We are recruiting for 3 full time Unit Managers on a permanent basis:

Unit Manager - Industry & Energy (Industry Regulation) - location flexible (Scotland)

Unit Manager - Compliance in Falkirk, Alloa, Stirling, Perth area

Unit Manager - Compliance in Lanarkshire area

Unit Manager - Industry & Energy (Industry Regulation)

As Unit Manager within the Industry & Energy directorate, you will lead the regulation of Scotland’s most complex and high-impact industrial sectors, including energy-from-waste, primary aluminium, whisky production, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, bulk storage, and carbon capture.

This role combines regulatory expertise with operational leadership, contributing directly to environmental protection and Scotland’s net zero ambitions.

Lead delivery of regulatory activities, ensuring consistency, quality, and technical excellence
Manage and develop a geographically dispersed team, with full responsibility for performance and budget oversight
Take accountability for key regulatory decisions, including EASR applications, COMAH-regulated sites, and BREF reviews
Ensure compliance with environmental legislation and regulatory frameworks
Provide strategic leadership aligned to organisational priorities and net zero goals
Work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to support effective regulation and continuous improvement

Unit Manager – Compliance x 2 positions

As a Unit Manager within the Compliance function, you will lead regulatory delivery across a defined geographic area of Scotland (Lanarkshire, or Falkirk, Alloa, Stirling and Perth).

This role combines operational leadership with frontline regulation, ensuring strong environmental performance and effective compliance. You will:

Lead all aspects of the regulatory process, including environmental performance, incident response, enforcement, and resolution
Manage and develop a team, delivering the compliance inspection programme to assess and secure adherence to statutory requirements and authorisations
Oversee regulation of activities with significant environmental impact, including those that are complex, sensitive, or high-profile
Ensure regulatory activity is outcome-focused and developed collaboratively with colleagues, industry, and key stakeholders
Promote a positive, values-led culture, supporting employee wellbeing and high performance

Respect for your expertise
These are highly important roles within the portfolio, which means you’ll need:

Relevant qualification or experience equivalent to SCQF Level 10 (e.g. degree or equivalent professional experience)
Proven leadership and people management experience, with the ability to coach, support and develop high-performing teams
Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to adapt your approach, build effective relationships, and influence a wide range of internal and external partners
Excellent analytical and decision-making capability, with experience in managing riks, business planning, and using sound judgement to deliver evidence-based solutions
Experience in producing high-quality, complex technical reports and documentation, with strong attention to detail and the ability to communicate clear, evidence-based conclusions

Please open the link to the Unit Manager role profile link which outlines the core responsibilities and expectations of the role within a defined activity family.  Please note the role profile name may be different to the job title being advertised.

Support that goes beyond the workplace

Hybrid and Flexible working opportunities
Up to 35 days annual leave and 7 additional public holidays each year (pro rata)
Paid time off to support your Wellbeing and enable you to Volunteer in your community  
Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
Progressive Family Friendly policies  
Training & development to enable colleagues to improve their skills, competencies and knowledge to perform at their best.

Plus, many more lifestyle benefits such as 24/7 access to an online employee discount platform, credit union facilities and access to a Cycle to Work Scheme.

Passionately you. Purposefully supportive

SEPA is committed to promoting equality, diversity, and good relations in everything it does – as a community leader, as a provider and commissioner of services, and as an employer.

We recruit solely based on merit. Our shortlisting process is conducted on an anonymous basis. 

We support flexible working arrangements to help you maintain a healthy balance between career and homelife. This includes working part time, reduced hours, job sharing, working remotely. As a flexible first employer we are open to having conversations about flexible working arrangements that work for you and SEPA from day 1 of your employment.

We are proud to be a 'Disability Confident' employer and will work to identify and implement reasonable adjustments and equipment to support you in your role.

Applicants with a visual impairment can request job descriptions and application forms in Braille, large print or on tape.

For the security and wellbeing of our colleagues, successful candidates will undergo Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) pre-employment checks including a level one Disclosure Scotland check.

If you have questions or need any assistance with the recruitment process please contact SEPA’s Recruitment Team at recruitment@sepa.org.uk

Apply now to join a Passionately Purposeful workplace