Head of Quality (Fixed Term Contract)

We have an exciting opportunity to work within our Innovation and Quality Group, as Head of Quality. In this role, you will support the organisation in delivering high quality audits. We are recruiting for this role on a 2-year fixed-term basis, with the successful candidate expected to commence in post in April 2026.

Audit Scotland provides the Auditor General and Accounts Commission with the services they need to carry out their duties. Together we ensure that the Scottish Government and public-sector bodies throughout Scotland are held to account for the proper, efficient, and effective use of public money. We employ around 340 staff in a wide variety of roles, working from our main offices in Edinburgh and Glasgow, and through a network of regional offices across Scotland.

What you will be doing

As Head of Quality, you will be responsible for the Quality function. Your responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• providing a constructive quality monitoring process across ASG and working in collaboration with relevant staff in I&Q in respect of quality reviews for PABV
• conducting engagement cold file reviews and other types of review, including peer, themed, and hot file reviews
• supporting audit teams with external quality monitoring visits, including responses to cold file review findings.
• leading on compliance and reporting of Audit Scotland’s system of quality management under ISQM (UK) 1
• maintenance and development of the Audit Scotland Audit Quality Manual
• supporting Engagement Quality Reviews
• facilitation of independent and second opinions
• facilitation of root cause analysis and development of quality improvement action plans
• review of quality procedures and ensuring compliance with control standards
• supporting the Quality and Ethics Committee.

The management of this function includes the risk-based selection of annual audits to be subject to different types of review; reviewing the work of other team members; conducting reviews; delivering feedback to audit teams and the rest of the organisation; influencing and delivering training in response to findings; and continually developing quality activities and arrangements. You will manage a small team, resourced via a mix of secondments from Audit Services Group, and permanent I&Q staff.

As one of our senior members of staff, you’ll be inspiring our people and you’ll help make Audit Scotland a world-class public sector audit organisation with your ability to:

• provide effective leadership, build capacity and resilience in the team and motivate, support and encourage people to achieve their full potential
• deliver a range of reports and other outputs and present the findings to colleagues and stakeholders, which may include the Executive Team, Audit Scotland Board, and the Accounts Commission
• undertake significant risk-based decision making, using considerable judgement and investigation, about the quantity and depth of quality findings, proportion to the circumstances, and communicating this across the organisation
• constructively challenge judgements and conclusions, adding value from a quality perspective
• ensure work is properly resourced in terms of people, abilities and knowledge and communicate this to the team
• conduct an ongoing review of the team’s work to ensure that it is delivered to time, quality and budget
• embrace and promote best practice and share it across the organisation to improve quality
• influence organisational culture and contribute to the overall management of Audit Scotland, by participating in and contributing to and leading on corporate activities.

As an inspiring leader you’ll harness the power of your team to undertake effective quality activities to a world-class standard. You will use your experience, technical knowledge, performance management and inter-personal skills to make a significant impact on the work of audit teams in ASG and have a clear understanding of how the outcomes from these activities affect our teams and stakeholders. You will generate and lead dialogue about these subjects, facilitating conversation to develop further understanding and share knowledge.

You will lead the team in a collaborative way, nurturing an excellent environment and ensuring there is ongoing collaboration with other I&Q functions; you will undertake key roles and involvement in various corporate forums, relevant to the quality function; and you will take a role in the organisations aim to broaden our horizons and increasing engagement with firms; UK and overseas agencies; and oversight and standard-setting bodies. In addition, you will be involved in other work undertaken within I&Q that contributes to our mission.

Knowledge and experience

You will be a fully qualified accountant (CIPFA, ICAS, other CCAB, CIMA or equivalent), and have practical experience of managing high-quality external audits, preferably in a public sector environment.

Self-aware in your own abilities, you can plan and manage your own work, and the work of a team, to time and quality. You will have well-developed professional judgement and scepticism skills, and the ability to present clear judgements backed up by useful recommendations for improvement. You know how to work seamlessly within a team to bring out the best in your colleagues.

You will also have:

• a deep knowledge and understanding of the wider public sector, how it works and the issues it is facing
• a deep knowledge and understanding of the business of Audit Scotland and the challenges and opportunities arising
• experience in leading teams and managing, coaching and developing people
• discipline, resilience and be organised with excellent project management and time management skills
• strong verbal and written communication skills and sound judgement and experience to present balanced findings and make convincing and persuasive recommendations that have impact
• the ability to analyse findings and recommend practical solutions
• strategic and creative thinking, solving demanding problems where the answers are not immediately clear
• the ability to deal with difficult situations and challenging individuals in a calm, professional and effective manner
• appropriate management planning skills and experience to ensure work is properly resourced in terms of people, abilities and knowledge
• the foresight to identify potential organisational challenges and intervene before they manifest into issues.

You will have a plan that includes your own continuous development, inspiring others and helping Audit Scotland lead on being a world-class organisation. You will undertake professional and personal development to maintain technical expertise and meet CPD requirements.

Person specification - specific knowledge and experience

Essential

• A fully qualified accountant (CIPFA, ICAS, other CCAB, CIMA or equivalent) (S)
• Extensive experience in leading teams and managing, coaching and developing people (S&I)
• An understanding of quality review activities, including cold and hot file reviews (S&I)
• Excellent project management and time management skills (S&I)
• A deep knowledge and understanding of the wider public sector, how it works and the issues it is facing (I)
• Experience in presenting balanced findings and making convincing and persuasive recommendations that have impact (S&I)
• Excellent communication (verbal and written) and interpersonal skills, and are confident in building and maintaining effective relationships with senior stakeholders (S&I)
• Experience of leading discussions with senior staff in a range of organisations and dealing with difficult situations in a calm, professional and effective manner. (S&I)

Desirable

• Deep knowledge and understanding of the business of Audit Scotland and the challenges and opportunities arising (S&I)
• Digital ICT audit experience (S)

*S = Shortlisting criteria I = Interview criteria

Interested? Next steps 

• Click the apply button to complete an application form. If you wish, you can also share your CV. We offer a range of benefits, please visit our careers page for more information at http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/careers.
• Our application deadline is Sunday 08 February 2026 at midnight.
• We have reserved Monday 23 February and Wednesday 25 February for interviews to take place in our offices.

Audit Scotland

Our vision is that public money is well spent to meet the needs of Scotland's people.

To achieve this, we support the Auditor General for Scotland and the Accounts Commission to provide clear, independent and objective assurance on how effectively public money is being managed and spent. Our work covers about £59bn of public spending, almost 300 public sector accounts, and the services and projects that affect all people and communities in Scotland.

As well as what we do, how we do it is integral to delivering our vision and critical to our wellbeing and our organisational success. We put our organisational values of equality, independence, innovation, integrity and respect at the heart of everything we do.

We employ around 340 staff in a wide variety of roles, working from our main offices in Edinburgh and Glasgow, and through a network of regional offices across Scotland.

There has never been a more interesting or important time to join us. We offer a rewarding place to work, a supportive and open culture and a wide range of professional development opportunities. Benefits include 42 days of annual leave including public holidays, an attractive local government defined benefit pension scheme with 17.6% employer contributions, personal development allowances and flexible working hours.

Diversity and Inclusion 

We value the unique perspective a diverse workforce brings to what we do. Therefore, we’re keen to increase representation in our workforce and support progression of minority ethnic groups. We are also a proud disability confident employer.

Reasonable Adjustments

Audit Scotland’s recruitment process may include various stages and activities including application forms, online assessments, and interviews, to assess whether you meet the requirements of the role.

As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to providing inclusive and accessible recruitment where everyone is supported to perform at their best.

When applying for a job with Audit Scotland, you will be asked in the application form if you need an adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process. Please include the reason you require an adjustment and details of what adjustment/s might help.

Some examples of adjustments that have been given to candidates include changing the time, location or format of interviews and providing additional time in any assessments and interviews. This is not an exhaustive list, and we will consider any adjustments that you might need.

As part of our commitment to equality and diversity, our equality network groups would be delighted to offer an insight into Audit Scotland’s culture of inclusivity. If you consider yourself to have a visible or hidden disability and wish to hear more about life at Audit Scotland or wish to speak with someone about the possibility of any adjustments, please contact Careers@audit-scotland.gov.uk or call 0131 625 1500 for further information and a member of the HR team will be in touch.

How we work 

We employ around 340 staff in a wide variety of roles. They work flexibly at home and in the office as well as from audit sites across Scotland. This isn’t your typical work from home or work from office type job. We’re flexible about working patterns and we’ve transformed how we deliver high-quality public audit. We support you to work in the ways that achieve the best results for you, your team and the business, including your physical location and how you manage your hours. Put simply, we trust you to do your job, and want you to have the ability to have a rewarding work-life balance and best support your individual circumstances, be that childcare, adult carer responsibilities or managing disabilities.

Other conditions 

Audit Scotland is committed to ensuring that:

• We minimise our impact on the environment in accordance with Government policy affecting public sector organisations.
• We uphold the principles of equality, fairness & diversity.
• We all work within a safe environment and adhere to good standards of health & safety.
• All information is protected and managed appropriately.
• We maintain independence and political neutrality.