Lead Craftsperson

Starting salary: 34,721 pro rata, per year
Contract type: Permanent
Grade: 3
Location: Rothesay Depot, Unit 3, Bute Business Park, Barone Road, Rothesay, Isle of Bute, PA20 0DY
Working Hours: Monday - Friday (shorter working week in winter)
Interviews: To be held in person at Rothesay Depot on 29th June 2026

The Lead Craftsperson oversees the management of 2no. Stonemasons and 1no. Apprentice Stonemason based at Rothesay MCU Depot. The MCU staff are responsible for the masonry conservation and maintenance of Rothesay Castle, St Mary’s Chapel, and St. Blanes Church on the Isle of Bute and Castle Semple, Renfrewshire.

Benefits of joining us at Historic Environment Scotland

• Enrolment onto a Civil Service Pension scheme – 28% employer contribution
• 25 days annual leave, pro-rata (increasing to 30 days after 3 years) + 11.5 public holidays
• Reimbursement for relevant professional subscriptions
• Support for further education and personal development
• Study leave for work related courses
• Flexible working hours (where appropriate)
• Free entry to all of our properties (with up to three guests)
• Free entry to English Heritage, Manx and Cadw properties

Key Responsibilities of this role

• Leading and supervising MCU craftspeople and trade staff delivering a programme of works.
• Carry out quality control checks on work output, recruitment, coordination of training requirements, staff development, attendance management, disciplinary procedures, and other staff-related HR issues.
• Purchase materials and supplies for required work activities ensuring value for money. Checking budget availability, obtaining competitive quotations, placing orders on the Fusion system, and arranging for delivery /collection.
• Collation and reporting of information related to your area of responsibility in the form of progress reports, programme updates, delays, and blockers.
• Ensure compliance with health & safety policies and procedures, production of job folders, carry out toolbox talks, compile COSHH assessments, risk assessments, and method statements, inclusive of checking contractors risk assessments and method statements.
• Compile accident reports and near misses on the HES PRIME reporting system.
• Assist with maintaining the fixed asset register as required within the District/Region
• Maintain skills and qualifications required for the role, including health and safety and craft skills.
• Work with your team to ensure they understand how their activity contributes to the overall aims of the region, directorate, and organisation.
• Build and maintain constructive relationships with internal and external stakeholders and partners relating to the conservation work and operations within your remit.
• Support colleagues across HES, and external stakeholders when required, with specialist advice and insight relating to the role, including to support the development of visitor and community engagement activity relating to conservation and property works.
• Ensure depot and monument activities are aligned with district, regional and directorate goals retaining line of sight from team to organisational goals.
• Work with the Property maintenance and Compliance Manager to ensure all activity is carried out in a safe and coordinated manner.
• Ensure work carried out by your team is compliant with all Regulatory, Statutory or HES standards delivering against agreed performance indicators under the Scheme of Delegation.
• Support the wider team in fulfilling conservation and operational asset management activities for assigned projects, ensuring consistent national technical standards are applied.
• Use experience to proactively seek opportunities for efficiencies in process and procedure within your remit.
• Effectively and efficiently manage the resources and budget within HES governance arrangements.
• Lead, and work with your team of craftspeople, labourers and apprentices complying with HES policies and procedures, and developing their skills and capability.
• Support the ongoing development of skilled conservation knowledge within the team.
• Role model a proactive, collaborative, and helpful approach towards supporting the District Works Manager, Regional Technical team, and your own team members.
• Provide cover for the District Works Manager in event of absence.
• Partner with other Managers to ensure effective cover in the event of absence, and as part of an on-call rota covering business continuity incidents on weekends and public holidays.
• You will need to work outside in variable weather conditions and be comfortable working at height, from scaffolding or from MEWP.
• You will be required to plan and manage multiple demands on their own time and resources as well as those of their direct reports.
• You may also be required to travel both within and outside of their region for work purposes and may involve travel and staying away from home overnight.
You will be required to operate plant & machinery, including handheld plant.

Key requirements of the role:

In order for you to be successful in this post, we will be looking for you to submit a cover letter which addresses how you can meet each of the essential and desirable criteria (in up to 1,200 words), using examples of where you have demonstrated these criteria previously. Please ensure that you provide real life examples for each of the criteria to be considered for this post. You can use examples of how you have met this criteria from your work life, home life, education or volunteer experience.

Essential:

• Qualified to Advanced Craft Level SVQ level 4 or SCQF level

We are dedicated to building a workforce which is reflective of diversity within Scotland. We warmly welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, regardless of age, race, gender or gender identity, religious beliefs, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, or neurodiversity. In support of our Gaelic Language Plan, we welcome applications from Gaelic speakers.

We want every candidate to have the best chance to succeed during the recruitment process. If you require your application in an alternative format, please reach out to us via email at southrecruitment@HES.scot or call our Head Office at 0131 668 8600 and speak to a member of our People Team.

Please note that, at this time, we are unfortunately unable to provide sponsorship as part of the recruitment process, therefore you must have current right to work in the UK to be considered for a post.