Collections and Castle Manager in Caerphilly

The Welsh Government operates name-free recruitment. The recruiting panel will not see personal information such as a candidate’s name and address during the sifting process. This policy is in line with our commitment to end bias and promote equality and diversity.

Vacancy title: Collections and Castle Manager

19/10/2026, 16:00

Advertising basis Permanent

Starting salary will be at the minimum of the of pay scale £37,111

Salary range or pay band HEO £37,111 to £45,378

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 Learning, Communities & Culture Group

Directorate Culture, Heritage & Sport

Branch Visitor Experience and Business Dev

Location (s) South East Wales

Main office base Other

Specific Location Castell Coch and Caerphilly Castle

Purpose of post: Cadw’s mission is to care for Wales’ historic places, inspiring current and future generations. As part of this mission, we care for a nationally important collection of monuments, including Castell Coch, a site of international significance renowned for its richly decorated interiors, which stand apart from the roofless ruins typical of other sites.

This role is central to delivering Cadw’s conservation objectives, most significantly at Castell Coch. The postholder will lead the strategic care and conservation of the site’s unique interiors and collections, which include wall paintings, wallpaper, textiles, furniture, stained glass and other heritage assets. To ensure that these collections are cared for, the postholder will utilise effective conservation planning, environmental monitoring, research, cleaning, and storage while still enabling meaningful public access. This role will ensure that heritage is experienced as living and relevant, presenting collections and interiors in ways that resonate with today’s audiences and celebrating their significance.

In tandem with caring for the site and its collections, the postholder will also oversee visitor operations at Castell Coch and Caerphilly Castle, ensuring high-quality visitor experience that aligns with Cadw’s conservation priorities. The postholder will line manage the Head Custodian and support them to ensure that the site team of staff and volunteers are well managed and high functioning. In this capacity, the postholder will also work collaboratively with Cadw’s conservation and capital project teams to support any development activity planned at either monument.

Beyond site-specific responsibilities, the role also contributes to Cadw’s wider strategic goals by advising on collections care, practical conservation, loans and collections acquisition and disposal across the estate and shaping collections management policy and practice.

Key tasks

• Develop and implement long-term conservation plans for Castell Coch and its collections.
• Ensure preventive and remedial conservation practices are put in place.
• Maintain and enhance documentation for interiors and collections including, but not limited to, a comprehensive asset list and salvage plan.
• Conduct research as needed, condition check collection items and employ conservation measures as needed.
• Design and deliver remedial treatment plans.
• Integrate conservation with presentation and live visitor experience.
• Manage the Head Custodian and oversee site operations and visitor experience, balancing conservation with public access.
• Develop and deliver training plans for conservation practices.
• Advising on collections care, loans and collections acquisition and disposal across the estate and shaping collections management policy and practice (there is limited collection across the rest of Cadw).

This post offers the opportunity to hone your existing people management skills and gain experience managing historic sites and associated collections. The post holder will help conserve nationally significant historic assets for future generations while working from two of Wales’s most iconic scheduled monuments.

We offer 5 days of learning and development every year and support Continuous Professional Development, encouraging staff to develop their professional skills through training and participation in conferences and events.

Other vacancy related information

Required Qualification

A relevant undergraduate degree in a field such as Museum Studies, Conservation, History of Art or Archaeology or equivalent sector experience.

CV

The CV should focus on demonstrating professional experience, qualifications and training relevant to the management and conservation of a historic site and its collection. It could also include membership of relevant professional organisations and other pertinent evidence showcasing suitability for the role.

CVs will not be scored but will be used by the panel to gain a fuller understanding of your experience and employment history.

Location - Castell Coch and Caerphilly Castle

This role will require travel to Welsh Government offices or other sites in other parts of Wales to attend meetings.

Some site duty management weekend working may be required for which time off in lieu is given.

Interview

If your application is successful at sift, you will be invited to attend an in-person interview at Castell Coch.

A test on Technical Skills will be required at ‘interview stage’. More information will be provided in the invitations to that stage.

Pay and benefits

As part of the Welsh Government, we offer a range of benefits designed to support your wellbeing, work life balance, and career development.

Merit Order

If after interview stage, there are successful candidates with the same score in order to determine merit order, the panel will first review interview score for:

Technical

Demonstrate an understanding of applying preventive conservation and collections care, familiarity with Museum Accreditation standards and knowledge of documentation standards and record management.

And then

Managing a Quality Service

Successfully deliver high quality outcomes that meet the customers’ needs and gives value for money.

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.

Vetting level Basic

Number of posts 1

Contact point for further information regarding the post cadw.hr@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

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.

The selection process and stages are:

Number of Stages:

2 stage process

Stage 1 Application Form

Stage 2 Interview

Behaviours

We’ll assess you against these Behaviour criteria during the selection process.

Behaviour 1: Communicating and Influencing

Ensure that important messages are communicated with colleagues and stakeholders respectfully, taking into consideration the diversity of interests.

This will be tested at stage 2: Interview

Behaviour 2: Managing a Quality Service

Successfully deliver high quality outcomes that meet the customers’ needs and gives value for money.

This will be tested at stage 2: Interview

Behaviour 3: Changing and Improving

Work with others to identify areas for improvement and simplify processes to use fewer resources.

This will be tested at 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: A relevant undergraduate degree in a field such as Museum Studies, Conservation, History of Art or Archaeology or equivalent experience in collections management at a heritage site, museum, or conservation environment and delivering conservation projects.

This will be tested at Stage 1: Application Form

Experience 2: Experience of managing a team to deliver excellent visitor experience in a heritage environment.

This will be tested at stage 1: Application Form

Technical

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

Technical 1: Demonstrate an understanding of applying preventive conservation and collections care, familiarity with Museum Accreditation standards and knowledge of documentation standards and record management.

This will be tested at stage 1: Application Form

This will be tested at stage 2: Interview

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.

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.

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

• 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.

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.

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