Salary: £48,415 - £57,000
Location: Inverness (hybrid working may be available). Regular travel to Inverness will be required, all posts must be based in Scotland.
Contract: permanent
The Scottish Land Commission is seeking to appoint a Finance and Business Systems Lead. This is an exciting opportunity to join the Scottish Land Commission team. As a Finance and Business Systems Lead, you'll play a pivotal role in shaping the financial landscape of our organisation. You'll have the opportunity to work alongside a talented and diverse team, driving strategic financial planning and ensuring robust corporate governance. At the Scottish Land Commission, we offer a supportive and flexible working environment, with hybrid work options available, helping you to achieve a healthy work-life balance.
At the Scottish Land Commission we believe that land and how we use it is at the very heart of a thriving nation. Our role is to provide leadership and advice in reforming the ownership and use of land in Scotland. We advise Scottish Government, Parliament, and others on an ongoing programme of reforms to law and policy, and we provide leadership for changes in culture and practice.
The Scottish Land Commission is here to provide leadership and fresh thinking, underpinned by sound research, analysis, and advice. Our forthcoming Strategic Plan sets a focus for our work on people, power, and prosperity:
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Enabling people to participate in and influence decision about land;
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Diversifying the power and control in land ownership and governance;
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Using the value and benefits of land to create economic prosperity.
In this role, you'll be responsible for delivering effective financial management and oversight, ensuring compliance with legal and operational requirements. You'll collaborate closely with our teams to guide strategic financial planning and manage internal and external audits. Additionally, you'll lead key functions, including procurement and contract management, ensuring smooth day-to-day operations.
We know that sometimes people can avoid applying for jobs unless they can meet every single requirement. If you’re interested in this job, but don’t meet all the criteria, please apply anyway. This is a varied role and full training can be given, we don’t expect anyone to be able to do every part of the job straightaway. Everyone has a learning curve.
Deliver effective financial management and oversight of spend and budget reporting ensuring appropriate procedures and systems are in place to undertake recording and reporting of financial transactions and budget management.
Prepare and co-ordinate the annual accounts and report.
Provide effective management of our internal and external audit process, to include; acting as the main point of contact with internal and external auditors, devising implementation plans and co-ordinating evidence and supporting information as required.
Provide accurate financial reporting and information to the management team to aid decision making and liaise with Scottish Government sponsor team.
Manage and develop compliance systems and processes to meet the duties of the Commission as a public body, which includes Scottish Public Finance Manual and Public Sector Procurement Policy.
Lead and deliver office support including managing office premises, IT and cyber security, role of Health & Safety Liaison Officer and the day to day running of the organisation.
Play a key role in the Commission’s Audit and Risk Committee including; preparation of papers, risk interrogations and attendance of meetings.
Development of annual pay modelling in line with public sector pay policy.
Support the Head of Communications and Corporate Services as required.
Line Management of the Senior Finance Officer.
Manage and oversee delegated budget, ensuring that expenditure is planned in accordance with the Commission’s budget requirements and procurement principles.
Commission and manage contracts effectively; including acting as a subject matter expert for other colleagues on procurement and contract management.
Support the governance of the Commission through maintaining, updating, and implementing governance procedures, processes, and documentation such as operational risks and risk assessments.
Deliver on good governance practices, accountability, and compliance.
Contribute to organisational performance monitoring and reporting.
Keep CRM systems up to date and maintain accurate records of casework and other contacts.
The successful candidate will have a relevant degree or equivalent professional experience for this role. They will have proven experience as a finance manager or in a similar financial management role. They will have a strong background in financial planning, analysis and reporting with experience in budgeting, forecasting and financial modelling. They will have familiarity with accounting principle and financial regulations. They will have experience with risk management and internal controls. They will also have advanced knowledge of financial analysis techniques and tools. They will have excellent analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex financial data and provide strategic insights. They will have a strong attention to detail and accuracy with exceptional problem-solving and decision-making abilities. They will also have strong organisational and time management skills to handle multiple priorities and meet deadlines. They will have an up-to-date knowledge of industry trends and best practices in finance and corporate governance. They must have a willingness to learn and taken on new areas of responsibility and a willingness to work out of hours to fulfil the requirements of the post. They will be resilient and adaptable, able to thrive in a changing environment with excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build effective working relationships at all levels of the organisation.
The standard working week is a 5-day week, Monday to Friday, of 35 hours. Flexible working is available and both part-time and full-time applications are welcomed.
Applications are invited by application form which can be found on our website Work with us - Scottish Land Commission along with a detailed job description, privacy statement and equality statement. Completed applications should be submitted to [email protected] prior to the closing date. Please note that CVs will not be accepted as a form of application.
Closing date for applications is 5 pm on 18 September 2026.
Interviews will be held in-person in Inverness on Tuesday 29 September 2026.
