Programme Manager - B3

This post offers the unique opportunity to drive policy that will deliver real benefit for some of the most vulnerable people in society. The work of the Mental Health and Incapacity Law Unit is focussed on improving people’s lives through its focus on the rights and protections of people with mental ill health and those adults that lack capacity. The Unit has a range of policy functions which centre around human rights, ethics, social welfare and ensuring equality.

The work of the unit has been shaped by the Scottish Mental Health Law Review (SMHLR) which reported in 2022. The strong recommendation of this review was that a new overall approach to mental health and capacity law was required. The law should have a new purpose, namely, to ensure that the human rights of people with mental or intellectual disability are respected, protected and fulfilled. It was recognised in the final report, however, that such a radical change would take several years to achieve. The Scottish Government published its initial response to the review in June 2023 (Scottish mental health law review: our response - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)).

This post provides a leading role in driving forward our ambition to embed human rights across our policies through reform of the Adults with Incapacity Act. This work focuses on developing policy intent to inform legislative change to be introduced in the next parliamentary term.

It is important that work is taken forward collaboratively across SG and with wider stakeholders. The successful candidate must therefore be experienced in this approach. An Expert Working Group and a Ministerial Oversight Group was established in September 2025 to bring both pace and priority to this work and the postholder will be expected to work constructively with both to build consensus on reform proposals.

The work of the AWI team is framed around a number of workstreams including:

• ​Powers of Attorney

• Deprivation of Liberty

• Guardianships

• Medical Treatment, Forced Detention and Covert Medicine

• Managing Residents' Finances

• Access to Funds

The postholder will be expected to work with a degree of autonomy in driving forward workstreams.

The work of the unit is dynamic and fast-paced. The post-holder will be expected to be flexible in responding to changing and emerging priorities.

Responsibilities

• Work collaboratively and constructively with the AWI Expert Working Group and Ministerial Oversight Group to develop and drive consensus on reform proposals.

• Lead on project management including risk assessment.

• Develop and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with key partners.

• Work with SGLD to assess policy proposals against human rights requirements to support readiness for future legislation.

• Undertake ongoing impact assessments in relation to emerging policy proposals.

• Line management responsibility for 1xB2.