Director of Safety & Operations for the Disused Tips Authority - Salary range £82,089 - £99,500 in Merthyr Tydfil

Director of Safety & Operations for the Disused Tips Authority - Salary range £82,089 - £99,500

ID 3944

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 Director of Safety & Operations for the Disused Tips Authority - Salary range £82,089 - £99,500

02/09/2026, 16:00

Advertising basis Permanent, Secondment

Starting salary: £82,089 per annum. The role sits within a pay range that extends to £99,500, with progression subject to the Authority's pay arrangements. Please note that, whilst these roles will initially be hosted by the Welsh Government, Executive Director 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

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) Other location (including outside of Wales)

Specific Location 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.

Purpose of post

Build Wales’ New National Regulator. Protect Communities. Leave a Lasting Legacy Everyone in Wales deserves to feel safe from the risks posed by unstable disused tips.

The Disused Tips Authority is being established under the Disused Mine and Quarry Tips (Wales) Act 2025 to provide national leadership for the safety, management and regulation of disused tips. As Wales' new national regulator, the Authority will deliver a consistent, evidence-led and risk-based approach to managing disused tip risk and helping to protect communities across Wales.

Within this context, the Director of Safety & Operations plays a pivotal executive leadership role in ensuring that the Authority delivers its core purpose — keeping people safe from disused tip risk — consistently, effectively and with confidence.

This role is fundamental to creating an organisation where:

• Risk is clearly understood, prioritised and actively managed
• Operational activity is coordinated, evidence-based and effective
• Safety is embedded in decision-making and organisational behaviour
• Delivery is consistent, resilient and able to respond to emerging risks

As a member of the Executive Team, the postholder has a critical leadership role in setting operational tone, shaping delivery culture and modelling behaviours that put safety, accountability and professionalism at the heart of the organisation.

For further information about the organisation, please see:Help build a new public body for Wales: Disused Tips Authority for Wales For full details of the role, the assessment process, and guidance on what to expect at each stage of selection, please refer to the Candidate Information Pack available at: Disused Tips Authority for Wales | Candidate Information Pack | 2026 Recruitment Campaign As Director of Safety & Operations, you will provide executive leadership for the Authority's operational delivery, ensuring Wales has a safe, consistent and effective approach to managing disused tip risk.

As one of the Authority's founding Executive Directors, you will play a leading role in establishing a new national regulator, shaping both the organisation and the services it delivers to protect Welsh communities

You will:

• Lead the design and delivery of a nationally consistent, risk-based operational model.
• Oversee assessment, categorisation, inspection, monitoring and intervention activity.
• Ensure risks are identified, prioritised and managed through evidence-led decision making.
• Provide strategic assurance to the Chief Executive, Board and Welsh Government on operational performance and public safety.
• Build strong partnerships across Wales to strengthen resilience and protect communities.

You will help create a trusted, resilient and high-performing public body that makes a lasting difference to the safety of communities across Wales. What we're looking for

We're seeking an experienced executive leader who has successfully led complex operational services within a safety-critical, regulatory or infrastructure environment.

You will bring:

• A degree in a relevant discipline (e.g. engineering, geotechnical engineering, environmental science, infrastructure management or a related field), or can you demonstrate equivalent professional experience in a relevant technical field.
• A track record of building high-performing teams and improving organisational performance.
• The ability to make sound, evidence-based decisions in complex and high-profile environments.
• Experience of working with Boards, Ministers and senior stakeholders.
• Strong partnership, communication and influencing skills.
• A commitment to collaborative leadership, continuous improvement and public service.
• A relevant professional qualification or equivalent experience. Chartered status or membership of a relevant professional body is desirable.

This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to help establish a new national public body and leave a lasting legacy for the people of Wales.

As a founding Executive Director, you will have the opportunity to:

• Shape a new organisation from the ground up, influencing its strategy, culture, governance and operating model.
• Lead a nationally significant public safety function, delivering real and measurable outcomes for communities across Wales.
• Work at the highest levels of public service, engaging directly with the Chief Executive, Board, Ministers, Welsh Government and key stakeholders.
• Influence how Wales manages risk and public safety, helping to establish a modern, evidence-led and innovative approach to tip management.
• Develop your executive leadership capability, gaining experience of organisational growth, transformation and system-wide leadership.
• Build a lasting legacy, creating an organisation that will protect communities and critical infrastructure for generations to come.

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 aPermanent Opportunityand aSecondment opportunity.

If you would like to applyvia a Secondment the beloweligibility guidance, will apply.

Eligibility Verification:

AllSecondment 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 will be required to participate in the Authority's out-of-hours on-call rota to provide strategic leadership and support in response to operational incidents and emergencies. 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 - Leadership and Technical capability to be tested via CV and Leadership Statement Stage 2 - Leadership, Technical Capability and Our Values to be tested via interview (including a presentation, psychometric testing and an informal conversation with board member) Please refer to the candidate pack for further detail.
In the event of a large number of applications, an initial sift will be conducted against the lead assessment criterion: Leadership Expectations. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview. 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: 1. To hold, or be working towards, Chartered status or membership of a relevant professional body relevant to the role 2. 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.

Vetting level Basic

Number of posts 1

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

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: We expect all our leaders to:

• Lead with Integrity and Purpose - Provide clarity, act with honesty and built trust through consistent leadership
• Put People First - Create an inclusive environment where people feel valued, supported and able to perform at their best.
• Collaborate for Impact - Build relationships that enable people and organisations to achieve more together.
• Drive Excellence and Innovation - Encourage learning, challenge the status quo and continually improve the way we work.
• Take Ownership and Deliver - Lead with confidence, take responsibility and focus on achieving meaningful outcomes.

This will be tested at Stage 1: Application Form

This will be tested at stage 2: Interview

Experience 2: Our values guide every decision we make and shape the culture we're building together.

As one of our founding Executive Directors, you'll play a vital role in bringing these values to life.

We Make Wales Safer - We put public safety at the heart of every decision and every action.

We Do the Right Thing - We act with integrity, professionalism and accountability, even when decisions are difficult.

We Take Ownership - We focus on what matters, follow through on our commitments and take responsibility for delivering positive outcomes.

We Work Together - We achieve more through partnership, collaboration and mutual respect.

We Learn and Improve - We are curious, ambitious and committed to continuously improving ourselves, our organisation and the services we provide.

This will be tested at stage 2: Interview

Technical

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

Technical 1: Strategic Operational Leadership

• Leading large-scale operational services or programmes within a complex, regulated or safety-critical environment.
• Translating organisational strategy into effective operational delivery.

This will be tested at stage 1: Application Form

This will be tested at stage 2: Interview

Technical 2: Risk, Safety and Regulatory Management

• Leading the identification, assessment and management of operational or environmental risks.
• Applying proportionate, evidence-based judgement within regulatory or safety critical contexts.

This will be tested at stage 1: Application Form

This will be tested at stage 2: Interview

Technical 3: Operational Delivery and Improvement

• Designing and improving operational systems, standards and processes.
• Driving organisational performance, resilience and continuous improvement.

This will be tested at stage 1: Application Form

This will be tested at stage 2: Interview

Technical 4: Executive Leadership

• Providing strategic advice and assurance to Boards, Ministers or senior stakeholders.
• Working effectively within an Executive Team to deliver organisational objectives.

This will be tested at stage 1: Application Form

This will be tested at stage 2: Interview

Technical 5: Partnership and System Leadership

• Building trusted relationships across multiple organisations.
• Working collaboratively to influence partners and deliver shared outcomes.

This will be tested at stage 1: Application Form

This will be tested at stage 2: Interview

Technical 6: Communication and Decision Making

• Communicating complex technical and operational issues clearly.
• Making balanced, evidence-based decisions in situations involving uncertainty, risk or public scrutiny.

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.