The Care Inspectorate's role is to regulate and inspect care and support services, carry out scrutiny of social work services (including criminal justice social work services); and, conduct joint inspections with other scrutiny partners of services for adults and children. We have a significant role in providing assurance and protection for people who use services, their families and carers and the wider public as well as supporting delivery partners to improve the quality of care for people in Scotland.

This is an exciting and challenging time for the Care Inspectorate and, following a recent review of our senior management structure, we are looking for inspirational and dynamic leaders with the drive, understanding, vision, creativity and experience to make change happen.

We are seeking applications to the following new senior post:

You will take overall responsibility for the leadership and direction of inspections for all inspection activity ensuring that the Care Inspectorate meets its responsibilities as defined by the Public Services Reform Act 2010 and other relevant legislation, making major strategic decisions with significant emphasis on inspection and regulation.

In addition, you will provide social work advice for the Care Inspectorate and advise the Chief Executive and the Care Inspectorate Board on the development and implementation of the regulatory functions of the Care Inspectorate.

You will also lead and take overall responsibility on the delivery of the Administrative function within the Care Inspectorate, including corporate administrative policy, staff deployment, and National Enquiries Line.

You will be educated to degree level or equivalent, with a professional qualification in social work, and will demonstrate significant experience in both leading and managing strategic and operational inspection and in social work practice and management in community care, criminal justice or children's services. You will demonstrate evidence of embedding sustainable transformational change in an organisation, with a proven track record of promoting, leading and implementing strategies and change programmes to improve the development and quality of services.

With the ability to apply strategic leadership and direction to a diverse, multi-disciplinary team of senior professional staff, you will demonstrate significant knowledge of working with inspection/regulation of care in an adult, children and criminal justice care practice setting, with involvement in the social and health care agenda.

An articulate and positive communicator, both verbally and in written form, with good public speaking skills, you will also possess excellent negotiation and influencing skills, with an ability to translate plans into action.

You will demonstrate understanding of, and involvement in, corporate social responsibility, whereby social and environmental concerns are voluntarily integrated to business operations and stakeholder interaction, being politically astute and knowledgeable of trends and changes in social care with an understanding of Equality and Diversity issues.

The Care Inspectorate has its headquarters in Dundee, but with offices throughout Scotland, the base location is negotiable.

Closing date for applications: 16 January 2013.

For more information on this role and how to apply, please visit this link.