Policy Officer (Gambling Harm Prevention)

Job Description

This Policy Officer post will lead the development and delivery of an action and communications plan that enables Local Government to prevent and reduce gambling harms.

With a level of supervision, you will support and where appropriate lead on areas of policy for your team, ensuring line management and political endorsement at all relevant stages. With developing political acumen, the ability to take ownership of issues, consistent application of personal initiative, and a drive to see matters through to successful conclusion, all characterise your contribution to COSLA’s priorities.

You will be an exemplar for the public service ethos by committing to:

• a respect for the autonomy and potential of the people and communities of Scotland, and the ambition to help maximise both;
• an ambition to improve the lives and opportunities of the people and communities of Scotland, and a commitment to work with them to achieve their aspirations; and
• gaining maximum value and impact for public resources, and to account openly to the public for what is done in their name.

Responsibilities

1. Lead the development and delivery of prevention and early intervention activity aligned to the national 5Ps roadmap, working with Public Health Scotland and Scottish Government.

2. Contribute to the design of Local Government’s role within the gambling levy system in partnership with Public Health Scotland.

3. Deliver and monitor workplan activities, working autonomously to ensure alignment with levy-funded prevention, treatment and research programmes.

4. Identify and engage partners to strengthen whole system responses to gambling harm and support integration of prevention activity across council services.

5. Work with Local Government professional associations to embed gambling harm prevention within connected services.

6. Produce briefings; support elected members and officers; and organise national and local events that promote a public health and community wellbeing approach.

7. Coordinate training, awareness and developmental activity across councils and partners, including supporting the rollout and embedding of gambling awareness training across COSLA and the Improvement Service.

8. Support councils to access levy-funded prevention services and monitor progress of local gambling harm initiatives.

9. Capture data to support Public Health Scotland evaluation of the levy system and evaluate COSLA-led projects.

10. Provide secretariat support to the COSLA National Gambling Harms Prevention Steering Group.

11. Maintain effective relationships with partner organisations providing services to Local Government related to gambling harm, including working jointly with treatment and support organisations funded through the levy.

12. Ensure gambling harms prevention activity aligns with the wider work of COSLA’s Communities Team.

13. Work with others to develop COSLA policy around thematic issues and/or emerging priorities arising from COSLA’s strategic objectives and business planning processes; decisions made at Convention, Leaders or Executive Group meetings; and instructions from your line manager.

14. Lead specific policy development projects, as agreed with your line manager, and effectively communicate COSLA policy to member councils and relevant partners and stakeholders, including briefing colleagues and elected members as required.

15. Support COSLA’s political processes, including the production and presentation of reports.

16. Articulate arguments clearly and effectively in support of COSLA’s negotiating position with external partners and stakeholders on matters relevant to your role.

17. Create and maintain a framework of professional relationships and provide advice and guidance to partners as required.

18. Be accountable to the Policy Manager (Communities Team, COSLA) for day-to-day management, and work in close partnership with the Organisational Lead for Gambling Harm Prevention (Public Health Scotland) in line with the agreed joint governance arrangements.

 

Attributes

Essential

• Policy development and implementation in a public sector or partnership context
• Strong analytical skills, using evidence to inform recommendations and support monitoring/evaluation (including a public health/inequalities perspective)
• Excellent organisational skills, including planning and delivering a workplan with multiple stakeholders
• Strong communication and influencing skills, including producing briefings for different audiences (including elected members) and presenting/facilitating meetings/events

Desirable

• Prevention and/or early intervention policy or programme experience
• Knowledge of Scottish Local Government and community wellbeing/inequalities
• Awareness of gambling harms (or related harm prevention) and experience of working with funded programmes and/or monitoring/evaluation

PERSONAL QUALITIES

• Professional and approachable
• Clear communicator
• Work on own initiative

QUALIFICATIONS

• Educated to Degree standard or equivalent

EXPERIENCE

• Research/analysis and using evidence to inform recommendations (including public health/inequalities where relevant)
• Delivering policy or programme work in partnership settings, including planning and monitoring a workplan
• Producing briefings/communications and influencing stakeholders (including local authorities and external partners)

SKILLS AND ABILITIES APPLICABLE TO POST

• Strong verbal and written communication skills, adapting style for different audiences
• Ability to present and facilitate meetings/events, and support delivery of awareness/training activity
• Partnership working and influencing skills, including confidence handling sensitive and complex issues
• Ability to capture, manage and summarise data to support monitoring and evaluation
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint

 

How to apply

Applications should be made through the myjobscotland website by 11.59pm on the 5^th of July 2026.

It is anticipated interviews will be held week of the 20^th of July 2026