachelors’ Club in Tarbolton and we have plenty of events happening throughout the year such as Burns an' a' that! and Burnsfest.

Culture and Heritage

We are home to magnificent castles and historic buildings which attract visitors from far and wide. Culzean Castle is one of Scotland’s most popular visitor attractions. The castle stands on a dramatic cliff top overlooking the Firth of Clyde, and has been associated with the Kennedy family since the 14th century. You can also visit Dundonald Castle and Dunure Castle, which have featured in the hit TV show Outlander.

Cycling

We are famous for our cycling with stunning scenery, coastal towns, rolling countryside and a rich heritage to discover en route. We have exciting cycling opportunities whatever your interests and ability; bike hire is also available.

Food and Drink

With miles of picturesque coastline and acres of farmland, it’s no secret that South Ayrshire is famous for its award-winning Scottish food and drink, such as freshly caught seafood, quality beef, potatoes and whisky. You can experience the finest natural produce we have to offer by dining in our restaurants and cafés, visiting local producers and enjoying a trip to one of the many farmers’ markets.

Shopping

Home to a range of independent retailers, galleries, beautiful boutiques, craft and quirky gift shops, we have a variety of shops and retail opportunities – no matter what you’re looking for.

There are lots of places to shop with a mix of well-known high street stores and boutiques; you can even discover a hidden gem off the beaten track. Shopping in the coastal towns of Ayr, Prestwick and Troon is an enjoyable experience with the golden sands, seafront promenades, leafy avenues and beautiful parks.

What’s going on?

There is always a lot happening in South Ayrshire with something to suit everybody. We have prestigious events like the Scottish International Airshow as well as the William Hill, Ayr Gold Cup.

Live music and entertainment feature heavily throughout the year with up and coming events like Live @ Troon attracting a strong following. Winter festivals include Tamsfest, Firework events and spectacular Christmas parades.

There is an array of Burns events with the enchanting Alloway 1759 taking centre stage. We also have Burns an’ a’ that!

Our summers are packed with festivals, food & drink, flowers, live music, smugglers, pipe bands and more much.

Applicant Information

Our videos below explain the key information you need to know when applying. We recommend you watch these when before submitting an application so you know what to expect throughout our recruitment process.

Understanding the job description

Completing your application

Interviews and Selection

Information for the successful candidate

Our Applicant Checklist provides a helpful one page summary of key requirements, but for more detailed information please read our Applicant Guide.

All successful candidates must provide either a passport or birth certificate in order to confirm their right to work in the UK. Please contact the recruitment team on 01292 559329 prior to submitting any application if you would be unable to provide this confirmation.

Our commitment to equality

As part of our policy on equal opportunities, and employment law compliance, we will make sure we do not discriminate against an applicant in the recruitment and selection process because of:

Age
Disability
Gender re-assignment
Marriage and civil partnership
Pregancy and materniry
Race
Religion or belief
Sex
Sexual orientation

We have a positive approach to employing and retaining people with disabilities and those with health conditions, and we are proud to be recognised as a Disability Confident Employer and to be able to display the Disability Confident Scheme identity. If a disabled applicant can clearly evidence in their application that they meet the essential criteria for the job (as shown in the person specification) they will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at interview.

LGBT Charter Journey

We are committed to equality of access to our services so that they are inclusive for LGBT people and are working towards the LGBT Charter Foundations Award

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The South Ayrshire Way

The South Ayrshire Way is our commitment to making our Council a great place to work. It's about how we create a positive, supportive and respectful working environment for each other and for our customers.

Our success as a Council is dependent on the commitment and dedication of all staff, and the requirement for transparent and consistent standards and practices. All employees, including those with management responsibilities, need to be aware of, and comply with these standards and practices.

The South Ayrshire Way sets out clear and consistent standards ranging from the uniforms we wear, to how we deal with each other and our customers. it is also our commitment to creating a respectful, positive and supportive working environment for each other, and for our customers.

Through the South Ayrshire Way, we're working to improve the culture of the organisation and to make the Council an even better place to work.

South Ayrshire Live

Access South Ayrshire Council Live, the interactive e-magazine where you can find all the latest news, information and events across South Ayrshire.