Our Executive Team

David Wallace

Chief Executive

David has extensive experience in leading the delivery of public services in Scotland. He has held service delivery leadership roles as Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland, Chief Executive of Student Awards Agency Scotland and Deputy Chief Executive of Accountant in Bankruptcy. These roles follow a long career in the Scottish Government in various policy posts, including a delivery role with the then Criminal Injuries Compensation Board.

David is responsible for the set-up of Scotland’s most significant new public service since devolution. He is accountable to the Scottish Government, Scottish Ministers and the Scottish Parliament for the activity of Social Security Scotland. He leads the Executive Team who support him in his responsibilities.

James Wallace

Deputy Director of Finance and Corporate Services

James is an experienced Scottish Government finance specialist. His previous roles include Director of Corporate Services for Disclosure Scotland and Head of Finance for Accountant in Bankruptcy. Prior to this, James worked for Audit Scotland as a Senior Auditor covering Central Government functions and NHS.

James is responsible for the Finance Unit within the Scottish Government Social Security Directorate. The Unit provides finance advice and support to the Directorate, including Social Security Scotland. James also oversees Social Security Scotland’s counter fraud team.

The Finance and Corporate Services team is responsible for people services, accommodation, finance, shared services, travel and transport and fraud and error management.

Miriam Craven

Deputy Director of Strategy and Client Experience

Miriam is an experienced customer service and engagement specialist. She joined the Scottish Government from the leisure sector, working for Student Awards Agency Scotland, where she ultimately held the role of Director of Policy and Engagement.

Miriam is responsible for Strategy, Client Experience and engagement with our key stakeholders. The Unit will support our clients to claim what they are entitled to and work to improve our service based on feedback and reviewing our redeterminations and appeals process.

The Strategy and Client Experience team is responsible for client experience, governance, board support, strategy, management information, continuous improvement, communications and stakeholder relationship management.

Janet Richardson

Deputy Director of Operations

Janet has vast experience in large scale operational delivery and transformation, joining the UK Civil Service in 1984.

Prior to becoming Deputy Director of Operations at Social Security Scotland, Janet was Group Director for the Department for Work and Pensions in North and East Scotland. Janet had responsibility for 1,500 colleagues across 43 Jobcentres and one Service Centre. Before that as Head of Customer Services, Janet was responsible for over 1,000 people at HMRC delivering the UK-wide tax credits telephony and webchat services.

Janet is responsible for ensuring that Social Security Scotland has the capability and capacity to continue to grow and deliver a first class service for the people of Scotland through our operational teams in Dundee, Glasgow and based in our local communities.

The Operations team is responsible for delivering Social Security Scotland’s services to clients and applicants.

Professor Paul Knight OBE

Head of Clinical Operations

Professor Knight joins Social Security Scotland on secondment from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde where he has been a consultant for over 30 years. As a clinical and associate medical director he was responsible for the set up and delivery of a number of services for people with disabilities caused by illness. He was President of the British and European geriatrics societies and is an honorary Professor of Medicine at Glasgow University Medical School.

Professor Knight will be leading Social Security Scotland's work with colleagues in Scottish Government on the most effective and efficient ways of using clinical expertise and information. This will be important in the determination of disability benefits eligibility while at the same time aiming to improve the applicant journey.

Andy McClintock

Chief Digital Officer

Andy is the Chief Digital Officer and is responsible for all digital systems, technology and infrastructure that underpin and run Social Security Scotland. Andy’s division of around 200 people supports the current social security programme within the Scottish Government as well as Social Security Scotland.

Andy joined the Scottish Government in 2007 and has held a number of senior roles including Chief Security Officer, Chief Technology Officer and Deputy Chief Information Officer before becoming Chief Digital Officer in 2017. Prior to joining the Civil Service, Andy held a number of senior operational services and technology roles within the NHS in England and also spent several years working for technology companies in the private sector.

The Chief Digital Office division is responsible for ensuring the high availability of systems to support Social Security Scotland across all locations in Scotland.