About the job

Job summary

The Strategic Road Network (SRN) is one of the largest single assets on the Welsh Government balance sheet, with a depreciated replacement cost of around £18bn. Whilst only around 5% of the total road length in Wales, covering 75 miles of motorway and 1000 miles of trunk road, the network carries a third of all traffic and supports the delivery of many of the Welsh Government’s strategic objectives. It is vital to the economy, connecting people and communities.  It enables access to vital services and has an important role to play in sustaining and enhancing our environmental assets and supporting active travel and modal shift.

Job description

You will be joining a team of dedicated professionals to help ensure the integrity and sustainability of the trunk road network in line with current Welsh Government policies. 

Our programme of projects across Wales include some that address the country’s most critical challenges; from complex infrastructure projects, increasing multi modal transport needs, to addressing the climate change emergency.  This work includes leading your team to develop and deliver a programme of capital projects valued at between £130m to £185m annually. Your work will help contribute to supporting and maintaining this vital asset and delivering a lasting impact on Wales and the local communities. 

The delivery model for the SRN is currently based on a delegation of certain statutory functions to trunk road agents, North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent (NMWTRA) and the South Wales Trunk Road Agent (SWTRA). They carry out the day-to-day operation, maintenance and improvement of the network in their area under the direction and governance of Welsh Government, utilising their public and private sector supply chains.

You will therefore be responsible for the delivery of a programme of over 1000 individual maintenance and improvement projects on the SRN on an annual basis. You we be required to provide leadership and direction to your team of area managers and the trunk road agents to deliver the programme in a cost effective and efficient manner.  

The work will require strong analytical skills including programme, commercial and risk management as well as budget forecasting and financial governance. You’ll also need to have a sound understanding on the NEC form of contracts and public procurement regulations.

You’ll have the ability to manage competing priorities and build effective working relationships with a range of stakeholders to successfully deliver the capital maintenance programme.  Many aspects of the role will require decisions based on sound judgement, evidence and analysis. The post holder will also need to have the ability to identify key issues that need further consideration, develop and appraise different options for addressing those issues, seeking advice where appropriate. 

The post entails regular engagement with Ministers, Members of the Senedd, Councillors, Senior Transport Management Team, the supply chain and a diverse range of stakeholders. You’ll also support the Head of Capital Delivery, Head of Operations and Highways Asset Manager on the day-to-day maintenance, safety and operation of the SRN across Wales discharging Welsh Minister’s statutory duties for this function. This will include providing leadership and direction to the Trunk Road Agents (over 400 staff).

There will also be opportunities to shape the development of Welsh Government’s Major Asset Renewals programme and prioritise the delivery of projects listed in the National Transport Delivery Plan.

This role will help shape the future direction of the SRN in Wales and to drive forward the Welsh Government’s commitments towards Net Zero by developing and delivering projects in line with current policies including Llwybr Newydd: the Wales Transport Strategy and the four road-building tests set out in the Welsh Government’s response to the Roads Review. These focus on delivering modal shift to more sustainable forms of transport, reducing carbon, providing a net benefit for biodiversity and enhanced ecosystem resilience and improving the resilience of the network and its surroundings to the effects of climate change.

Person specification

Grade Specific Requirements

What the organisation will expect

• You will have the ability to work under pressure, be flexible, proactive and self-motivated.
• You will have the ambition to lead and motivate a team to successfully deliver within a challenging, pressured and fast-paced environment.
• You will lead the application of sound engineering principles in daily practice and promote continuous improvement through innovation and the adoption of new engineering technology
• You will be able to take an innovative approach, looking for opportunities to do things differently and responsive enough to adapt and develop new options as things change.
• You will be adaptable, flexible, open to, and accepting of change affecting you and your area of work and deal with that change efficiently and professionally.
• As an effective Civil Servant, you will understand the political landscape and the role that Ministers play in setting the agenda and policies for your business area; an understanding of how to get things done with regard to governance and financial management processes and have an in-depth knowledge of statutory and commercial frameworks.
• An ability to manage risk, making informed decisions with little or no guidance; and be able to clearly communicate at all levels, including with senior stakeholders and Ministers.

 What your team will expect:

• You will value diversity and inclusion, creating an environment where individuals feel safe to challenge, share ideas and express concerns.
• You will be a role model, who is able to motivate and inspire others, establish a vision and bring others on board, providing clear direction and priorities for the team, ensuring that every member understands their contribution to achieving objectives, and feel capable of fulfilling their role.
• You will support the development of others, demonstrating an understanding of the importance of learning, planning for and providing opportunities and encouragement for individuals to develop, as well as investing time for your own development.

What key stakeholders will expect:

• You will be able to use sound judgement, evidence and knowledge to provide credible advice and guidance to both internal and external stakeholders.
• You will understand the importance of building and maintaining constructive relationships, both within and outside Welsh Government.
• You will have strong influencing skills and the ability to build collaborative relationships that both challenge with support and build trust and mutual respect across organisational boundaries.
• You will be able to use creative thoughts to develop recommendations and take advantage of opportunities to work collaboratively across boundaries.

KEY TASKS

• To manage, continually develop and provide leadership to a team of area/project managers.
•  Ensure the team’s work is fully aligned to the delivery of Welsh and UK Legislation, Programme for Government commitments, Wales Transport Strategy priorities and objectives and other WG Policies.
•  Ensure projects and programmes of work on the SRN are developed and delivered in a consistent manner to time and budget each year.
• Provide clear and effective contractual and financial governance through project delivery.
• Support the Head of Capital Projects in managing and reporting on the Division’s annual capital budget which can vary between £130m and £200m+.
• To proactively drive efficiencies and deliver reduced carbon and value for money. 
• Develop best practice project and programme management within the SRN team and its trunk road agents. 
• Provide advice and support the Head of Capital Delivery, Head of Operations and Highways Asset Manager on the day-to-day maintenance and Ministers in meetings, public forums etc. 
• Develop and maintain relationships with key internal and external stakeholders. Take account of the broad range of competing interests across all stakeholder groups when developing and delivering projects. 
• Contribute to the development of a Major Asset Renewals programme. 
• To represent the Welsh Government at court, tribunals, Public Local Inquiries (PLIs) as required. 
• To review and approve press queries and government business relating to the delivery of schemes.  To keep the public and business informed about planned works that may adversely impact their journey and provide information that allows them to avoid or mitigate these effects. 
• Review and respond to Government Business correspondence relating to the delivery of projects and programmes on the SRN. 

Benefits

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

• Civil Service Pension Scheme
• 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.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours.

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

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a 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) (opens in a new window)
• 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 (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window). 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.