Head of Research and Commercial Development Service ( 5019)

Would you like a job where you can lead the development and delivery of a new commercial research service for the National Records of Scotland (NRS) in a fast paced, high priority area?

This new research service represents a significant strategic opportunity for NRS to leverage its world‑leading archival, genealogical, demographic and census datasets to generate income that can be reinvested in public services. While these authoritative, historically verified assets create clear potential for high‑value research partnerships and commercial activity, realising this opportunity requires a dedicated operational leadership role to translate strategic intent into a structured, marketable, and sustainable service offer whilst ensuring that, alongside this new service, NRS continues to make data and information available to meet statutory responsibilities.

This dedicated lead role is essential to develop and implement the new service, drive income generation and funding diversification, and establish NRS as a credible research partner—particularly in support of UKRI recognition and future investment, using their skills to help market the service to the right audiences. This role will provide the coordination, external engagement, and governance needed to manage complex partnerships, protect NRS’s reputation for quality and integrity, and ensure the service delivers both financial return and public value. The role will report into the Director of Customer Services Operations and Archives and be part of the largest directorate within NRS, alongside working with other service and business areas across the organisation.

• Lead the design, development and implementation of the new research service.
• Set the vision and purpose for the new research service and using a range of communication channels to share this vision.
• Handle data and information sensitively in accordance with the business procedures and/or law.
• Engage with internal and external stakeholders and suppliers and customers, to gather insight, test and develop and implement the service to meet market demand.
• Work across NRS to engage with a range of service areas to develop research products.
• Collaborate with communications and marketing colleagues to ensure research products are effectively positioned, promoted and disseminated to maximise reach, demand and uptake.
• Partner directly with policy, procurement and finance colleagues to ensure that the new service meets statutory, compliance, policy and income requirements.
• Monitor the impact of the service both in terms of quality, financial impact and overall public value outcomes.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Please apply using link provided.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.