Vacancy -- Head of Investment and Development (South) 21st Century Schools and Colleges

'Pan Wales' means that the location in which the vacancy can be based is flexible, subject to the needs of the business. Please note it may not always be possible to accommodate a preference for a specific office location, but requests will be taken into consideration.

To manage a small team in the effective deployment of capital (c£150m) and revenue funding allocations  annually to educational establishments including Schools, Further Education and Higher Education Institutions across Wales as a means of maintaining and improving facilities in order to assist in continued learner provision, improved attainment outcomes and a sustainable Education Estate for Wales. 

The post holder will be accountable to the Programme Director and will lead and manage investment, development and delivery of the Welsh Government’s flagship 21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme across south Wales.

• Work with partners in local authorities, further education institutions, and others to advise them of Welsh Government (WG) policy as they develop business cases in support of projects within the 21st Century Schools and Education Programme.  
• Be responsible for the effective delivery and control of Department for Education’s capital budgets through:

- ensuring accurate and timely payments;
- appropriate reconciliation and risk management processes that are integrated into divisional, group and departmental controls;
- proactive Project Management with appropriate reporting including the provision of monthly highlight reports including programme slippage and managed over-programming to achieve year-end targets; 
- delivery of projects completed against agreed schedule and financial profiles within financial year; and
- modelling and implementation of projects /programmes within capital budgets allocated. 

• Ensure that appropriate systems of financial control and governance are in place and monitor expenditure against budget on a monthly basis.
• Engage with Internal Audit and WG Programme Governance Teams in the review of projects/programmes and implement all recommendations arising. 
• Work with programme WG colleagues and external stakeholders in the development and delivery of the WG’s decarbonisation and sustainability commitments. 
• Work closely with colleagues in contributing to the management and collection of all property matrix data and provision of appropriate solutions for accessibility of the data; in particular in relation to the 21st Century Schools Estate Survey and Further Education Estate Survey and any other property data required to inform the realisation of benefits of the Capital investment Programme.
• Manage and ensure completion of the assessment process of all stakeholders’ investment proposals in line with the HM Treasury 5 Case Business model, from the Strategic Outline Programme stage through to Full Business case stage.
• Manage and ensure completion of the assessment process of Further Education Institutions and Higher Education Investment Proposals that provide a forward outline investment plan aligned to the 21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme.
• Lead on the submission of business cases/applications to secure additional capital monies to the standard and timescales set by Central Finance.
• To support the administration and operation of the department’s Capital Investment Panel providing regular highlight reports and ad-hoc papers in line with the management and delivery of programme budgets.
• Establish and maintain constructive relationships with all delivery agents (Local Authorities, Further Education Institutions and Higher Education Institutions) and their technical advisors, managing and ensuring completion of assessment processes for associated investments.
• Lead on all matters relating to the integration of the Childcare, Early Years, Digital Wales capital investment strategies, aligning priorities with 21st Century Schools and Colleges programmes and maximising efficiencies and outcomes.
• Lead, provide direction and manage the programme team in the pre-evaluation of business cases ensuring submissions align with the programme’s published design and cost criteria, commissioning cost consultants as and when appropriate.  
• Work with the Programme Accountant in the profiling of capital and revenue expenditure providing timely, accurate forecasts against programme.
• To deputise when required for the 21st Century Schools Programme Director and to assist in the preparation and delivery of reports to the 21st Century Schools and Education Capital Programme Board.
• Contribute towards guidance and management for School Health and Safety including fabric/maintenance/capital issues.
• Contribute to the management of Government Business set by Welsh Government and the Minister's office in respect of Programmes and all associated activities. 

21st Century Schools and Colleges is a high profile capital investment Programme that will see the biggest investment in educational infrastructure since the 1960s.

The post holder will have significant exposure to senior stakeholders including Chief Executives of local authorities; Directors of Education; college principles; and Diocesan Directors of Education.

There is significant opportunity to develop project and programme management skills; obtain a working knowledge of Treasury’s Better Business Case Process. There will also be opportunities to present at conferences and events on behalf of the Programme.

20/06/2021, 16:00

Posts recruited to as part of this recruitment campaign are broadly open to UK nationals, those with right to remain and work in the UK and those that meet the Civil Service Nationality Rules only. Check your eligibility here:

• UK Visas and Immigration - GOV.UK

• Nationality rules – GOV.UK

Prior to appointment, all successful applicants will be required to produce original, acceptable documents as part of the pre-employment checks. If it becomes apparent at a later stage in the process that you aren’t eligible to apply, your application will be withdrawn, or offer retracted.

The Welsh Government is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and which promote equality of opportunity. This is underpinned by the Equality Act 2010 and will be adhered to at each stage of the recruitment process. Our goal is to ensure that these commitments are also embedded in our day-to-day working practices with all our customers, colleagues and partners.

We are committed to being an anti-racist organisation and increasing diversity in the Welsh Government by removing barriers and supporting all our staff to reach their potential. We are committed to recruiting Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people and disabled people who are currently under-represented in Welsh Government.

We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, marriage and civil partnership (both same sex and opposite sex), impairment or health condition, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, gender identity or gender expression.

We are a Stonewall Diversity Champion and a Disability Confident Level 3 (Leader) organisation. Key to supporting this work and providing peer support are five Board sponsored Staff Networks (Disability Awareness and Support (DAAS); Minority Ethnic Support Network (MESN); Mind Matters (Mental health and well-being); PRISM (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex +) and Women Together.

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

The Welsh Government is a bilingual organisation and Welsh language skills are considered an asset to the organisation. We encourage and support staff to learn, develop and use their Welsh language skills in the workplace. 

The following list of language requirements represents an objective assessment by the line manager on behalf of the Welsh Government of the Welsh language skills required to undertake the duties of this particular post.

In Welsh Government, the relationship between the employer and trade unions is based on social partnership. We believe our goals can best be achieved by management and trade unions working together.

Our 3 recognised trade unions are:
•         PCS
•         Prospect
•         FDA

This relationship is underpinned by a partnership agreement. This sets out how our unions work with Welsh Government on issues such as:
•         pay
•         terms and conditions
•         policies and procedures
•         organisational change.

Our Welsh Government trade union colleagues work together to give their members a real say in the workplace. They make sure that the interests of their members are promoted and protected. They also help reduce inequalities and improve terms and conditions.

The Welsh Government has an excellent track record of working in partnership with its trade unions. We encourage staff to get involved. We support you to join a recognised trade union, to ensure your voice is heard in the workplace. and to learn more about trade unions and partnership working.

• Unless stated otherwise in ‘actual starting salary’, all candidates will start at the minimum of the pay scale being appointed to (this includes existing civil servants).This is not negotiable.
• Unless stated otherwise in ‘type of opportunity’, this recruitment advert is not open on a Loan or Secondment basis.
• For more information on the eligibility criteria and terms and conditions for Loan and Secondment positions in Welsh Government, please see external recruitment candidate guidance.
• Unless stated otherwise in ‘Location of Post’ the role/s recruited to via this campaign can only be worked in the UK, not overseas.

All applications for this vacancy should be made online via the Welsh Government's online application system.  If you have an impairment which would prevent you from applying on-line, please e-mail SharedServiceHelpdesk@gov.wales to request an application pack in an alternative format, or to request a reasonable adjustment related to an impairment in order to submit your application.

To apply, you'll need to have an account on our online application system.  Click the 'Apply' button below, and you'll be asked to 'Log in' if you already have an account, or 'Register' if you don't yet have an account.  Registration takes just a few minutes to complete.  You'll need an e-mail address to be able to register.  Once you've registered for an account and logged in, you'll be taken to the online application form, which you'll need to fully complete and submit before the deadline on the closing date.  

If you’d like to apply for this vacancy in Welsh, please use the ‘Newid Iaith / Change Language’ link at the top of this page, to take you to the Welsh version of this advert, from which you can apply in Welsh.

For further information regarding the Welsh Government recruitment process, please see the Recruitment Guidance for External Candidates (link).

When evidencing your suitability for the post, it is recommended that you refer to the Civil Service Competency Framework (link)

Anyone who believes they have been treated unfairly, or has a grievance or complaint, about how the process was conducted should either write to the Head of Resourcing, Welsh Government, Cathays Park 2, Cardiff CF10 3NQ or email SharedServiceHelpdesk@gov.wales.  If you are unhappy with the outcome of the complaint raised with the Welsh Government and feel that the principles of appointment on merit through fair and open competition have not been met you have the right to pursue your grievance with the Civil Service Commission.