4028 - Field Officer (Rural Inspectorate Wales)

• Details
• Reference number
• 476172
• Salary
• £30,754 - £34,997
• Starting salary will be £30,754
• A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

GBP

• Job grade
• Executive Officer
• Contract type
• Permanent
• Business area
• Local Government, Housing, Rural Resilience & Sustainability Group
• Type of role
• Operational Delivery
• Working pattern
• Full-time
• Number of jobs available
• 1
• Contents

• Location
• About the job
• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information

Location

Carmarthen

About the job

Job summary

Join Us and Help Shape the Future of Wales

Are you passionate about delivering excellent customer service and making a meaningful impact in communities across Wales? Rural Payments Wales (RPW) are recruiting enthusiastic, motivated individuals to join their high‑performing, well‑established teams.

RPW is the largest operational delivery division within the Welsh Government, supporting Wales’s rural economy and administering around £300 million of funding each year. As we approach the launch of the Sustainable Farming Scheme (2026), this is an exciting moment to get involved in work that directly shapes the future of farming, sustainability and land management in Wales.

We are recruiting one Field Officer role, offering varied, rewarding work within a fast‑paced environment. With potentially more roles becoming available.

The Rural Inspectorate Wales (RIW) is responsible for ensuring compliance with Assimilated Law and other domestic directives and regulations through the completion of a programme of ‘on-the-spot’ (OTSC) controls for schemes administered by Rural Payments Wales (RPW).

Job description

This is a physically demanding but rewarding role involving on-site visits to project locations and farms to inspect land, livestock, capital works, and more, often with minimal notice. You will be required to accurately record inspection results using IT systems, capturing sufficient evidence to clearly demonstrate findings, including any breaches of scheme rules. This is a target-oriented post that requires working to set deadlines.

This is an exciting opportunity dealing with a wide range of cases and will develop skills in dealing effectively and efficiently with internal and external customers while maintaining excellent customer service.

The post holders will work as part of a team alongside other inspectors across Wales and will be expected to travel regularly.

A full, valid UK driving licence is essential, as the role may require visits to remote locations where access by public transport is limited or impractical.

Benefits of Working with Us

• Competitive salary with annual pay progression.
• Generous pension scheme and secure employment within the Welsh Government.
• Hybrid and flexible working options, including flexi‑time and job‑share opportunities.
• Excellent annual leave entitlement plus public holidays.
• A strong focus on wellbeing, including access to support services and staff networks.
• A welcoming, inclusive culture that values collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Comprehensive training and development, including opportunities to progress your career.

Want to Learn More?

We’re hosting an online information session where you can:

• Meet the teams
• Ask questions
• Explore what the roles involve
• Learn about development and progression opportunities

• Online via Microsoft Teams on 20/08/2026 at 10:00 (Welsh)
• Online via Microsoft Teams on 20/08/2026 at 11:00 (English)
• To secure your place at either of these events, please email: RPW.DivisionalReturns@gov.wales

Person specification

• Contacting claimants to arrange inspection visits (OTSC).
• Visiting farms to inspect livestock and/or land parcels (fields) and/or project premises to inspect project outputs and outcome against scheme specific criteria. This also includes in-situ visits.
• Assessing livestock, forage graze-ability and habitat maintenance.
• Assessing the information against scheme rules and statutory regulations.
• Checking farm and projects records and supporting documentation.
• Managing your own work and prioritising cases in line with predetermined deadlines.
• Record findings in a factual and evidence-based manner on paper and electronic report forms.
• Prepare and record detailed inspection case work for input into appropriate internal ICT systems.
• Capture land parcel changes and crop code anomalies on the RPW mapping system.
• Undertake associated administrative duties.
• To assist with divisional priorities when required

Farm inspections require individuals to walk considerable distances across uneven and sometimes challenging terrain in a variety of weather conditions throughout the year. Inspectors will work in close proximity to both small and large livestock (including sheep and cattle) and may be required to undertake some physical interaction with animals.

• Licences
• Full UK driving license
• Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £30,754, Welsh Government contributes £8,909 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides .

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

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 candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

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

In the event of a large number of applications, an initial sift will be conducted against the lead assessment criterion: Experience 1. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

A reserve list may be held for this opportunity. Any candidate who is successful in being offered a reserve status, will remain on the reserve list for 12 months. Reserve candidates will be contacted if further identical or comparable roles become available.

Merit Order: In the event of two or more candidates having the same total score, the below list will determine the merit order in which candidate will be appointed. Highest score in the below merit order,

• Experience 1
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating & Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

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

Further information on nationality requirements

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles .

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Rural Inspectorate Wales
• Email : RPW.DivisionalReturns@gov.wales

Recruitment team

• Email : SharedServiceHelpdesk@gov.wales

Further information

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