Vacancy title
Structures Engineer – Strategic Road Network
Closing date
19/03/2026, 16:00
Advertising basis
Permanent
Actual starting salary
A starting salary between £47,675 and £52,557 will be offered to the successful candidate based on their skills, knowledge, experience and performance at interview. This range is not negotiable. The pay scale of this role has a salary band between £47,675 and £56,445 in 4 annual increments. Pay progression is based on annual incremental advance to the next point on the scale (awarded subject to satisfactory performance) until the employee reaches the target rate.
Salary range or pay band
SEO £47,675 to £56,445
Allowances
No
Work pattern
Full time (applications are welcome from people who work part time, as part of a job share or who work full time)
Group
Economy, Energy and Transport
Directorate
Transport and Digital Connectivity
Branch
Asset Management & Standards
Location(s)
Pan Wales
Purpose of post
The Strategic Road Network (SRN) is one of Wales’ most vital infrastructure assets, valued at approximately £21 billion. Although the SRN 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, enabling economic growth, and ensuring 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’ll 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, inclusive team and help shape the future of the SRN—making a real difference to people’s lives, connectivity, and the Welsh economy.
What You’ll Be Doing
As part of the Asset Management and Standards branch, you’ll deliver technical governance of plans to operate, maintain, and improve the SRN on behalf of Welsh Ministers. This includes:
* Proactively managing and appraising Technical Approval submissions for a range of situations including structural assessments, strengthening and the design of new structures
* Preparing National Application Annexes to Design Manual for Roads and Bridges standards and Procedures Advice and Guidance (PAG) documents
* Auditing the delivery of maintenance, improvement and upgrading projects against Welsh Government standards and policies, budgets and programmes
* Providing advice to Trunk Road Agents, Local Authorities, Consulting Engineers and Contractors as required on structural technical standards
Two roles are being advertised, one covering structures in the North and Mid Wales area and one covering the South area.
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.
Key Focus
In This Role, You’ll Ensure That:
* Welsh Government standards are applied consistently—contributing to National Application Annexes and Procedures Advice and Guidance, and embedding updates in live projects
* Decisions optimise whole‑life outcomes—balancing public safety, network availability, cost and carbon
* Risks are clearly articulated and managed—maintaining live risk registers and escalating promptly where safety or availability could be affected
* Digital tools, modern inspection methods and risk-based approaches are leveraged to improve insight, efficiency and traceability across the structures portfolio
* Structures are assessed, strengthened, renewed and monitored as required, using the most cost effective and least disruptive methods to maintain network availability and public safety
* High‑quality, up‑to‑date asset data is captured and maintained, ensuring structures are supported by accurate as‑built and operational information that underpins efficient delivery, robust valuation, and effective lifetime management
Why Join Us?
We’re 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’ll be joining a team that values collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement, and where your work will have a tangible impact on the future of transport in Wales.
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 Pay, pensions and benefits | GOV.WALES.
Key Responsibilities
* Drive meaningful change by acting as the Technical Approval Authority contact for assessment, maintenance, strengthening, improvement and new build projects in the relevant agent area.
* Shape delivery excellence by proactively managing and appraising Technical Approval submissions by trunk road agents and consultants, ensuring high standards, value for money, and timely outcomes.
* Support informed decision-making through effective risk management, reporting, and preparation of briefings, aligned with Welsh Government governance frameworks.
* Maximise impact by making well‑reasoned, formally recorded, recommendations for departures from the requirements of technical standards.
* Foster collaboration by making experience‑based contributions to the philosophies governing the content on the national structures standards and procedures and advice notes to ensure that they cater for Welsh Government objectives.
* Represent Welsh Government at industry groups including Bridge Owners Forum and UK Roads Leadership Group’s Bridges Board.
* Promote innovation by championing sustainable construction methods, digital tools, and integrated project delivery approaches that support long‑term resilience and efficiency.
Development Opportunities
Joining The Strategic Road Network Division means being part of a team that’s at the heart of delivering high‑impact infrastructure across Wales. We offer:
* Exposure to nationally significant programmes that tackle congestion, improve connectivity, and shape the future of transport in Wales.
* Opportunities to work directly with Ministers, senior Welsh Government officials, and strategic partners across the UK—giving you insight into policy-making and delivery at the highest level.
* Opportunities to network and engage with technical experts from road and rail administrations across the UK and Ireland.
* A supportive and inclusive team environment, where diversity is valued and everyone is encouraged to thrive. You’ll have access to mentoring, peer learning, and tailored development opportunities to help you grow in your role and beyond.
Other Vacancy Related Information
* A reserve list may be held for this opportunity. Any candidate who is successful in being offered a reserve status will remain on the reserve list for 12 months.
* This is a Pan‑Wales role and can be based at any Welsh Government office. The successful candidate will be expected to undertake site visits (average of 1 each quarter) as part of their role.
* Reimbursement of the annual membership fee/subscription to a single professional institution will be provided, so long as it aligns with the requirements of the role.
* CVs will not be scored but will be used by the panel to gain a fuller understanding of your experience and employment history.
* In the event of a large number of applications, an initial sift will be conducted against the lead assessment criterion: Technical. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
* In the event of two or more candidates having the same total score, the following merit order will be applied:
* Technical
* Experience
* Making Effective Decisions
* Seeing the Big Picture
Vetting level
Basic
Number of posts
2
Contact point for further information regarding the post
EST-NMDMailBox@Gov.Wales
Welsh language requirements
Welsh language skills are not essential for this post, but they are desirable and will be considered if two or more candidates receive the same score at the application or interview stage.
Success Profiles
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.
Behaviour 1: Seeing the Big Picture
Understand the strategic drivers for your area of work.
Behaviour 2: Making Effective Decisions
Analyse and use a range of relevant, credible information from internal and external sources to support decisions.
Behaviour 3: Delivering at Pace
Act promptly to reassess workloads and priorities when there are conflicting demands to maintain performance.
Evidence to provide
Experience questions
Experience 1
Experience of the design and/or structural assessment of highway structures.
Technical 1
Experience of application of the technical standards and procedural requirements governing the design and maintenance of highway structures work.
You will be asked about your nationality and if you are legally allowed to work in the United Kingdom. This is to find out if you are eligible to apply for this vacancy. This is a requirement for working within the Civil Service. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules
If you do not meet the eligibility criteria your application will not progress. If it becomes clear at a later stage in the process that you are not eligible to apply, your application may be withdrawn, or the offer retracted.
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)
* 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
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)
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.
How To Apply
All applications for this vacancy must be made using our online application system. Unless stated otherwise in the 'Other vacancy‑related information for advert', the Welsh Government cannot offer visa sponsorship. Welsh Government holds a visa sponsorship licence, but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify. Applications are welcomed from people with a diverse range of lived and professional experiences. We are actively committed to becoming an increasingly diverse organisation which represents the diverse communities we serve. There are a number of diversity networks that staff can participate in, which include the Disability Awareness and Support Staff Network; Minority Ethnic Staff Network; Mind Matters (mental health and well‑being); PRISM (LGBTI+), Women Together and the Neurodivergence Network. If you have an impairment which prevents you from applying online, please email our recruitment team. You can:
* request an application pack in an alternative format
* request a recruitment adjustment to help you submit your application
Use the 'Apply' button to submit your application. You will be asked to register if you don't have an account or sign in if you do. Registration takes a few minutes and you will need an email address. You should check your Application Centre regularly for updates to your application. Please also check your spam/junk folder in case any communication regarding your application and/or assessment details finds its way there. Once you've registered for an account and logged in, you'll be taken to the online application form. You must complete this and submit it before the deadline on the closing date. We will not consider an incomplete application form. If you would like to apply for this vacancy in Welsh, please use the Change Language link on this page. We welcome applications in Welsh, and applications submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than applications submitted in English. Please see the candidate guidance for more information on the recruitment process. For information on Civil Service Success Profiles please click here. For TS to G6 recruitment schemes: When presenting your evidence, you may find it useful to consider the expectations of the grade as set out in the Grade Description as well as the main responsibilities that are essential for the role.
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