Senior Operations Manager (Inspection) - Disused Tips Authority - Up to 3 posts

• Vacancy details
• Vacancy title
• Senior Operations Manager (Inspection) - Disused Tips Authority - Up to 3 posts
• Closing date
• 02/10/2026, 16:00
• Advertising basis
• Permanent, Secondment
• Actual starting salary

Starting salary: £47,675 per annum. The role sits within a pay range that extends to £62,204, with progression subject to the Authority's pay arrangements. Please note that, whilst these roles will initially be hosted by the Welsh Government, posts within the Disused Tips Authority are subject to the Authority's own pay and reward arrangements. The Welsh Government salary scales displayed alongside this vacancy do not apply to these roles. For candidates who can demonstrate exceptional skills, experience and expertise, there may be scope to appoint above the advertised starting salary, up to the maximum of the approved pay range, subject to the Authority's pay arrangements and relevant approvals.

• Salary range or pay band
• Other
• Allowances
• No
• Work pattern
• Full time (applications are welcome from people who work part time, as part of a job share or who work full time)
• Group
• Local Government, Housing, Rural Resilience & Sustainability Group
• Directorate
• Climate Change & Env Sustainability
• Branch
• Disused Tips Authority
• Location (s)
• South East Wales
• Main office base
• Merthyr Tydfil
• Purpose of post

Help deliver the inspection service that will protect communities across Wales.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key operational role in one of Wales' newest public organisations.

As Senior Operations Manager (Inspection), you'll lead inspection teams responsible for assessing and monitoring disused mine and quarry tips, ensuring inspections are delivered safely, consistently and in line with statutory requirements.

Working closely with technical specialists, operational colleagues and external partners, you'll ensure high-quality inspection activity provides the evidence needed to identify risk, inform operational decisions and protect communities.

Reporting to the Head of Inspection Operations, you'll help establish professional standards, build team capability and create a culture of safety, consistency and continuous improvement.

This is an opportunity to help build a national inspection service from the ground up.

To learn more about the Authority's purpose, ambitions, culture, values, benefits and recruitment journey, please review the Candidate Information Pack and recruitment video.

• Help build a new public body for Wales: Disused Tips Authority for Wales
• General Candidate Information Pack - 2026 Recruitment Campaign
• Key tasks
• What you'll be responsible for
• Leading inspection delivery

You'll lead inspection teams delivering field-based assessment and monitoring across Wales, ensuring inspections are completed safely, consistently and in accordance with statutory requirements and organisational standards.

Managing operational risk

You'll ensure inspection findings are translated into clear operational intelligence, identifying emerging risks and escalating issues appropriately to support effective decision-making and public safety.

Maintaining professional standards

You'll promote high standards of technical practice, quality assurance and operational consistency, supporting continuous improvement across inspection activity and help to develop national standards and communities of practice.

Working collaboratively

You'll build positive relationships with landowners, local authorities, contractors and other partners, recognising that effective inspection and risk management depends upon collaboration.

Developing people and capability

You'll lead, coach and support inspectors, creating an environment where people can develop professionally, work safely and deliver high-quality outcomes.

Development opportunities

This is a unique opportunity to help build a new national inspection service from the ground up, shaping professional standards, operational practice and team capability within one of Wales’ newest public organisations. The role offers the chance to develop specialist expertise in inspection operations, safety-critical delivery and operational risk management, while leading teams that make a direct contribution to protecting communities across Wales.

• Other vacancy related information
• Establishing the Disused Tips Authority
• The Disused Tips Authority (DTA) will become fully operational on
• 1 April 2027

. We are recruiting now for a number of senior leadership roles to help shape the organisation, build its capability and culture, and prepare the Authority to assume its statutory responsibilities from day one.This is a unique opportunity to join the DTA during its formative stages and play a key role in establishing a new public body for Wales.

Important: The Disused Tips Authority is a separate organisation from the Welsh Government. Please disregard any Welsh Government guidance, policies, or recruitment information linked within this advert and refer to the accompanying Candidate Information Pack for the information relevant to this vacancy.

Employment Arrangements

As the Disused Tip Authority will not formally exist until 1 April 2027, these roles will initially be hosted by the Welsh Government.Successful candidates will be employed by the Welsh Government until 31 March 2027 while working exclusively on the establishment of the Disused Tip Authority. From 1 April 2027, employees will transfer to the new Authority as it becomes operational.Throughout this transition, continuity of employment will be maintained. Successful candidates will initially be employed on Welsh Government terms and conditions. The DTA's proposed terms and conditions are included within the Candidate Pack, and employees will have the opportunity to move onto these arrangements following the Authority's establishment.

• Secondment Opportunities and Eligibility Requirements
• Candidates should note that this post is also being offered as a
• Permanent Opportunity
• and a

Secondment opportunity.

• If you would like to apply
• via a Secondment
• the below

eligibility guidance, will apply.

Eligibility Verification:

All

Secondment

Applications will be assessed against the below stated criteria.

You must obtain prior agreement from your employer to be released on secondment before applying. Please ensure you have line management approval.

You must hold a substantive permanent post with your current employer.

During the secondment, you will remain on the terms, conditions, and payroll of your home organisation.

Inward secondees are not eligible for Disused Tips Authority pay awards or rewards.

• Location
• The Authority's headquarters will be located at
• Rhydycar Business Park, Merthyr Tydfil, CF48 1UZ

. This will be the principal place of work and where most colleagues will come together to collaborate with one another and with stakeholders.

The successful candidate will be expected to attend the office in Merthyr Tydfil regularly to support collaboration and stakeholder engagement.

On-call working

As part of this role, you may be required to participate in the Authority’s out-of-hours on-call rota to support the response to operational incidents and emergencies. This may include gathering information, escalating issues where appropriate, and supporting the delivery of timely operational action. An on-call allowance will be payable in accordance with the Authority’s On-call and Standby Policy.

Vehicle arrangements

You won't be expected to use your own vehicle to access disused tips or carry out your inspection duties. A suitable vehicle will be provided. We're currently finalising the arrangements and will provide further details during the recruitment process.

Assessment

Our assessment process is designed to evaluate candidates against three core areas: technical capability, values and leadership.

Stage 1 - Technical capability to be tested via CV and Statement of Suitability

Stage 2 - Technical Capability and Our Values to be tested via interview

A degree in engineering, geotechnical engineering, civil engineering, environmental science or a related discipline; OR a HNC/HND (or equivalent) supported by significant relevant operational experience in inspection, engineering, environmental or infrastructure disciplines.

Please refer to the candidate pack for further detail.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for these opportunities.Candidates offered reserve status will remain on the reserve list until the Disused Tips Authority is established in April 2027. Those placed on the reserve list will only be considered for opportunities within the Disused Tips Authority and will not be considered for Welsh Government vacancies.

Desirable

The following qualities are desirable and will only be considered if two or more candidates receive the same score at the application or interview stage:

Welsh Language -

the Disused Tips Authority is committed to operating as a bilingual organisation and to providing services in both Welsh and English. We want our workforce to reflect the communities we serve and to play an active role in promoting and normalising the use of Welsh in the workplace.We welcome applications from Welsh speakers and from individuals who are committed to developing their Welsh language skills. We will support colleagues at all levels to learn, use and increase their confidence in Welsh as part of their day-to-day work, helping to build a truly bilingual organisation.

To learn more about the Authority's purpose, ambitions, culture, values, benefits and recruitment journey, please review the Candidate Information Pack and recruitment video.

• Help build a new public body for Wales: Disused Tips Authority for Wales
• General Candidate Information Pack - 2026 Recruitment Campaign
• Vetting level
• Basic
• Number of posts
• 3
• Contact point for further information regarding the post
• DisusedTipsAuthorityJobs@gov.wales
• Welsh language requirements
• Welsh language requirements

3 - Welsh language skills are not essential for this opportunity; you do not need Welsh language skills to apply. However, as the Welsh Government is a bilingual organisation, Welsh language skills are desirable and will be considered if two or more candidates receive the same score at the application or interview stage.

• Understanding by reading
• 1 - Can read some basic words and phrases with understanding
• Speaking and being understood
• 1 - Can hold a basic conversation in Welsh
• Understanding by listening
• 1 - Can understand parts of a basic conversation
• Writing and being understood
• 1 - Can write basic messages on everyday topics
• Working for the Civil Service
• The
• Civil Service Code

sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

The Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our

AI candidate guidance

for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection Process and Stages

Welsh Government, like all other Government Departments use Success Profiles when we recruit. For each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job. It raises performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

The selection process and stages are:

Number of Stages:

• 2 stage process
• Stage 1
• Application Form
• Stage 2
• Interview
• Experience

We'll assess you against the following Experience criteria during the assessment process.

Evidence to provide

CV, Experience questions

Experience 1:

Our Values

Our values are captured in our TIPS Values. As a founding member of the Authority, we will expect you to help bring these values to life every day.

Trust-Building

We build confidence through openness, fairness, respect and reliability.

Integrity-Led

We act ethically, make evidence-based decisions and remain accountable for what we do.

Purpose-Driven

We keep public safety, communities and long-term resilience at the centre of our work.

Skilled & Collaborative

We combine professional expertise, continuous learning and partnership working to deliver better outcomes.

You can find further information on our Values in the candidate pack.

This will be tested at stage 2: Interview

Technical

We'll assess the following Technical skills during the selection process.

Technical 1:

Inspection & Field Operations

• Leading or supervising field-based inspection, monitoring or operational delivery within a technical, infrastructure or safety-critical environment.
• Planning and delivering inspection programmes safely, efficiently and consistently.
• Applying technical knowledge to assess site conditions and identify emerging risks.

This will be tested at stage 1: Application Form

This will be tested at stage 2: Interview

Technical 2:

Risk, Safety & Operational Practice

• Identifying, assessing and escalating operational or environmental risks using sound professional judgement.
• Working within safe systems of work and promoting a strong safety culture.
• Ensuring operational activity complies with statutory, organisational and professional standards.

• This will be tested at stage 1: Application Form
• This will be tested at stage 2: Interview
• Technical 3
• Data, Evidence & Decision Making

• Capturing, recording and interpreting inspection findings accurately.
• Using operational evidence to support risk assessment, prioritisation and decision-making.
• Maintaining high standards of data quality and operational reporting.

This will be tested at stage 1: Application Form

This will be tested at stage 2: Interview

Technical 4:

Leadership & Team Development

• Leading, motivating and developing operational or technical teams.
• Creating a culture of professionalism, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Supporting colleagues through coaching, feedback and performance management.

This will be tested at stage 1: Application Form

This will be tested at stage 2: Interview

Technical 5:

Partnership Working

• Building productive relationships with landowners, local authorities, contractors and operational partners.
• Representing an organisation professionally in operational settings.
• Working collaboratively to achieve shared operational outcomes.

This will be tested at stage 1: Application Form

This will be tested at stage 2: Interview

Technical 6:

Communication & Judgement

• Communicating technical information clearly to a range of audiences.
• Making balanced, evidence-based decisions in dynamic operational environments.
• Remaining calm and exercising sound judgement when managing complex or high-risk situations.

This will be tested at stage 1: Application Form

This will be tested at stage 2: Interview

Technical 7:

Professional Expertise

• Degree in engineering, geotechnical engineering, civil engineering, environmental science or a related discipline; or
• HNC/HND (or equivalent) supported by significant relevant operational experience in inspection, engineering, environmental or infrastructure disciplines.
• Demonstrable experience in inspection, monitoring, asset management or operational risk.
• Membership of, or working towards membership of, a relevant professional institution is desirable.

• This will be tested at stage 1: Application Form
• This will be tested at stage 2: Interview
• Eligibility

You will be asked about your nationality and if you are legally allowed to work in the United Kingdom. This is to find out if you are eligible to apply for this vacancy. This is a requirement for working within the Civil Service.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

If you do not meet the eligibility criteria your application will not progress. If it becomes clear at a later stage in the process that you are not eligible to apply, your application may be withdrawn, or the offer retracted.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Social Model of Disability

Welsh Government has adopted the social model of disability, which recognises that barriers in society

act to disable people who have impairments, or health conditions, who are neurodivergent or who use British Sign Language.

We are committed to removing barriers in the recruitment process so that all (or potential new) staff can perform at their best.

Recruitment adjustments can be made at any part of the recruitment process for candidates with an impairment or health condition, who are neurodivergent or who use British Sign Language.

Please get in touch with

DiversityInRecruitment@gov.wales

to discuss adjustments for any part of the process.

• Inclusive Interview Schemes
• We are committed to inclusive recruitment and offer interviews to eligible candidates who meet the
• minimum criteria

for the role through the following schemes:

Disability Confident

The Welsh Government is a Disability Confident Leader. As part of our commitment to this scheme we interview any candidate with an impairment, health condition, who is neurodivergent or who uses British Sign Language if they meet the

minimum criteria

for the post.

A Great Place to Work for Veterans

The Welsh Government operates the Great Place to Work for Veterans Initiative. As part of our commitment to this scheme we interview any eligible candidates who meet the

minimum criteria

for the post.

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service employers can offer an interview to a fair and proportionate number of civil servants who are at risk of redundancy and who meet the

• minimum criteria
• for the post
• By ‘
• minimum criteria

’ we mean that candidates must provide us with evidence in their application (and/or test) that they meet the minimum level of competence for the role - usually defined as

a minimum score of 4 per criterion.

Social Partnership

In Welsh Government, the relationship between the employer and trade unions is based on social partnership. We believe our goals can best be achieved by management and trade unions working together.

Our 3 recognised trade unions are:

• PCS
• Prospect
• FDA

This relationship is underpinned by a partnership agreement. This sets out how our unions work with Welsh Government on issues such as:

• Pay
• Terms and conditions
• HR Strategy, policies and procedures
• Health, safety and well-being
• Organisational change

Our Welsh Government trade union colleagues work together to give their members a real say in the workplace. They make sure that the interests of their members are promoted and protected. They also help reduce inequalities and improve terms and conditions.

The Welsh Government has an excellent track record of working in partnership with its trade unions. We support you to join a recognised trade union, to ensure your voice is heard in the workplace. We encourage you to learn more about our trade unions, partnership working and to get involved in their work.

Benefits

All Welsh Government staff are members of the Civil Service, and as a result are eligible for:

• Civil Service Pension Scheme
• 31 days annual leave (pro-rated for part time)
• training and development opportunities
• Cycle2Work Scheme
• Smart Working flexible working arrangement
• Green Car Scheme (subject to availability)

If you are an active Civil Service Pension member you can continue your membership throughout your employment with us.

• Recruitment principles and complaints
• We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition. Please see the
• Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles

on the Commission's website.

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and wish to make a complaint please email

complaints@gov.wales

. Please ensure that you refer to the vacancy reference number.

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Welsh Government, you can contact the Civil Service Commission:

info@csc.gov.uk.