Drainage Engineer - Strategic Road Network

Job summary

The Strategic Road Network (SRN) is one of Wales’ most vital infrastructure assets, valued at approximately £21 billion. Although it 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, supporting the economy, and providing 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 will 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 and inclusive team and help shape the future of the SRN. Your work will make a real difference to people’s lives, resilience and the Welsh economy.

Job description

The Strategic Road Network (SRN) is one of Wales’ most vital infrastructure assets, valued at approximately £21 billion. Although it 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, supporting the economy, and providing 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 will 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 and inclusive team and help shape the future of the SRN. Your work will make a real difference to people’s lives, resilience and the Welsh economy.

What You Will Be Doing

As part of the Network Management function, you will help plan, operate, maintain, and improve the SRN on behalf of Welsh Ministers. This includes ensuring the safe, efficient and sustainable operation of key assets such as the motorway and trunk road drainage network. You will contribute to programmes that:

• Strengthen network resilience against increasing rainfall and climate change
• Reduce flood risk on and around the SRN
• Improve environmental outcomes
• Support sustainable water management and adaptation to extreme weather

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.

Drainage Lead. Key Focus

In this role, you will take responsibility for the strategic management of the SRN drainage asset. You will be responsible for:

• Developing and managing the Drainage Asset Management Plan
• Producing a State of the Nation report on the condition and performance of drainage assets
• Leading prioritisation, investment planning, and long-term resilience planning
• Embedding sustainable drainage and climate-resilient design principles across maintenance and improvement programmes
• Working across engineering disciplines and with delivery partners to ensure coordinated and efficient delivery

You will also lead the development and implementation of the Welsh Government Drainage Strategy for the SRN, setting the long-term direction for resilient, sustainable and environmentally responsible drainage management.

Why Join Us

We are 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 will be joining a team that values collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement, and where your work will play a central role in protecting the resilience, safety and environmental performance of Wales’ Strategic Road Network.

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. For more information, visit https://www.gov.wales/welsh-government-careers/pay-pensions-and-benefits

Person specification

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead Welsh Government’s approach to motorway and trunk road drainage, providing authoritative advice and setting strategic direction.
• Develop and deliver long-term drainage strategies and asset management plans to strengthen resilience and sustainability.
• Oversee drainage data and standards to ensure compliance, performance monitoring and informed decision-making.
• Collaborate with delivery partners and stakeholders to manage flood risk, improve environmental outcomes and support emergency response.
• Drive innovation and continuous improvement, representing Welsh Government in technical forums and preparing high-quality briefings.

Licences

UK valid Drivers Licence

Qualifications

Chartered or Incorporated Engineer status (or equivalent professional standing)

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £47,675, Welsh Government contributes £13,811 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• 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 Behaviours and Experience.
Number of Stages:2 stage processStage 1Application FormStage 2Interview

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.

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

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 : EST-NMDMailbox@Gov.Wales
• Email : EST-NMDMailbox@Gov.Wales

Recruitment team

• Email : SharedServiceHelpdesk@gov.wales