Kammala wannan jumla: Grice ya shiga HM Civil Service a matsayin mai horar da Fast Stream a 1985, lokacin da ya dauki matsayi a Ma'aikatar Sufuri. Shekaru biyu bayan haka, ya koma Sashen Kula da Muhalli. A shekarar 1992, an canza shi zuwa Sashen Kula da Muhalli na Ofishin Scotland. Ya kasance shugaban reshen Gidaje da Sabunta Birane tsakanin lokacin da 1995, lokacin da aka nada shi shugaban gudanarwa da canji. An nada shi shugaban Kungiyar Kundin Tsarin Mulki a 1997, inda ya shiga cikin ayyukan jagoranci da suka shafi dokoki da kuma kungiyar Kundin Tsarin Mulki.
1997 Zaben raba gardama na Scotland. An nada shi Daraktan Aiwatar da Dokar Scotland a shekarar 1998 kuma yana da alhakin kafa sabuwar kungiyar Majalisar Scottish.