About Citizens Advice Scotland
What is Citizens Advice Scotland?
"Citizens Advice Scotland, the Extra Help Unit and our members, 58 local bureaux, form Scotland's largest independent advice network." Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) is the national charity at the centre of that network: it supports and represents the bureaux, which are independent charities in their own right and give frontline advice in almost 300 locations, "from town and city centres to remote and island communities." The advice is free, independent, confidential and impartial, and the network uses what people bring to it to "campaign for change where it's needed most". In 2023-24 it helped nearly 192,000 people in Scotland with over 680,000 advice issues, and those people gained over £158 million. CAS also runs national services, among them Help to Claim for the Department for Work and Pensions, the Money Talk Team for the Scottish Government, a gambling support service and a British Sign Language service for Universal Credit. Its Extra Help Unit, a team of caseworkers in Glasgow, helps vulnerable consumers across Scotland, England and Wales with energy and postal complaints, and its head, Natasha Gilmour, was made an MBE in the 2025 New Year Honours. Citizens advice bureaux first appeared in 1939, and the first Scottish bureau was in Glasgow; in 1975 the Scottish Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux became an autonomous umbrella organisation, and it has traded as Citizens Advice Scotland since 1988.
Where will I work?
CAS has two offices: Broadside on Powderhall Road in Edinburgh, and Portland House on Renfield Street in Glasgow. It "provides options for hybrid working to allow employees to balance their time attending the office with time working from home", and the number of home-working days depends on the role. Its open Head of People role needs at least two office days a week: "This is a minimum, but a successful candidate can opt to be office based 5 days per week." Because that team works from both cities, the post comes with "a requirement for flexibility to attend both offices on occasion." The benefits promise "hybrid working opportunities for every role".
What is the Citizens Advice Scotland team like?
CAS employed an average of 208 people in 2024-25, up from 199 the year before. Its chief executive, Derek Mitchell, tells applicants: "Our employees play a critical role in helping to make society fairer, and in supporting our network of Citizens Advice Bureaux across Scotland." The network gives "a piece of advice every 19 seconds – face to face, online and by phone". Its values are person-centred, empowering, supportive, inclusive and collaborative, and it describes itself as "a people network – delivering services for people, by people." A People Charter shapes how staff are treated, with moments that matter, co-designed policies, colleague networks and conversations about menopause, neurodiversity and grief, alongside an EDI strategy and group. Annual pay rises are agreed through collective bargaining with the union. CAS is recruiting its first Head of People, a new role reporting to the deputy chief executive at £51,105 to £62,457, to make CAS and its member bureaux one of the best places to work in Scotland. To keep assessment fair, applicants are asked to leave their address, photo, age, date of birth, marital status and nationality off their CV.
Work-Life Balance
"Work life balance is as important to us as it is to you," the careers page says, and CAS backs that with "a generous annual leave allowance, a flexi-time scheme and flexible working opportunities for everyone." Full-time is a 35-hour week, and staff get 30 days of annual leave plus 10 public holidays: 40 days off a year. The job ad promises "genuine flexibility in working hours with a flexi-time system", and staff get paid time off to volunteer. Occupational sick pay runs to up to six months on full pay and six months on half pay, depending on length of service, and family-friendly policies include generous maternity, adoption and paternity pay.
Perks and Benefits
- 30 days annual leave plus 10 public holidays, and a 35-hour full-time week
- A flexitime system and hybrid working opportunities for every role
- Pension with an 8% employer and 4% employee contribution, plus independent pension advice
- Life assurance, and occupational sick pay of up to 6 months full and 6 months half pay
- A 24/7 employee assistance programme with structured counselling
- Unum dental cover and Health Shield cover
- Generous maternity, adoption and paternity pay
- Gym discounts and offers from over 200 suppliers
- Interest-free season ticket loans, and Cycle to Work and Smart Tech salary sacrifice schemes
- Paid time off to volunteer, weekly fresh fruit in both offices and Capital Credit Union membership
- Learning and development opportunities for all