How do I apply for a role with SFC?
Please apply via SFC's recruitment site with your CV and Cover Letter. For most roles, you will also have the opportunity to write a personal summary, if you would like to.

Can I use an Artificial Intelligence tool such as Chat GPT to help with my Application?
We acknowledge that AI is widely seen as an everyday tool, and useful as part of an application process.  Our expectation is that it may be used as a tool to help with structure rather than the content of a CV or cover letter.  Using AI to write whole paragraphs or entire documents on a candidate’s behalf  is not deemed appropriate and candidates found to be doing so, may be removed from the recruitment process.

What should I include in my application?
We recommend that through your personal summary / CV / cover letter that you give evidence of proven experience of each of the criteria specified in the role.

The selection panel read every application and will use the evidence you provide to assess your application against the essential criteria of the Person Specification section.

In your CV please also set out your educational and professional qualifications, and career history, with key responsibilities, dates and achievements. Please provide reasons for any gaps.

If you give any information which you know is false, or if you withhold relevant information, this may lead to your application being rejected, or if you have already been appointed, to your dismissal.

I may need a reasonable adjustment during my application or interview.  How do I make this known?

During the CV submission stage, you will be asked to confirm if you require any reasonable adjustments in a tick box.
If a reasonable adjustment is needed for your application, please email recruitment@sfc.ac.uk for further assistance.
When invited for interview, we will ask you to advise if any reasonable adjustments may be required.  Adjustments may include additional time at interview to answer questions, a support person being present at your interview, the questions being added into a text box in a virtual interview or something else.  We are happy to assist with reasonable adjustments, just let us know what you may need.
We have recently implemented a new process where all candidates invited for interview will receive the non-technical questions 24-48 hours prior to interview.

I wish to have my application recognised under the Disability Confident Scheme, how do I do this?

We welcome applicants who wish for their application to be recognised under the Disability Confident Scheme. Under this Scheme, all applicants who consider themselves to be disabled in terms of the Equality Act 2010, and who meet the essential minimum criteria for the post will be guaranteed an interview. You can find further guidance on the definition of disability for these purposes on the Gov.UK website here.  You will be asked to confirm if you wish to be recognised under the Disability Confident scheme during the application process.

I want to apply but don't see a vacancy suitable for me?
We are delighted to receive speculative applications at SFC's recruitment site. We will retain your details for a period of 12 months to be compared to new roles as they occur.  We will contact you should we feel a new role might be of interest to you, advising how to apply.

Generally roles advertised are for full-time hours, unless specified.

We welcome applications from everyone, regardless of their circumstances.  Often we can consider part-time hours or a job share for roles.  Please do apply, and we will discuss your hours at time of offer.

How do I know my application has been received?
You will receive an automated acknowledgement of your application being received and further information once the screening process is underway.  If you have not received a reply, please check your SPAM or junk mail.

The email address to reply to is a strange mix of letters and numbers @pinpoint.email - is this correct?
When you create your application, the recruitment system (Pinpoint) will create a unique email address for all your correspondence.  This mean when you reply to this email address, your messages, updates and tasks will automatically go to your profile.  This helps our HR team keep up to date with your communication, and maintain all personal information according to our privacy policy.

What happens if I am not successful at application stage?
We may keep your application on file for up to 12 months with a view to contacting you should the same role, or other similar roles with closely matching essential criteria, become vacant.   Unfortunately due to the high number of applications, we are unable to provide individual feedback at this stage.

What happens if I am not successful at interview?
If we have more appointable candidates than vacancies available, unless you advise us to the contrary, we may keep your application on file for up to 12 months with a view to contacting you should the same role, or other similar roles with closely matching essential criteria, become vacant. Where this route is used, we reserve the right to use it without further testing of merit via an interview process.  We will provide feedback on your interview, if requested, at this stage.

Who can I contact if I still have a question?
If you have any queries regarding your application or the role, please email recruitment@sfc.ac.uk or phone 0131 313 6500 and ask for Human Resources.

What personal details can you see?

The hiring panel will receive an anonymised version of your application, without your name, address, location or contact details etc.  These will only be revealed to the hiring panel at time of interview. 

Occasionally, we may open a role without publishing a closing date.  This generally happens when we have previously opened the role but have not received sufficient applications.  If a role does not have a closing date, we will review and interview as candidates apply.  As such, we may close such roles without notice, if a suitable candidate is recruited. 

If you have received an invite to interview, please confirm you are available at the time and date specified by replying to the email.  The email will also ask you to confirm your current salary (this is for HR purposes only and will not be shared with the Hiring Panel) and if you have any reasonable adjustments or additional requirements for the interview.  Please also use the time before the interview to prepare your interview task and re-read the job profile.  

How do I prepare for my interview?
As part of the interview process, for many roles, SFC may ask you to undertake a task / research and present back your findings during the first five minutes of your interview. 

If a task is required, we will normally ask you to email this to us the day prior to your interview. 

Competency questions are generally used to find out how candidates would react to certain situations, by asking for real-world examples to expand on their expertise.

Competency interview questions will be based around the essential (and possibly also desirable) criteria / skills and attributes stated in the person specification for the job applied for. Therefore, you can prepare for interview by ensuring you know which competencies we’ve stated are required for the job applied for and by considering when you have demonstrated these competencies in your working life (or private / educational life if you are at the beginning of your career). You can then prepare your examples to provide at interview by using the STAR method.

There is no guarantee that the examples you prepare will all come up in your interview, but – as with most things – the more prepared you are the more likely you are to succeed.

You may also wish to check out the following interview tips from Indeed.

What to check before your online interview?
If your interview is to be held online rather than face to face we suggest that before the interview you check your internet connection, headphones etc. in the meeting platform (we normally use Microsoft Teams – and will have sent you a link).

Can I use AI tools during my interview?
SFC will not accept candidates using AI as part of their interview process and we reserve the right to ask the candidate to confirm if they are using AI. As an organisation,  SFC does not consent to being recorded (with or without permission) during interview, by the candidate or any AI software. Any such breach found, will immediately lead to the interview being stopped, with no further opportunity for employment. 

Employees who are found to have used AI as part of their interview process will be in breach of SFC’s expectation of appropriate conduct, and subject to disciplinary action, which could lead to dismissal.

We are pleased to support applications from everyone regardless of age, disability, race and ethnicity, socio-economic background, gender, sexual orientation, sex, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief, as well as those who have skills in Scottish Gaelic or British Sign Language, who have the right skills for the job. 

Across the SFC we are committed to building a diverse workforce which is representative of the communities we serve across Scotland. We also know that a diverse workforce must feel safe, supported and included which is why we are taking steps to ensure that our working environment is one in which unique perspectives are celebrated and everyone can bring their whole self to work.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and actively encourage interviews through the scheme.  

Further information on SFC’s approach to Equality and Diversity can be found here.

What recruitment principles do you follow?
SFC is a Non-Departmental Public Body which operates according to the Civil Service Recruitment Principles to ensure fair and open competition for all roles. Further information can be found by downloading the Recruitment Principles here.

Could this role be considered as a secondment opportunity?
We will consider secondment applications for most fixed-term or temporary positions and in many cases also for permanent positions. If you are interested in applying on a secondment basis and this option is not explicitly mentioned in the job advert, please ask us at the application stage and we will advise you. 

If you are applying on a secondment basis please make this clear in your application. We also recommend that you check with your current employer that they would be happy to consider you for secondment if you were to be successful in your application. 

Do you offer employment sponsorships?
No. You must be eligible to work in the UK to apply for these roles: we do not offer sponsorships.  SFC do not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skills Worker License and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.
As part of our pre-employment process we will ask you to provide relevant documentation to show that you are eligible to work in the UK.

Do you offer internships?
SFC provides internships across a variety of directorates, at times when there can be a benefit to both the student and SFC.  Due to the high volume of demand for these opportunities, we are unable to accept applications for second internship requests from students who have previously completed a successful program with SFC.

How is my information stored?
All data relating to an individual’s application will be treated / processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018. Our privacy notice relating to this can be viewed on SFC’s Access to information

Should I receive communication during the application process?
You will receive confirmation your application has been received, along with further details to let you know if you are being invited for interview, or not.  If you have not received any communication, please check your spam / junk folder.

 SFC’s pay and grading system is structured around eight grades. These grades range from A1, which is an administrative role, through to Director.  

 

Each grade has a salary range and employees at that grade are paid within that range. Our pay awards, including annual pay progression for those who are not at the maximum of their salary range, are reviewed annually through collective negotiation with our recognised trade union, Unite. Pay and related terms and conditions of employment  are subject to Scottish Government Public Sector Pay Policy. 

 

From January 2025, the salary ranges will be:
Grade A1  from £22,959 to £24,204
Grade A2 from £25,401 to £28,050
Grade E1 from £29,787 to £34,857
Grade E2 from £38,055 to £44,817
Grade E3 from £46,392 to £54,003
Grade M1 from £62,172 to £73,326
Grade M2 from £74,712 to £87,267

Can I work remotely?
Yes. SFC offers hybrid working for most employees. This means that whilst the role is based at our Edinburgh office in Haymarket, there is substantial opportunity to work remotely from home most of the time.  As a rule of thumb SFC expects that a minimum of three days a month in the office (on average) will achieve the benefits of its hybrid approach for most roles, however, it is for the employee and their line manager to agree the balance between home and office working - determined primarily by business need. 

Please be aware that all roles can only be worked from within the UK and not overseas. Travel expenses are not applicable for travelling between home and work.

How is my home environment assessed for suitability for home working?
If you choose to work from home you are expected to ensure that you have arrangements in place to ensure a suitable workspace in which to carry out your work (including suitable broadband / internet): SFC can offer support with IT and some office equipment (including monitors, desk and chair), as well as an annual workplace assessment. However, you need to ensure you have sufficient space and a suitable environment for a desk-based work setup in order to work safely.

How would you describe SFC’s office?
SFC’s office is located near Haymarket Station in Edinburgh.  The purpose-built ground floor office has wheelchair access throughout, portable hearing loops, a staffed reception area, dimmable lighting, quiet areas, open spaces, height adjustable desks and chairs in a hot desk environment. We have sharing booths for small meetings and glass-faced meeting rooms for larger activities.  There are also personal lockers, shower facilities and a drying cupboard as well as a lovely plant-filled atrium for breaktimes, which is close to the communal kitchen, which has free tea and coffee.  Click here for an office tour.

What is SFC's dress code?
We operate a smart-casual dress code.

How does the flexi-time system operate?
A standard full-time contract is 35 hours a week, which works out at an average of seven hours worked per day. This is pro-rated for employees working flexible patterns, such as part-time days or a compressed working week. In general employees are expected to start and finish work within the flexi-time bandwidth, which runs from 07.30 to 19.00, as long as it meets the requirements of their specific role, contract and operational requirements and the principles of our colleague guidance on hybrid working. Within limits there is scope to accrue flexi hours and use them to take time off in lieu.

How is holiday entitlement allocated?
All new colleagues receive a full year’s annual leave entitlement (pro rata in the case of part-time working) from day one. Subsequent years’ annual leave entitlements are applicable on the anniversary of the start date. i.e. your annual leave entitlement effective date is specific to you rather than there being an organisational annual leave year. 

In addition to an annual leave entitlement from day one, colleagues are entitled to any Public and Privilege holidays recognised by SFC (pro rata where applicable) which fall within the remainder of the calendar year in which they start. The total number and dates of Public and Privilege holidays are published each calendar year. The current annual leave entitlement and the total number of Public and Privilege holidays per calendar year are detailed in the 'Benefits’ section of this document. 

Do you offer continuity of service for civil servants?
The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) is an accredited Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) funded by the Scottish Government. Our employees are public servants rather than civil servants. Whilst we follow the Civil Service Recruitment Principles and our staff can join the Civil Service pension arrangements we operate as a distinct body governed by our own code of conduct. Civil servants who apply to join us should be aware that unless the arrangements are agreed as a secondment, they are likely to have to resign from the Civil Service.

What type of employee activities do you have?
In 2024, we plan to hold a number of activities including events (such as participation in Pride via the LGBT Community) and a newly launched book club. In 2023 we ended the year with a new lunch club, festive jumper competition, virtual background contest, Christmas market, festive party and a December quiz as well as a signature bake taste-off.

How does SFC support colleague professional development?
We are dedicated to providing comprehensive support for continuous learning and professional development.  We are proud to have a skilled and highly qualified workforce and we support our people to achieve qualifications and attend events and courses as part of identified training needs and/or to gain transferrable skills. Where possible, we also support those who do not have a diploma or degree-level qualification to gain a qualification. 

The Civil Service Learning curriculum has been thoughtfully designed to cater to various learning preferences, allowing employees to engage in a manner that best suits their needs. All our educational resources are conveniently accessible through the CSL website.  

Away from work we also encourage learning though our colleague Lifelong Learning Fund - we support and encourage our people to take on formal and informal learning for skills development and / or personal fulfilment and to improve work / life balance.  

We recognise the value that some staff can gain from membership of a professional body and will reimburse the fee for one relevant annual professional membership (where the membership is a requirement for the job). 

SFC are proud to work with the following organisations and associations to ensure SFC is a great place to work.