Vacancy -- Inspector of Historic Buildings (North Wales)

Working for the Civil Service

The Welsh Government's recruitment processes are underpinned by the principle of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles.

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

Vacancy Details

Economy, Treasury and Constitution Group
Cadw, Historic Environment
SEO - £41,700 - £49,370
£41,700
Full time (applications are welcome from people who work part time, as part of a job share or who work full time)
Permanent
North Wales
TBC

Purpose of Post:

Cadw is the Welsh Government’s historic environment service, working for an accessible and well-protected historic environment for Wales.

We do this by:

  • helping to care for our historic environment for the benefit of people today and in the future
  • promoting the development of the skills that are needed to look after our historic environment properly
  • helping people to cherish and enjoy our historic environment
  • making our historic environment work for our economic well-being
  • working with partners to achieve our common goals together

This role sits within the Historic Environment branch and encompasses a range of duties related to protecting, conserving and sustaining the built historic environment in Wales. The focus is on casework connected with the management of change to listed buildings, both through the consent regime and through grant schemes.

Key tasks:

Across north Wales to:

  • Provide specialist advice on managing change to listed buildings, including pre-application advice, comment on listed building consent applications notified to Cadw, and advice on appeals
  • Provide specialist advice on grant schemes for historic buildings
  • Provide specialist advice on planning applications and other consultations relating to the built historic environment. This might involve representing Cadw at planning enquiries
  • Provide advice on inheritance tax exemption cases to HMRC
  • Liaise with a range of external organisations involved in the management of the historic environment, and to provide general advice on historic interest/conservation to building owners, agents, Local Planning Authorities and other stake-holders
  • Work closely with local authority conservation teams, contributing to training and mentoring where appropriate

In general to

  • Draw on technical knowledge to provide specialist advice on good conservation practice relating to traditional building materials and techniques.
  • Provide briefing for Ministers and/or senior officers on subject responsibilities, including verbal briefings or attendance at meetings, and contribute written advice for cross-Cadw briefing commissions.
  • The post-holder will at times be expected to pick up case-work pressures across Wales when need arises.

Development opportunities:

Cadw encourages staff to pursue opportunities for continuous professional development as well as supporting specific learning and development activities linked to business needs.

The role offers the opportunity work to within a professional organisation committed to developing and promoting Wales’ historic environment.  The role involves working closely with a range of local stakeholders in order to manage change within the historic environment and maximise the potential of heritage assets for the community.

Closing Date:

16/06/2023, 16:00

Eligibility

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:

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.

Equality and Diversity

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.

Disability Confident

A Great Place to Work for Veterans

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

Welsh Language Requirements

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.

Desirable
Can read some basic words and phrases with understanding
Can hold a basic conversation in Welsh
Can understand parts of a basic conversation
Can write basic messages on everyday topics

Social Partnership

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.

Competencies / Job Specific Criteria

Competencies

  • Making Effective Decisions - Make decisions when they are needed, even if they prove difficult or unpopular.
  • Leading and Communicating - Communicate in a straightforward, honest and engaging manner with all stakeholders and stand ground when needed.
  • Collaborating and Partnering - establish relationships with a range of stakeholders to support delivery of business outcomes.
  • Delivering at Pace - take responsibility for delivering expected outcomes on time and to standard, yet allowing the teams space and authority to deliver objectives.

Job Specific Criteria

  1. At least 5 years’ experience of working in the field of historic building construction and current conservation practice.
  2. A good honours degree in a relevant discipline such as historic buildings conservation, heritage management, planning or surveying; relevant post-graduate qualification also desirable.
  3. Demonstrable experience of partnership working within the heritage sector.

Assessment Process

Assessment Process

Stage 1 – Complete online application and Submit CV (no more than 2 pages) and personal statement.

Stage 2 – Interview

Shortlisting/Sift

Candidates will be shortlisted by assessing the evidence provided within the CV and the uploaded personal statement.

Stage 1 – Sift

Please upload your CV (no more than 2 pages) detailing your current role, previous work history, qualifications and any relevant training. This will be your evidence against Job Specific criteria 1 and 2.

Along with your CV, please ensure you upload a personal statement outlining how you meet the 4 competencies in the advert. Please ensure you use headings so the panel are able to see what competency area your evidence relates too. Examples should be no longer than 300 words each, anything above this will be discounted and will not be considered as part of the sift.

Only the top 6 scoring candidates will be invited to interview.

You will be notified of the outcome via the on-line system. Minimum written feedback will be provided at sift stage.

Stage 2 – Interview

If you pass the sift stage you will be invited to attend a virtual interview via Microsoft teams.

At Interview all Competencies will be assessed along with Job Specific 3. In the case of more than one candidate scoring the same, the candidate who scores the highest for Collaborating and Partnering will be offered the role.

Other Information

  • 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.

The post covers the counties of Anglesey, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Wrexham, and Eryri National Park.

The Welsh Government is a bi-lingual organisation and Welsh language skills would be an asset for this role. The successful candidate would be encouraged and supported to learn, develop and use their Welsh language skills in the workplace.

Judith Alfrey - 07968 609 824

How to apply

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)

Grievance and Complaints

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.

This vacancy is closed to applications.