External Assessor
Fees per task - detailed below
5 – 10 days per year
Temporary
Dundee

Closing date: 8am on Monday 20 October 2025

About the role

SSSC assesses applications to the social work register from people with non-UK social work qualifications. Our external assessors provide an independent assessment on an application and have an important role in ensuring we reach a robust decision.

Individuals willing to carry out this role would be part of a wider bank of external assessors.

We are looking for people who have a deep understanding of social work education, excellent written and oral communication skills, and the ability to critically analyse complex information. See the attached person specification for more information.

Who we are

We are the independent regulator for social service workers in Scotland. Our work means the people of Scotland can count on social work, social care and children and young people services being provided by a trusted, skilled, confident and valued workforce.

We protect the public by registering people working in social work, social care and children and young people services, setting standards for their practice, conduct, training and education and by supporting their professional development. Where people fall below the standards of practice and conduct, we can investigate and act.
We acknowledge that our workforce is not inclusive of all experiences.

At the Scottish Social Services Council, we recognise that our organisation does not yet reflect the full diversity of the people and communities we serve across Scotland’s social services sector.

Some stories are still missing and we are committed to changing that.

We want to build more inclusive and representative teams, ones that welcome and value people of all backgrounds, including those from racialised communities, disabled people, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with care experience, and others whose voices have historically been underrepresented.

Your story matters. Your perspective can help shape how we support and regulate the social service workforce in Scotland. There is a place for you at the SSSC - join us in making sure every story is seen, heard and valued.

What you need to succeed

For each application, you will assess the content of the qualification and the supervised and assessed practice learning against the Standards in Social Work Education (SiSWE). Consideration will also be given to post-qualifying learning experience where applicable.

You will provide a report for each application and discuss your recommendation with the SSSC assessor and quality assurer at a professional discussion meeting. Meetings normally take place online, although may occasionally be held in our Dundee offices, and may cover more than one application at a time.

Occasionally we conduct aptitude tests for applicants who require a compensatory measure to gain recognition for registration. We may ask you to provide services related to the preparation and carrying out of these tests.

From time to time, we may ask you to carry out assessment of other awards by mutual agreement as part of the SSSC’s wider work in recognising qualifications for registration.

You will need to be available for around at least 5-10 days a year, sometimes more depending on the number of applications received and if asked to support the wider mutual recognition of qualification work.

Fees and expenses
· £230 for each application considered in advance of a meeting
· £90 for attending a meeting or development session
· Fees for aptitude tests will be decided on individual basis
· Reasonable travel expenses will be paid (although we currently aim to hold assessment meetings online).

Contract
· A yearly contract will be reviewed annually and re-issued based on business needs
· You will be self-employed and not become an employee of the SSSC.

Why work for us

We are an ambitious, enthusiastic and supportive organisation. With around 300 employees, you can really make an impact here. We offer a generous salary, flexible working arrangements, a full range of benefits, local government pension scheme and up to 43 days holiday (dependent on service).

Our office is in Dundee, and we have an agile working policy that supports office and remote working arrangements, depending on the requirements of each job, which we are happy to discuss with candidates. All staff are required to attend the office at times for example, for meetings, training, staff events.

Guaranteed interview schemes and reasonable adjustments

We are proud to be a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader and offer a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for candidates who identify as having a disability, and for individuals who are care experienced, where they meet the essential criteria for the role.

We’re happy to talk about reasonable adjustments to support you during the recruitment process.

You can find more information about our Guaranteed Interview Schemes on our website.

How to apply

You’ll find more information in the job profile and person specification.

For an informal chat about the role, please contact Audrey or Rachael at internationalqualifications@sssc.uk.com to arrange a time.
To apply, please complete the online application by 8.00am on Monday 20 October 2025. We expect to hold interviews during week commencing 3 November 2025 on Microsoft Teams.

Please note, we will retain your application for 12 months so that we may consider you for similar posts. If you’re interested in other roles at the SSSC, or if a similar post is re-advertised and you wish to submit an updated application, please continue to apply as normal.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme