Working at the SSSC

We value, celebrate and fully embrace the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion for everyone. We want to increase the diversity of our workforce and make sure that it better reflects the sector that we serve.

 

Our values as an organisation are to listen, learn and then do the right thing. 

In doing this we will 

• Work together 
  At the SSSC we treat each other with kindness and respect and value the contribution every member of staff makes. 

• Accept responsibility and accountability 
  We recognise the trust placed in us to ensure the safety and wellbeing of people who use social services and that is our guiding mission  

• Recognise and respect others 
  We value the social service workforce and the life changing work they do. Our work increases recognition of their role and further develops that role. All our stakeholders contribute to our success and we recognise and respect their views.  

We look for candidates who share these values. During the recruitment process, we may ask you to speak about times when you demonstrated our values.

Most roles require you to submit your application through our online system. If we require a CV instead, this will be specified in the job advert.

If you are selected for interview, we will contact you by email with details of your slot. Depending on the role, interviews may be held in person or Teams. For some roles, you will also be asked to complete an assessment on the day.

Once you are selected as a preferred candidate, our recruitment team will carry out pre-employment checks. These involve contacting references, a Disclosure Scotland check, a right to work check and an occupational health pre-placement check. Occupational Health may request a phone appointment to discuss your condition in more detail – this is to help us know how best to support you in work.

Useful resources 

• How to prepare for an interview and skills assessment  

• Recruitment top tips  
• Check your SCQF level(Opens new window)
• How to prove your Right to Work(Opens new window)

We’ve achieved Disability Confident(Opens new window) Level 3 status (Leader Award) and are continuing to take steps to help disabled people fulfil their potential.

Where a candidate is disabled and meets our essential criteria for a job, they are eligible through the guaranteed interview scheme and automatically shortlisted for interview. 

Please note we may limit the overall number of interviews offered to both disabled and non-disabled candidates if we have lots of applicants. In those circumstances recruiting managers may select the disabled candidates who best meet the minimum criteria rather than all candidates that meet the minimum criteria, as they would with non-disabled applicants.

We plan for and make reasonable adjustments to the assessment and interview process, for example by allowing candidates to complete a written test using a computer or by giving more time. We also make sure that people involved in the interviewing process understand the Disability Confident commitment.

If you apply under the Disability Confident scheme and are selected for interview, we’ll phone you to discuss any reasonable adjustments you need. 

If you need any help with the application process or need to discuss reasonable adjustments before interview, please contact [email protected]

If you have declared you have a disability, the recruitment team will only use this information to support you in the recruitment process. The panel won’t use this information when selecting preferred candidates.

You can declare a disability at any stage of the recruitment process. To be considered under Disability Confident scheme, you should declare your disability when submitting your application.

We recognise care experience as someone who has been formally looked after by a local authority, in the family home (with support from social services or a social worker), in kinship care with family, friends or relatives (including informal kinship care), foster care, residential or secure care or legally adopted.   

We warmly welcome applications from individuals who are care experienced. Our goal is to help you access employment, education, and new opportunities.  

If you meet the essential criteria listed in the person specification, we guarantee you an interview. We are committed to making the assessment and interview process as smooth as possible for you. This might include letting you see the interview questions in advance or asking questions in a different way. These small changes can make a big difference, such as providing a quiet room before the interview, offering breaks during the selection process, adjusting the timing, or changing the interview format.  

We ensure everyone involved in the interview process understands our commitment to supporting care experienced candidates, not just during recruitment but throughout your employment with us.  

You can choose to disclose that you are care experienced and decide if you want extra support at any stage of recruitment or employment. If you do, we are here to provide tailored support that suits your needs.  

If you need any help with the application process, please contact us at [email protected]. For support with the interview process or during employment, please mention it on your application form.  

Here are some common questions we get about attending an interview or assessment. Please contact [email protected] if you have any others. 

How long will the interview last? 
The interview will last around one hour. It may take longer if there is a skills assessment.

What form will the interview take? 
A panel of two or more interviewers will review your skills, knowledge and experience as well as competencies and values mapped out in the person specification.

Who are the panel members? 
The recruiting manager plus another person from the recruiting department and potentially a third panel member from an interdependent team, Human Resources or our Partnership Forum.

Where is the SSSC office in Dundee? 
Compass House, 11 Riverside Drive, Dundee DD1 4NY.

We have free parking onsite although there are a limited number of spaces. You should allow extra time to park nearby if our car park is full.

What happens when I arrive at the SSSC?  
You should make your way to reception and tell the receptionist that you are here for an in person interview and they will let the recruiting manager know. You will be invited to sign the fire register on arrival and when you leave. Someone will come to reception to meet you and take you to the room for interview.

Does the SSSC reimburse travel expenses for attending an interview?
No, any travel, accommodation and subsistence is the candidate’s responsibility. 

What happens if my interview is to take place over Teams?
We will send you a Teams meeting invite to your preferred email address when you confirm you will attend the interview. You should limit interruptions as much as possible although if you are working from home we will take this into consideration. We will also be sympathetic to connectivity issues and handle these as they arise.

Does the SSSC allow notes at interview?
Yes, but you should not read directly from them.

What happens if there is a skills assessment?
You will be advised in your invite to interview if you are to take part in a skills assessment. This may take place before or after your interview. We will give you instructions describing the exercise you are to take.

What happens after the interview/assessment?
The interview panel review each candidate’s performance against the person specification for the role to reach a general agreement on an individual’s overall performance. Candidates are usually notified of the outcome within two weeks. We will then carry out pre-employment checks for preferred candidates. 

We are happy to provide feedback to interviewees on request.

Here are some examples of questions we might ask at interview.  

Opening interview questions  

• Tell me about yourself.  

• What do you know about the organisation?   

• Why do you want to work for us?   

• What can you bring to the organisation?   

 
Competency based interview questions 

• Tell me about a time you went the extra mile for your job. How did you do it?  

• What was the last training you attended? How did you use your new knowledge in practice?  

• Tell me about the most significant project you worked on. How did you manage it, from start to finish?  

• Describe a time when you wished you’d been more collaborative with others. What did you do? What were the key learnings?  

 
Closing interview questions  

• Is the position what you expected based on the job advert?  

• Why do you think you would be a good fit for the role?  

• What development needs do you have for the role? 

• Do you have any questions for us? 

We recognise that AI tools can be helpful for refining ideas and preparing applications. However, your application must accurately reflect your own skills and experience. If you use AI to help draft your application, please disclose this. You should not use AI to misrepresent your abilities or complete assessments on your behalf. Please note that we will validate and assess your skills, knowledge and experience during the interview process. We value authenticity and want to understand your unique insights and experience.

Our modern office in the centre of Dundee overlooks the River Tay, is close to the railway station and bus links and has free onsite parking.

Our induction programme will teach you all you need to know and introduce you to colleagues from across all departments.

We offer up to 28 weeks full pay and up to 11 weeks half pay for maternity, adoption and shared parental leave. We also provide five weeks full pay for paternity leave. We are a Carer Positive employer, which means our commitment to supporting staff with caring responsibilities is recognised by the Scottish Government.

Under our Flexible Working Policy staff can apply for a range of varied working contracts and working patterns, for example, condensed or reduced hours. A flexible working scheme is in place for all staff.

We have an Agile Working Policy that supports office and remote working arrangements, depending on the requirements of each job. All staff are required to attend the office at times, for example, for meetings, training, staff events or to meet business needs.

We offer competitive salaries. Each salary scale has incremental steps of 2% progression to the top of the pay band and an annual review. New entrants will normally start on the minimum of the pay range. We’re committed to paying the Scottish Living Wage and are an accredited living wage employer.

We offer a generous annual leave entitlement of up to 43 days a year depending on length of service. We close for St Andrews Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, the period between Christmas and New Year and the first two working days of the new year. This time is taken as annual leave from your entitlement.

Annual leave and flexible public holidays

Length of service on 1 April	Annual leave entitlement in hours for a 35 hour WTE
Less than 2 years	280 (equivalent to 40 days full time)
3 years	287 (equivalent to 41 days full time)
4 years	294 (equivalent to 42 days full time)
5 years	301 (equivalent to 43 days full time)

We’re committed to partnership working with our recognised trade union, UNISON. Our Partnership Agreement supports a process of collective bargaining, allowing us to work collaboratively to develop, agree and review our working culture through human resources policies, terms and conditions of service and organisational development initiatives.

We offer a defined benefit pension scheme on a career average basis. Members build up a pension at a rate of 1/49th of the pensionable pay received in that scheme year. Employee contributions vary between 5.5% and 12% depending on earnings and we make a 15% employer contribution. 

The scheme is administered on our behalf by the Tayside Pension Fund(Opens new window) where you will find full details and how benefits are calculated.

Should you become ill or be unable to work due to an injury we’ll continue to pay sick pay for authorised periods of absence depending on your level of service to allow you to focus on getting better. These extend up to six months full pay and six months half pay depending on service.

Mylifestyle provides our cycle to work and childcare voucher schemes along with discounts to a range of retailers including supermarkets, restaurants, holiday operators, cinemas and more. All staff can claim a financial contribution of up to £100 towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses needed for display screen equipment (DSE) work.

Our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It’s an integrated online and offline personal support programme that gives staff unlimited access to a range of specialist support and information including health, financial advice and family care.

We are committed to the learning and development of our staff and offer a continuing education policy supporting higher, further and vocational education and other recognised learning activities. All staff have six-monthly development discussions, giving an opportunity to discuss progression, successes, learning and development needs, career aspirations and how we can support you to achieve these.

We are proud to hold the Investors in People Gold Award. This shows our commitment to staff, the dedication of everyone who works here and the values that drive us to ensure that social work, social care and children and young people services are provided by a trusted, skilled, confident and valued workforce.

The SSSC People Strategy 2024-2027 sets out the ambition for our people and our organisation.

• Carer Positive Employer
• Cyber Essentials Plus
• Disability Confident Leader
• EQFM member
• Investors in People Gold
• Investors in Young People Silver
• Living Wage Employer
• Social Impact Pledge