4053 - Head of Governance & Legal for the Disused Tips Authority

Job summary

This is a unique opportunity to shape the governance foundations of a new national organisation, helping establish the Disused Tips Authority as a trusted, accountable and well-governed public body recognised for the quality of its leadership, decision-making and organisational integrity.

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 build the governance and integrity behind one of Wales' newest public bodies.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a strategic leadership role in 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 effective operational delivery, but on governance arrangements that enable confident decision-making, organisational accountability and public trust.

As Head of Governance & Legal, you will play a critical leadership role in developing the Authority's governance and legal capability. You'll ensure the organisation operates lawfully, transparently and with integrity while creating governance arrangements that enable effective decision-making, clear accountability and strong public confidence.

This is a broad strategic leadership role. Alongside leading the Authority's governance and legal functions, you'll shape governance frameworks, Board processes, legal compliance arrangements and organisational policies that support the Board's strategic vision and Corporate Plan.

Job description

Beyond the organisation itself, you will play a pivotal role in developing the Authority's ambition to become a recognised centre of excellence in public sector governance and organisational accountability. Working with Welsh Government, regulators, oversight bodies and professional institutions, you will help strengthen governance capability, share best practice and contribute to the continued development of governance across Wales' public sector.

The role is both inward and outward facing:

• Internally, you will create governance arrangements that provide clarity, confidence and accountability, enabling leaders and colleagues to make informed decisions within proportionate governance frameworks.
• Externally, you will build trusted relationships with Welsh Government, regulators, auditors and other partners, demonstrating the Authority's commitment to transparency, integrity and effective public administration.

Person specification

Key Tasks

Building effective governance

• You'll lead the development and continuous improvement of the Authority's governance framework, ensuring governance arrangements are proportionate, transparent and support confident organisational decision-making.
• You'll establish governance policies, delegations and decision-making processes that provide clarity, accountability and consistency across the organisation.

Supporting the Board and Executive

• You'll lead the Authority's Board and committee governance arrangements, ensuring the Chair, Board, Chief Executive and Executive Team receive high-quality governance support, enabling effective oversight, strategic decision-making and organisational leadership.
• You'll oversee forward planning, governance processes and corporate decision-making arrangements, ensuring governance enables delivery rather than becoming an administrative burden.

Leading legal compliance

• You'll ensure the Authority operates lawfully and in accordance with its statutory responsibilities, leading legal compliance arrangements and providing expert advice on governance, public law and corporate obligations.
• You'll oversee compliance with legislation and corporate requirements, including information governance, Freedom of Information, data protection and wider public authority responsibilities.

Strengthening organisational accountability

• You'll develop governance arrangements that support organisational accountability, transparency and continuous improvement.
• You'll oversee corporate health and safety governance, ensuring appropriate frameworks, reporting and assurance arrangements are embedded across the organisation and support a safe working environment.
• You'll promote a culture where governance supports confident leadership, responsible decision-making and continuous organisational learning.

Supporting strategic delivery

• You'll ensure governance, legal compliance and corporate policies are fully aligned to the Authority's Corporate Plan and organisational priorities, translating strategic ambition into practical governance arrangements that support organisational success.

Developing governance capability

• You'll lead the development of governance policies, standards and professional practice that promote consistency, integrity and continuous improvement across the Authority.
• You'll help establish the Authority as a recognised centre of excellence by strengthening governance capability, promoting ethical leadership and sharing best practice across the wider public sector.

Working across the system

• You'll build trusted relationships with Welsh Government, regulators, auditors, oversight bodies and professional partners, recognising that effective governance depends upon collaboration, openness and constructive challenge.
• You'll represent the Authority on governance and legal matters, promoting confidence in the organisation's governance arrangements and public service values.

Leading a high-performing function

• You'll build and lead a professional Governance & Legal function, creating an environment where colleagues develop their expertise, provide high-quality advice and support effective organisational leadership.
• You'll champion continuous professional development, high standards and a culture of integrity, accountability and public service.

Successful candidates would have membership of a relevant professional body and experience of governance, legal or corporate compliance within complex or regulated organisations.

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 Governance Leadership

• Developing and implementing governance frameworks that support organisational priorities, statutory responsibilities and effective public administration.
• Translating governance principles into practical arrangements that enable confident organisational decision-making.

Corporate Governance & Legal Compliance

• Leading governance and legal compliance functions within complex public sector or regulated organisations.
• Ensuring compliance with statutory obligations, public authority requirements and recognised standards of good governance.
• Developing governance policies, delegations and decision-making frameworks that promote organisational integrity and accountability.

Board & Executive Support

• Leading Board and committee governance, supporting effective decision-making, scrutiny and organisational oversight.
• Providing high-quality governance advice to Boards, senior leaders and committees within complex governance environments.

Public Sector Accountability & Decision-Making

• Promoting transparency, ethical leadership and effective public administration.
• Supporting organisational accountability through proportionate governance, clear delegations and robust decision-making processes.
• Understanding the legislative and constitutional framework within which Welsh public bodies operate.

Partnership Working & External Relationships

• Building trusted relationships with Welsh Government, regulators, auditors, oversight bodies and external partners.
• Representing the organisation confidently in governance, legal and corporate matters.
• Promoting collaboration, openness and constructive engagement across the wider public sector.

Leadership & Team Development

• Leading and developing high-performing governance and legal teams.
• Creating an inclusive culture that promotes professional excellence, continuous learning and organisational improvement.
• Building governance capability and strengthening professional practice across the organisation.

Communication & Professional Judgement

• Communicating complex governance and legal issues clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Providing balanced, evidence-based advice that supports confident decision-making by senior leaders and Boards.
• Exercising sound judgement when balancing governance requirements, organisational priorities and public accountability.

Qualifications

Hold a relevant qualification in Law, Governance, Public Administration, Business Management or a related discipline, with significant experience in governance, legal or corporate compliance environments

Technical skills

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

• Our Technical CapabilitiesImportant: 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 (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), 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 processStage 1Application FormStage 2Interview

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.

Stage Two – Interview

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a proportionate G7 interview assessing:

• values, including Trust-Building and wider alignment to TIPS;
• technical capability in governance leadership, corporate governance, legal compliance, Board and Executive support, public sector accountability, stakeholder management and professional judgement; and
• relevant experience leading governance, legal or corporate functions, supporting Board and committee decision-making, ensuring organisational compliance and accountability, and providing professional advice within complex or regulated environments.

Assessment Weightings

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

1. Demonstration of our values, including trust-building and alignment with the organisation's purpose and culture.
2. Technical capability in governance leadership, corporate governance, legal compliance, Board and Executive support, public sector accountability, stakeholder management and professional judgement.
3. Relevant experience leading governance, legal or corporate functions, supporting Board and committee decision-making, ensuring organisational compliance and accountability, and providing professional advice within complex or regulated environments.
4. Desirable criteria listed below.
5. Welsh language skills.

Additional Assessment Activities

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 relevant qualification in Law, Governance, Public Administration, Business Management or a related discipline, with significant experience in governance, legal or corporate compliance environments

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.

1. It would be desirable for candidates to hold membership of a relevant professional body and have experience of governance, legal or corporate compliance within complex or regulated organisations.

2. 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) (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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) 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