Structures Engineer – Strategic Road Network

The Strategic Road Network (SRN) is one of Wales’ most vital infrastructure assets, valued at approximately £21 billion. Although the SRN makes up just 5% of the total road length, it carries around one-third of all road traffic, playing a key role in connecting communities, enabling economic growth, and ensuring access to essential services. This post is part of a wider recruitment campaign to strengthen the Welsh Government’s Strategic Road Network Division. Over the coming months, we’ll be building a diverse and skilled team to enhance our capability as a highway authority—ensuring we continue to deliver safe, efficient, and sustainable transport infrastructure across Wales. This is an exciting opportunity to join a delivery-focused, inclusive team and help shape the future of the SRN—making a real difference to people’s lives, connectivity, and the Welsh economy.

What You’ll Be Doing

As part of the Asset Management and Standards branch, you’ll deliver technical governance of plans to operate, maintain, and improve the SRN on behalf of Welsh Ministers. This includes:

• Proactively managing and appraising Technical Approval submissions for a range of situations including structural assessments, strengthening and the design of new structures.
• Preparing National Application Annexes to Design Manual for Roads and Bridges standards and Procedures Advice and Guidance (PAG) documents.
• Auditing the delivery of maintenance, improvement and upgrading projects against Welsh Government standards and policies, budgets and programmes.
• Providing advice to Trunk Road Agents, Local Authorities, Consulting Engineers and Contractors as required on structural technical standards.

Two roles are being advertised, one covering structures in the North and Mid Wales area and one covering the South area. All work is aligned with Welsh Government policy, including Llwybr Newydd: The Wales Transport Strategy 2021, the Well‑being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, and our environmental improvement commitments.

Key Focus In This Role, You’ll Ensure That:

• Welsh Government standards are applied consistently—contributing to National Application Annexes and Procedures Advice and Guidance, and embedding updates in live projects.
• Decisions optimise whole‑life outcomes—balancing public safety, network availability, cost and carbon.
• Risks are clearly articulated and managed—maintaining live risk registers and escalating promptly where safety or availability could be affected.
• Digital tools, modern inspection methods and risk-based approaches are leveraged to improve insight, efficiency and traceability across the structures portfolio.
• Structures are assessed, strengthened, renewed and monitored as required, using the most cost effective and least disruptive methods to maintain network availability and public safety.
• High‑quality, up‑to‑date asset data is captured and maintained, ensuring structures are supported by accurate as‑built and operational information that underpins efficient delivery, robust valuation, and effective lifetime management.

Why Join Us?

We’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences. You’ll be joining a team that values collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement, and where your work will have a tangible impact on the future of transport in Wales.

You’ll also benefit from an exceptional employee package. As a Welsh Government employee, you’ll be automatically enrolled into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, which offers one of the most generous employer contribution rates in the UK (28.97% employer contribution), providing long‑term financial security that is difficult to match elsewhere. You’ll work a 37‑hour week, enjoying 31 days of annual leave plus bank and privilege holidays, alongside flexible working arrangements and a hybrid working approach designed to support wellbeing, work‑life balance and productivity. We also offer a range of additional benefits, including cycle and green car schemes, discounted rail season tickets, and access to wellbeing and employee support programmes.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive meaningful change by acting as the Technical Approval Authority contact for assessment, maintenance, strengthening, improvement and new build projects in the relevant agent area.
• Shape delivery excellence by proactively managing and appraising Technical Approval submissions by trunk road agents and consultants, ensuring high standards, value for money, and timely outcomes.
• Support informed decision-making through effective risk management, reporting, and preparation of briefings, aligned with Welsh Government governance frameworks.
• Maximise impact by making well‑reasoned, formally recorded, recommendations for departures from the requirements of technical standards.
• Foster collaboration by making experience‑based contributions to the philosophies governing the content on the national structures standards and procedures and advice notes to ensure that they cater for Welsh Government objectives.
• Represent Welsh Government at industry groups including Bridge Owners Forum and UK Roads Leadership Group’s Bridges Board.
• Promote innovation by championing sustainable construction methods, digital tools, and integrated project delivery approaches that support long‑term resilience and efficiency.

Development Opportunities

Joining The Strategic Road Network Division means being part of a team that’s at the heart of delivering high‑impact infrastructure across Wales. We offer:

• Exposure to nationally significant programmes that tackle congestion, improve connectivity, and shape the future of transport in Wales.
• Opportunities to work directly with Ministers, senior Welsh Government officials, and strategic partners across the UK—giving you insight into policy-making and delivery at the highest level.
• Opportunities to network and engage with technical experts from road and rail administrations across the UK and Ireland.
• A supportive and inclusive team environment, where diversity is valued and everyone is encouraged to thrive. You’ll have access to mentoring, peer learning, and tailored development opportunities to help you grow in your role and beyond.

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. This is a Pan‑Wales role and can be based at any Welsh Government office. The successful candidate will be expected to undertake site visits (average of 1 each quarter) as part of their role. Reimbursement of the annual membership fee/subscription to a single professional institution will be provided, so long as it aligns with the requirements of the role.