Education Improvement Team Professional Advisor - Secondee x 2

Job summary

The Welsh Government has changed the way that it engages with local authorities and schools, in the context of the Strategic Review of Education Partners, to provide more active support to enable a self-improving system which improves educational standards for learners in Wales. This is now set out as part of the new School Improvement Guidance published on 5 January 2026.

We have established the Education Improvement Team within Welsh Government, who lead on more regular strategic engagement with local authorities to share national priorities, develop cross-sector understanding, and provide national support as appropriate. The Team will look to build up over time if and as needed. It actively seeks to represent WG education priorities in an integrated way so will represent key education policy areas.

Job description

The Welsh Government has changed the way that it engages with local authorities and schools, in the context of the Strategic Review of Education Partners, to provide more active support to enable a self-improving system which improves educational standards for learners in Wales. This is now set out as part of the new School Improvement Guidance published on 5 January 2026.

We have established the Education Improvement Team within Welsh Government, who lead on more regular strategic engagement with local authorities to share national priorities, develop cross-sector understanding, and provide national support as appropriate. The Team will look to build up over time if and as needed. It actively seeks to represent WG education priorities in an integrated way so will represent key education policy areas.

We are recruiting two secondees to work closely with local authorities and schools to ensure national priorities are clear, build a better understanding of local challenges and experiences to inform national policy, and to facilitate connection and join up across Wales to support delivery of national priorities. They will contribute to the overall national understanding of the progress of the school-to-school collaborative improvement model set out in the recent guidance.

Specifically, we are looking to recruit:

• An individual with current / recent experience of school leadership, particularly in respect of leading self-evaluation and improvement planning within and across schools. It would also be beneficial for this individual to have some system leadership experience, working across schools either locally or nationally.
• An individual with current / recent experience of working in a leading role within school improvement / inclusion at local, regional or national level.

The roles outlined above will complement the existing capacity of the Education Improvement Team.

Welsh language is desirable for both posts and the postholders will need to be prepared to travel across Wales at times over the period.

The appointment will be as a secondment for up to 2 years. A part-time arrangement will be considered. There will be no possibility of extending the contract as the policy is to ensure that expertise and knowledge is shared across the system and that these posts provide a learning opportunity for partners across the sector.

Person specification

As part of the new Education Improvement Team, communicate a clear set of national priorities and focus areas for local authorities and schools, in the context of the National Improvement Framework. Keep these priorities under review on an annual basis as part of the work of the EIT.

Contribute to and support a national information-sharing cycle which includes schools, local authorities and national government, to ensure agile ongoing information-sharing on successes and opportunities as well as issues and challenges, to enable success to be shared across, up and down and help the system to respond to challenges.

As part of the EIT, discuss with local authorities their local improvement priorities and challenges throughout the year via a range of engagements including online and in-person workshops and a National Education Improvement Network. The EIT will also work closely with the Ministerial Headteacher Advisory Group to ensure that they connect with the voice of school leadership regularly.

School improvement is a process which enables our national priorities to be achieved in an integrated and coherent way. As information becomes available through school improvement discussions with local authorities and their schools, Welsh Government can act on this appropriately to support schools and local authorities. The EIT plays a key role in ensuring the education directorate team within Welsh Government receive and understand this information. The EIT will also share this intelligence with Dysgu, our new Professional Learning and Leadership body, so that they can tailor national PL to the current needs of the sector.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving
• Working Together

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 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

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.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 : Alun Jones
• Email : SIID.Correspondence@gov.wales

Recruitment team

• Email : SharedServiceHelpdesk@gov.wales