The £120,000 salary being offered to those applying to be the new head of Scotland’s arts quango is insufficient and will not attract the

highest-quality candidates, insiders fear.

Creative Scotland is the successor to both Scottish Screen, the film agency, and the Scottish Arts Council, the body that distributes about £60 million a year to the nation’s artists and arts companies.

But senior figures involved in the process of establishing the new body – set up to be a radical, high-powered new engine of cultural and artistic growth, with new responsibilities in the creative industries – fear the pay will not attract the high-profile, internationally experienced figure they want to be the first leader of the organisation.

The salary being offered is still significantly more than the £82,000 earned by current acting chief executive of the SAC, Jim Tough, and the £67,000 earned by Ken Hay, the head of ­Scottish Screen.

However, there is concern that it does not compare to jobs such as that held by Lena Wilson, chief executive of Scottish Enterprise, who earns £200,000, or Philip Riddle, head of VisitScotland, who earns £146,000.

Alan Davey, chief executive of the Arts Council in England, earns more than £170,000, while John Woodward, chief executive of the UK Film Council, earns a similar salary.

One potential Creative Scotland candidate is Bridget McConnell, who runs Culture and Sport Glasgow, which administers Glasgow’s museums, galleries, leisure centres and, in the near future, its concert halls. She currently earns £132,000 to control a budget of £100m per year and 2500 staff.

A head-hunting firm, AEM International, has been employed to find the right candidates, who have until December 11 to apply for the post of chief executive.

The Scottish Government hopes to find an “inspirational” chief executive with “a proven ability to develop ­strategic partnerships and promote the creative sector to the public, to government and to partners across the commercial and public sectors.”

An insider said: “They are looking, ideally, for a high-profile Scot – or someone who knows Scotland – who has done something abroad; someone who is a big hitter.

“That is the kind of figure they would like, but the salary isn’t going to attract that kind of person unless they’re prepared to take less than they can in other jobs. They have to find the right person, because they have a big job on their hands making Creative Scotland work – they have big issues to sort out.”

However, Anne Bonnar, the leading arts consultant who was the transition director of the project, said: “I think it is a good salary and will have good benefits, too.

“I think you have to be aware of what is happening in the public sector in the current climate and what the public now think is reasonable.

“It is not an average job, but it is a good wage. But for people who apply for this job, the salary will not be the most important thing – it’s the potential of Creative Scotland itself that is enticing.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The salary will be upwards of £120,000. This package is in line with public sector pay policy.”

A spokeswoman for ­the recruitment process said: “The chief executive of ­Creative Scotland will need outstanding skills and the ­salary offered is an investment in the future creative health of the nation.”