Note: Recruitment for the Patient Safety Commissioner is being managed by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman’s office. The role advertised below is not for the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.
Contract type: Fixed Term (2 years). Full time (35 hours per week), 9am-5pm Monday-Friday
Location: Edinburgh Office – Bridgeside House, 99 McDonald Road, Hybrid working available with some required attendance at the office
Salary scale: Band 4: £46,272 – £62,710, Starting salaries are normally placed at the starting point of the scale
Benefits: 40.5 days of annual leave (including public holidays), Flexible working arrangements, Civil Service Pension Scheme
The Office of the Patient Safety Commissioner for Scotland plays a vital role in strengthening the safety and quality of healthcare across the nation. Independent of government and the NHS, the Office amplifies the voices of patients and families, identifying systemic risks and driving evidence-based improvements that make healthcare safer for all. Through rigorous, impartial investigations and constructive engagement with health bodies, regulators, and patient groups, the Office seeks to uncover and address the underlying causes of harm—ensuring that learning from adverse events leads to enduring improvements in policy, practice, and culture across Scotland’s health system.
This role leads the delivery of corporate services and operational management across finance, audit, governance, ICT, office management and information governance, ensuring robust systems, controls and value for money. Working closely with the Executive Director, the postholder supports business and strategic planning, risk management, reporting and parliamentary outputs, while providing high quality secretariat support to the Patient Safety Commissioner. The role also drives continuous improvement through project and change management to enhance organisational effectiveness.
To be successful in this role, you will have experience of leading and managing corporate services, with the ability to operate confidently and manage relationships with a variety of internal and external stakeholders, providing clear, authoritative advice. You will have excellent administrative, organisational and analytical skills, alongside a strong understanding of governance, risk, and public sector accountability. It would be beneficial if you have an awareness and understanding of the Scottish Parliament systems, the NHS and patient safety landscape.
Recruitment for the Patient Safety Commissioner is being managed by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman’s office. If you are interested in in this vacancy, please download the application pack below.
For further information, please contact 0131 297 4876 or you can email [email protected].
Closing date: 10:00 on 25 May 2026
Interview and assessment: Date to be confirmed after 8 June 2026
Equal Opportunities Statement:
We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and communities. We are committed to providing equal opportunities in employment and in the service provided to complainants. No job applicant, staff member or person receiving a service from us will receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of sex, gender, marital status, or racial grounds or on grounds of disability, age, sexual orientation, language or social origin, or of other personal attributes including beliefs or opinions, such as religious beliefs or political opinions.
We are totally opposed to discrimination. We are committed to conducting the business in a way that is fair to all sections of the community. This may mean taking positive steps to ensure equal opportunities for staff involved in staff selection, staff management and service delivery.