Head of People and Culture – Disused Tips Authority

Salary range: £61,098 - £78,449
Closing Date: 08/09/2026, 16:00

Location: The Authority's headquarters will be located at Rhydycar Business Park, Merthyr Tydfil, CF48 1UZ. This will be the principal place of work and where most colleagues will come together to collaborate with one another and with stakeholders.

The successful candidate will be expected to attend the office in Merthyr Tydfil regularly to support collaboration and stakeholder engagement. For full-time employees, this will typically be 2–3 days per week, with attendance requirements adjusted on a pro-rata basis for part-time employees.

As a national organisation serving communities across Wales, the DTA will also establish a number of regional hubs and collaboration spaces. Details of these locations are currently being developed and will be confirmed ahead of the Authority becoming operational. Merthyr Tydfil will remain the Authority's headquarters.

Purpose of Post

Help build the organisation behind one of Wales' newest public bodies.

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 technical expertise, but on the people, culture and leadership that enable us to deliver our purpose.

As Head of People & Culture, you will play a critical leadership role in building the organisation from the inside out. You will shape our culture, develop our people and create the workforce capability needed to deliver our statutory responsibilities, ensuring colleagues are supported, empowered and united by a shared purpose.

This is a broad strategic role. Alongside leading all aspects of people, organisational development and culture, you will ensure our workforce strategy, leadership capability and people systems are aligned to the Board's strategic vision and Corporate Plan, creating the conditions for sustainable organisational success.

Beyond the organisation itself, you will play a pivotal role in developing the Authority's ambition to become a recognised centre of excellence for workforce capability and professional practice. Working with partners across Wales, you will help shape the future profession by strengthening technical capability, developing leadership, influencing professional standards and creating the talent pipelines needed to support the long-term management of disused tips.

The role is both inward and outward facing:

• Internally, you will create a positive, inclusive and high-performing culture where people feel valued, supported and connected to the Authority's purpose, values and ambitions.
• Externally, you will work with government, local authorities, professional bodies, education providers and other partners to strengthen workforce capability across Wales and build the skills needed for the future.

This is a unique opportunity to shape the culture, capability and future workforce of a new national organisation, helping establish the Disused Tips Authority as both an employer of choice and a recognised centre of excellence in people, leadership and professional capability.

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.

Key Tasks

Building a people-first organisation

• You'll develop and lead the Authority's People & Culture Strategy, ensuring our workforce, leadership and organisational development activities support delivery of our statutory responsibilities while creating an organisation where people can thrive.

Shaping our culture

• You'll create and embed a values-led culture where colleagues feel trusted, included and empowered to do their best work. You'll champion wellbeing, inclusion and psychological safety while fostering accountability, continuous learning and high performance.

Developing people and capability

• You'll lead workforce planning, recruitment, learning and development, leadership development and talent management, ensuring the Authority has the capability and capacity to meet future challenges and deliver its long-term ambitions.

Supporting strategic delivery

• You'll ensure our people strategy, organisational design and workforce planning are fully aligned to the Authority's Corporate Plan and organisational priorities, translating strategic ambition into practical delivery and organisational performance.

Developing a national profession

• You'll lead the Authority's work to strengthen workforce capability across Wales, working with Welsh Government, local authorities, professional bodies, higher education and industry partners to develop professional standards, learning pathways and leadership capability.
• You'll help establish the Authority as a recognised centre of excellence by developing the talent pipelines, skills and professional capability needed to support the long-term management and regulation of disused tips across Wales.

Leading a high-performing function

• You'll build and lead a modern, values-led People & Culture function, delivering high-quality HR, organisational development and employee experience while creating an environment where your team can thrive and deliver excellent outcomes.

Successful candidates will have a degree in Human Resources, Organisational Development, Business Management or a related discipline, or be able to demonstrate significant relevant experience in senior HR, people, organisational development or workforce leadership roles.

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 People Leadership

• Developing and delivering organisation-wide people, culture and workforce strategies aligned to organisational priorities.
• Translating organisational vision into practical people plans that enable delivery of statutory responsibilities.

Organisational Development & Culture

• Leading organisational development, culture change and values-led transformation.
• Creating inclusive, high-performing workplaces where people feel engaged, supported and able to thrive.

Workforce Capability & Talent Development

• Developing workforce capability, leadership and succession strategies to meet current and future organisational needs.
• Designing learning, leadership development and talent management approaches that build long-term organisational resilience.

Workforce Partnerships & Professional Capability

• Building trusted relationships with Welsh Government, public bodies, professional institutions, education providers and other partners to strengthen workforce capability across Wales.
• Developing professional standards, skills pathways and talent pipelines that support the Authority's ambition to become a recognised centre of excellence.

Strategic Workforce Planning & Organisational Delivery

• Leading workforce planning, organisational design and people initiatives that support delivery of corporate strategy and organisational objectives.
• Aligning people, culture and organisational development activity to measurable business outcomes.

Leadership & Professional Judgement

• Providing strategic advice and challenge to senior leaders on workforce, organisational development, culture and change.
• Exercising sound judgement when balancing organisational priorities, people
  needs, risk and public accountability within a complex and evolving
  environment.