4051 - Head of Programmes, Maintenance & Investment for the Disused Tips Authority

• Details
• Reference number
• 475939
• Salary
• £61,098 - £78,449

Starting salary: £61,098 per annum. The role sits within a pay range that extends to £78,449, 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.

GBP

• Job grade
• Grade 7
• Contract type
• Permanent
• Secondment
• Length of employment
• Up to 2 years
• Business area
• Local Government, Housing, Rural Resilience & Sustainability Group
• Type of role
• Engineering
• 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

Merthyr Tydfil (DTA Headquarters). The Disused Tips Authority's headquarters will be based in Merthyr Tydfil. When the Authority is established on 1 April 2027, a number of regional hubs will also be available across Wales; however, Merthyr Tydfil will remain the organisation's headquarters.

About the job

Job summary

This is a unique opportunity to shape the delivery capability of a new national organisation, helping establish the Disused Tips Authority as both an effective delivery organisation and a recognised centre of excellence in programme management, public investment and long-term asset stewardship.

Important: The Disused Tips Authority for Wales will be established as an independent Welsh Public Body and separate legal entity on 1 April 2027 . Until then, these roles will be hosted by the Welsh Government, providing a unique opportunity to help create and shape a new national organisation from the outset.

Successful candidates will initially be employed by the Welsh Government before transferring to the Disused Tips Authority when it becomes operational on 1 April 2027 , with continuity of employment maintained throughout.

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 information relevant to this vacancy.

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

Help deliver the investment and interventions that will protect communities across Wales.

This is a unique opportunity to help build the delivery capability of one of Wales' newest public organisations.

The Disused Tips Authority for Wales is being established as the national public body responsible for overseeing the safety, management and regulation of disused tips across Wales. Operating in a high-profile, safety-critical environment, our success will depend not only on understanding risk, but on ensuring that public investment is translated into effective maintenance, engineering interventions and long-term asset management.

As Head of Programmes, Maintenance & Investment , you will play a critical leadership role in developing and delivering the Authority's national investment programme. You will ensure public funding is prioritised effectively, maintenance and engineering programmes are coordinated efficiently, and management plans are developed and delivered to achieve lasting reductions in risk.

Working closely with inspection, compliance, engineering and data specialists, you'll ensure investment decisions are informed by robust evidence, aligned to national priorities and deliver measurable improvements in public safety.

Job description

Reporting to the Director of Data & Assurance , you'll play a key role in establishing the Authority's programme delivery capability, investment frameworks and operational standards, helping create an organisation recognised for delivering public value through effective infrastructure management and long-term risk reduction.

Beyond the organisation itself, you will work collaboratively with Welsh Government, local authorities, contractors, consultants and delivery partners to strengthen programme delivery capability, promote consistent standards and support the Authority's ambition to become a recognised centre of excellence in infrastructure stewardship and risk-based investment.

The role is both inward and outward facing:

• Internally , you will ensure investment, maintenance planning and programme delivery are fully integrated with inspection findings, compliance activity and national risk priorities, creating a joined-up approach to reducing risk across Wales.
• Externally , you will build trusted relationships with Welsh Government, local authorities, contractors and delivery partners, ensuring programmes are delivered safely, efficiently and collaboratively while maximising public value.

Person specification

Key Tasks

Delivering national investment programmes

You'll lead the Authority's national investment programme, ensuring maintenance, capital investment and risk reduction programmes are prioritised, coordinated and delivered in line with organisational priorities, statutory responsibilities and available funding.

Managing investment and public funding

You'll oversee the operational delivery of the Authority's investment programme, ensuring funding is allocated transparently, monitored effectively and delivers measurable improvements in public safety, value for money and long-term resilience.

Coordinating maintenance and engineering delivery

You'll lead the planning and coordination of maintenance programmes, engineering interventions and asset management plans, ensuring works are prioritised using evidence, delivered efficiently and aligned to national risk priorities.

Supporting strategic delivery

You'll ensure programme delivery, investment decisions and maintenance activity are fully aligned to the Authority's Corporate Plan and organisational priorities, translating strategic ambition into practical delivery that improves safety and organisational performance.

Developing standards and delivery capability

You'll lead the development and implementation of operational policies, delivery standards and codes of practice that promote consistency, quality and continuous improvement across programme delivery, maintenance and infrastructure management.

You'll help establish the Authority as a recognised centre of excellence by developing programme management capability, promoting best practice and strengthening long-term approaches to infrastructure investment and asset stewardship.

Working across the system

You'll build trusted relationships with Welsh Government, local authorities, contractors, consultants and delivery partners, recognising that successful programme delivery depends upon collaboration, shared expertise and effective partnership working.

Leading a high-performing function

You'll build and lead a professional Programmes, Maintenance & Investment function, creating an environment where colleagues can develop their expertise, deliver complex programmes confidently and achieve outstanding outcomes for communities across Wales.

Successful candidates would have demonstrable experience of leading complex programmes, capital investment or infrastructure projects within the public sector or other complex, regulated organisations. It would also be desirable for candidates to hold, or be working towards, membership of an appropriate professional institution, such as APM, ICE, CIHT or an equivalent professional body.

Technical Capabilities

Important: The technical capabilities listed below will be assessed throughout the selection process. Please refer to these capabilities when preparing your application and provide evidence of how you meet them through your qualifications, skills and experience.

Strategic Programme & Investment Leadership

• Leading complex investment programmes and delivery portfolios aligned to organisational priorities and statutory responsibilities.
• Translating strategic priorities into coordinated programmes that deliver measurable improvements in public safety and long-term resilience.

Programme & Project Delivery

• Leading the planning, coordination and delivery of complex maintenance, capital or infrastructure programmes across multiple workstreams.
• Managing programme governance, performance, risks, dependencies and benefits to ensure successful delivery.
• Ensuring programmes are delivered safely, efficiently and in accordance with agreed quality, budget and timescale expectations.

Investment & Financial Management

• Managing public investment programmes, grant funding or capital portfolios, ensuring transparent allocation, effective governance and demonstrable value for money.
• Monitoring programme performance, financial delivery and investment outcomes to support effective decision making and public accountability.

Asset Management & Engineering Coordination

• Coordinating maintenance programmes, engineering interventions and long-term asset management plans for complex infrastructure or asset portfolios.
• Prioritising interventions using evidence, operational intelligence and risk-based approaches.
• Ensuring maintenance activity contributes to sustainable asset management and long-term resilience.

Partnership Working & Delivery Management

• Building trusted relationships with Welsh Government, local authorities, contractors, consultants and delivery partners.
• Managing complex delivery environments involving multiple organisations, contractual arrangements and stakeholder interests.
• Promoting collaboration, consistency and shared learning across delivery partners.

Operational Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Developing delivery frameworks, operational standards and performance measures that support continuous improvement.
• Using programme performance, operational learning and evidence to improve future delivery and investment decisions.

Leadership & Professional Judgement

• Providing professional leadership across programme management, public investment and infrastructure delivery.
• Exercising sound judgement when balancing organisational priorities, risk, cost, delivery and public accountability.

Qualifications

A degree in Programme Management, Engineering, Infrastructure, Construction Management or a related discipline, or an HNC/HND (or equivalent), or can you demonstrate significant relevant professional experience in programme management, infrastructure delivery or asset management

Technical skills

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

• Our Technical Capabilities Important: Please find our Technical Capabilities noted under Key Tasks
• Please describe the qualifications, professional memberships, chartership and relevant experience you hold that demonstrate how you meet the essential and desirable criteria for this role.

Benefits

• 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 Experience and Technical skills.

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

Stage One – Application Applying for a role with us is straightforward.

You will be asked to provide:

• A CV
• A Personal Statement (maximum 1,250 words)

Your CV should provide an overview of your career history, including your current and previous roles, key responsibilities, achievements, qualifications and any relevant professional memberships. It should give us a clear understanding of your experience and career progression but does not need to repeat the evidence provided in your personal statement.

Your personal statement should be structured around the technical capabilities outlined in the online job advert. Please explain how your knowledge, skills and experience demonstrate your ability to meet these requirements. You do not need to address every bullet point individually. Instead, provide relevant examples that demonstrate your capability across the key technical areas.

We encourage you to draw on a range of experiences and clearly describe your personal contribution, the actions you took, the outcomes you achieved and the impact you had.

Assessment at Stage 1 will be based on the evidence provided in your CV and personal statement against the technical capabilities, relevant experience and any role-specific requirements outlined in the advert.

Assessment Weightings

Where more than one appointable candidate is identified, the following criteria will be applied in the order listed below:

• Demonstration of our values, including trust-building and alignment with the organisation's purpose and culture.
• Technical capability in programme and investment management, asset management, partnership working and continuous improvement.
• Relevant experience delivering complex programmes, managing investment portfolios, and leading teams and stakeholders to achieve successful outcomes.
• Desirable criteria, listed below.
• Welsh language skills.

Additional Assessment Activities

Important: Technical Capabilities' are set out under Key Tasks.

A presentation on Technical Competence will be required at Interview. More information will be provided in the invitations to that stage.

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

A degree in Programme Management, Engineering, Infrastructure, Construction Management or a related discipline, or an HNC/HND (or equivalent), or can you demonstrate significant relevant professional experience in programme management, infrastructure delivery or asset management

Our Values

We assess candidates against our TIPS values: Trust-Building, Integrity-Led, Purpose-Driven and Skilled & Collaborative. Full details of our values and culture can be found in the Candidate Information Pack.

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 where two or more candidates achieve the same score at the application or interview stage.

It would be desirable for candidates to have demonstrable experience of leading complex programmes, capital investment or infrastructure projects within the public sector or other complex, regulated organisations, and to hold, or be working towards, membership of an appropriate professional institution, such as APM, ICE, CIHT or an equivalent professional body.

• Welsh Language Ability. The Disused Tips Authority is committed to operating as a bilingual organisation and providing services in both Welsh and English. We want our workforce to reflect the communities we serve and play an active role in promoting and normalising the use of Welsh in the workplace.

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 : Disused Tips Authority
• Email : DisusedTipsAuthorityJobs@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