The SNP and Scottish Liberal Democrats are both recruiting for a CEO.

One organisation's advert is crammed with red recruitment flags. No prizes for guessing which one it is.

I work with women to spot red flags in job adverts, and I also campaign on making politics a safe place for women to work. When I heard that Scottish Liberal Democrats and the SNP were both recruiting for new CEO’s to take them into the next Holyrood election, I thought it would be interesting to compare both adverts.

What’s in a title?

Quite a lot when it comes to the Lib Dems it seems. When I was interim CEO for Scottish Liberal Democrats (2019/2020) I had to juggle the role alongside four other positions in the party, including Chief of Staff to the MEP. It seems that nothing has changed. In February 2025 they are advertising for a “Chief Executive & Head of Campaigns & Elections (Scotland).” This is one role - they’re looking for one person to fill it - but clearly it is a cut and shut of two different jobs.

The SNP are recruiting for a “Chief Executive.” Straightforward, uncomplicated.

Who does the role report to?

The SNP’s advert doesn’t include information on who the CEO reports to, but it is widely assumed that CEO’s across all sectors report to boards. That said, there is an information pack with further information so I imagine it’s in there.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats’ new CEO has to report to two people - both the Convenor of the Scottish Liberal Democrats AND the UK Deputy Director of Campaigns & Elections. Pushing aside what I know about the dysfunction across the Scottish and English branches of the Lib Dems, reporting to two people in different roles when working at this level is a disaster waiting to happen. Competing priorities, different levels of power…my advice is to run for the hills.

Another red flag for the Lib Dems is that it states that you need to be able to “work without supervision.” CEO’s work without supervision all of the time. It doesn’t need to be stated in an advert. This is a clear sign that you will be left alone to deal with everything that your two-jobs-with-one-salary will throw at you. When I worked in Scottish Lib Dem HQ, the board never came in. When I asked them why, they told me it was because they couldn’t stand the toxic culture.

Show me the money

Both parties state that they’re offering “competitive” salaries. This isn’t good enough. I expect political parties to champion pay transparency, and to understand that women are less likely to ask for what they’re worth if the salary isn’t advertised.

The Lib Dems also ask candidates to tell them their current salary. This question directly impacts the gender pay gap and I strongly encourage women not to give their current salary when applying for a job. The fact that they aren’t advertising what they’ll pay you but they want to know how much you’re currently paid is a sign of how much you will be expected to give versus what you will receive once you’re in post.

Kudos to the SNP for not asking for this information. I hope their recruiter doesn’t either.

Make a date and stick to it

The SNP state that applications should arrive no later than midnight on Sunday 9th February. Very clear and bonus points for ending the application process before the half term school holiday begins.

The Lib Dems state that the deadline is 5pm on Monday 17th February. However, scroll to the bottom of the page and it states: “We will be reviewing applications as they come in and reserve the right to appoint prior to the closing date.”

There is a special place in hell for organisations who do this to candidates. Imagine being a woman who wants to apply for this role but because it’s advertised over February half-term, you’re balancing looking after the kids and trying to complete your application, all the while knowing that someone may have already submitted an application that has essentially closed down the application process for everyone else. What about people who are neuro-diverse? People with ADHD need firm deadlines because they provide structure and clarity around expectation.

For the record, according to their LinkedIn post they have closed the role early. This screenshot was taken seven days before the deadline - yet the ad is still live on their website.

The Lib Dems have the gall to go on to state that they foster diversity, inclusion and equality in their workforce and they want their employees to thrive in an environment where everyone is welcome and supported to achieve their potential. Absolute rubbish - they can’t even be inclusive in their recruitment process.

Language

I always advise the women I mentor to look closely at the language used in job descriptions. Does it complement what you understand the values of the organisation to be? Does it sound like a place where you would thrive?

The SNP’s job ad makes it clear that as CEO you will be leading the organisation and making a difference. It states that “you will play a key role in leading the organisation", “you will be a leader with integrity and influence” and “you will be looking to influence our national landscape through leading a determined and focused organisation.”

Compare this to the Lib Dems. They want their chosen candidate to “manage staff teams” and be “a strong campaigner and effective line-manager.”

Similarly, it’s useful to compare how organisations talk about other people in their recruitment processes. The SNP states “community is at the heart of everything we do, so we are looking for someone with a strong sense of purpose and social justice”. On the other hand, the Lib Dems are looking for someone with “a hunger for the win.”

Presumably if you’re applying to be a CEO of a political party you want to make a difference to the citizens of your country. Take note of how that human desire to do the best job is framed in job ads. The SNP are asking their new CEO to “support our mission to do the best for the people who live and work in Scotland.” The Lib Dems want their new person to manage a team “with a clear objective of putting more gold on the map.”

Finally, the SNP state “our members are central to the party and, in this role, you will ensure the existing membership is supported and sustained, whilst identifying opportunities for fresh engagement.” The Lib Dems want you to have “an understanding of how to engage with members and voters.”

One organisation wants to recruit a leader, the other wants a manager. One wants their people to thrive, the other will expect their folks to survive. You decide which is which.

The best person for the job

The SNP are asking for candidates who “have significant leadership and management experience, likely gained within a public, purpose-led or not-for-profit organisation.” They seem to be casting their net widely, with an open mind of who might apply. This is further backed up by the fact that they have used a recruitment firm to handle the applications (and to ensure that the process is completed correctly), whereas the Lib Dems have advertised on their own website and as far as I can see, nowhere else.

The SNP have offered a confidential, informal chat with anyone who is interested in the role. The Lib Dems haven’t.

Conclusion

I’m not a member of a political party and I have no affiliation with any party. From the work that I do with Change The Chat I know that the SNP has a lot to do to become a place where all women are safe at work.

That said, when taking the basic principles of progressive recruitment that I use across a range of sectors when supporting women to be safe at work and applying them to the adverts for both SNP and Scottish Liberal Democrats, the SNP wins hand down. I would mark them down for not advertising the salary for the role. However the Scottish Liberal Democrats’ advert suggests that the problems that were prevalent in Scottish Lib Dem HQ five years ago when I worked there are still at large, and they’re not even trying to hide them.