Whilst an MSP he was Convener of the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee of the Scottish Parliament between 2014–16.
Jim left the SNP and joined the ALBA Party in 2021 stating that he believed his former party had allowed independence to be dropped as a priority.
Before entering politics the ALBA Party candidate worked for the Royal College of Nursing and STV before becoming the head of the Scottish branch of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Association Industry (ABPI). Since leaving the Scottish Parliament he was the Housing policy lead for Age Scotland and worked for the Peoples Postcode Lottery before working for Kenny MacAskill MP and Neale Hanvey MP.