Description
Department
South
Location
South Ayrshire
Salary
£44,525 - £50,740
Vacancy Type
Fixed Term Employee
Hours
35
Duration
05/07/2027
PVG required
Yes
Closing Date
28/04/2026
Ref No
3523
Documents
Careers Adviser JD.docx
(Word, 184.05kb)
Careers Adviser JD.pdf
(PDF, 202.78kb)
If you require this advert in another format, please contactrecruitment@sds.co.ukor call 0300 013 5119.
Our South Ayrshire CIAG team is looking for a new team member to join a friendly, supportive and creative team in the Ayr office.
This is a 12 month Fixed Term contract - we’d love for you to join us!
Applications are welcome from current students qualifying summer 2026.
About Us
We deliver Careers Information, Advice and Guidance (CIAG) services across Scotland, supporting people of all ages to develop the skills, confidence and insight they need to make informed career decisions. Working with schools, learning providers, employers and partner organisations, our teams play a key role in helping individuals progress into positive and sustainable learning or employment outcomes.
Be part of something bigger — build skills, change lives!
What You’ll Be Doing
You’ll provide high quality, impartial careers information, advice and guidance using a coaching approach, supporting customers on a one to one and group basis. Your work will focus on developing career management skills, helping individuals understand their options, set goals and take ownership of their career journey.
Depending on service need, you may work with school age young people, post school customers and adults - all within the role of a Careers Adviser. You’ll assess customer needs using approved tools, develop tailored career development plans, and work closely with partners to support effective transitions into learning, training or employment. You’ll also promote SDS services, including My World of Work, and maintain accurate records to support continuous improvement and high professional standards.
What We’re Looking For
We’re looking for people who are committed to delivering positive outcomes for customers and who can build strong, respectful relationships with a wide range of individuals and partners.
To be eligible for the role of Careers Adviser at Skills Development Scotland, you must hold the Career Development Institute (CDI) UK recognised professional Qualification in Career Development (QCD or its predecessor equivalent) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Career Guidance and Development.
You’ll bring strong coaching and interpersonal skills, an understanding of career management skills and labour market information, and the ability to work flexibly in a changing environment. A commitment to our National Occupational Standards and Code of Ethics, continuous improvement and ongoing CPD is essential.
About SDS
Skills Development Scotland (SDS) is Scotland’s national skills agency, focused on driving productivity and inclusive economic growth by investing in skills and supporting people and businesses to reach their full potential. Through deep partnership working, expert insights and innovative solutions, SDS helps address Scotland’s skills and labour market challenges, ensuring employers can access the talent they need while individuals gain opportunities to develop and thrive. SDS is guided by strong organisational values, placing customers at the heart of everything it does and fostering a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement and respect.
Our Values
Our organisational values are created by our colleagues and are the compass that guide our behaviours and actions with our customers and each other. We need our future colleagues to share these values and help us to continue to deliver our bold ambitions for the future;
We put the needs of our customers at the heart of all we do
We make use of our combined strengths and expertise to deliver the best outcomes
We demonstrate self-motivation, personal responsibility, and respect
We continually improve to achieve excellence
Why You’ll Love Working Here
SDS is an award-winning, equal opportunities and fair work employer where our culture is driven by our people. The values we share guide how we support our customers—the people of Scotland—and how we support one another. With progressive benefits, flexible ways of working, and a strong focus on wellbeing, engagement, and development, we’re proud to be a great place to work.
Click here to see the full range of our Benefits
Where You’ll be Working
This role will be based in Ayrshire College, Ayr Campus, although there will be travel due to the nature of the role and the geography of South Ayrshire. This will be discussed with candidates at Interview.
South Ayrshire supports a large and varied education landscape, with 40 primary schools, 8 secondary schools, and 2 dedicated Additional Support Needs (ASN) schools. Schools are spread across the council area, from the more densely populated of Ayr, Prestwick and Troon to smaller and more rural communities such as Maybole, Girvan, Barrhill and Straiton.
Given the size and rural nature of parts of South Ayrshire, a full driving licence and access to a car is highly recommended to support outreach and travel between locations.
How to Apply
The closing date to submit your application is Tuesday 28th April 2026. Interviews are due to be scheduled as soon as possible thereafter with a start date in July.
If this opportunity excites you and you would like to discuss the role in more detail to help you decide if it is right for you, please contact Fiona Paterson, Team Leader fiona.paterson@sds.co.uk or Kevin Callan, Team Leader kevin.callan@sds.co.uk
Using AI
AI can be a useful tool for drafting or polishing your application. Please remember to check that everything you submit is accurate and genuinely represents your skills, experience and voice. We value authenticity and want to hear your real story.
One Last (but very important) Thing
At SDS we are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. If you've got the right skills for the job, we want to hear from you. We encourage applications from the right candidates regardless of age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, belief or race. Therefore, while we want to know about your relevant skills and experience, please avoid disclosing any identifying characteristics.
If you are invited to interview, to help you prepare and perform at your best, SDS shares interview questions with all candidates in advance. This removes unnecessary barriers, supports those who benefit from additional preparation time, and helps ensure a fair and transparent recruitment process. This approach is being trialled for 6 months from April 2026.
To find out more about working at SDS and our application process please visit us at https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/work-with-us/
Internal applicants should discuss their application with their People Manager prior to applying for this post.
