Vacancy -- Professional Adviser - Foundation Learning

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

Education, Social Justice and Welsh Language Group
Foundation Learning
Grade 7 - £53,440 - £63,900
Part time
3 days per week
Secondment
24 months
Pan Wales
'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.
TBC

Purpose of Post:

The Foundation Learning Branch (previously Foundation Phase) sits within the Education Directorate of the Welsh Government.  The Branch is responsible for strengthening early education pedagogy and ensuring the needs of our youngest learners are considered fully in the realisation of Curriculum for Wales, in particular ensuring Enabling learning, A curriculum for funded non-maintained nursery settings and assessment arrangements for funded non-maintained nursery settings - currently being finalised - are embedded fully.

The Welsh Government wishes to continue to strengthen the professional and practice expertise available to support successful implementation.  As a professional adviser you will be required to support the work of the Curriculum, Assessment and School Improvement Division in ensuring early education pedagogy and practice is embedded in schools and funded non-maintained nursery settings.  We are keen to ensure appropriate support is available for all practitioners to effectively meet the needs of our youngest learners. The ethos also extends to all childcare settings in line with National Minimum Standards.

These posts are also critical to development of wider cross-portfolio priorities including collaboration on the development of a coherent system of early childhood play, learning and care. 

Key tasks:

Key Tasks

  • Contribute to the delivery of relevant priorities outlined in Our national mission: high standards and aspirations for all to ensure our youngest learners access a curriculum which enables them develop to their full potential.
  • Provide professional and practice advice – working with Welsh Government officials and engaging with wider stakeholders – on all matters relating to early education pedagogical practice.
  • Support the continued development of resources for practitioners in the non-maintained sector to effectively implement a curriculum for funded non-maintained nursery settings and the accompanying assessment arrangements.
  • Develop arrangements to strengthen the approach to learning and development - building on Curriculum for Wales guidance - in childcare settings not funded to delivery nursery education.
  • Support the continued development of communication and engagement with schools and settings to promote and embed understanding of early education pedagogy in Curriculum for Wales.
  • Help shape the development and delivery of programmes to support the realisation of a more coherent approach to early childhood play, learning and care in Wales. 

Development opportunities:

This post provides an excellent opportunity to gain a wider understanding of Welsh Government policy development with opportunities to work with key stakeholders in Welsh Government and across Wales. The post offers high profile, cross portfolio working supporting development of collaboration skills in a complex area of provision.

Closing Date:

21/06/2023, 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.

Not necessary to undertake the duties of this post

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

Seeing the big picture

  • Bring together views and perspectives of stakeholders to gain a wider picture of the landscape surrounding activities and policies.

Changing and improving

  • Effectively capture, utilise and share customer insight and views from a diverse range of stakeholders to ensure better policy and delivery.

Leading and communicating

  • Clarify strategies and plans, communicate purpose and direction with clarity and enthusiasm.

Collaborating and partnering

  • Actively build and maintain a network of colleagues and contacts to achieve progress on objectives and shared interests.

Job specific criteria

  • Recent, successful experience of leadership within a school e.g. Foundation Learning lead or working at an operational level within a local authority or at a regional or national level, or similar relevant experience of early education provision and practice in Wales.
  • Proven track record of effective management at a national level on education policy or similar relevant experience involving early education provision.
  • Proven track record of implementing change in schools or settings.
  • Must hold qualified teacher status certificate.

Assessment Process

Applications will be sifted and successful candidates invited to attend an interview.

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.

Knowledge & Skills Required

1. In depth knowledge and understanding of:

  • the current education landscape in Wales.
  • early education pedagogy.
  • the existing structural arrangements for delivery in different education settings across Wales.
  • Curriculum for Wales, with specific expertise in early education provision established through Enabling learning and curriculum and assessment arrangements for funded non-maintained nursery settings.

2. Strong links to stakeholders across the early education sector in Wales, including in schools, the funded non-maintained nursery sector, the childcare sector, Flying Start and those working with children with additional learning needs.

3. Experience of strong partnership working demonstrating meaningful collaboration in policy and practice development or implementation.

4. Excellent communications and drafting skills, writing in different styles for different audiences.

5. Work with the team and stakeholders to set priorities, timescales, identify risks and manage project plans.

6. Ability to work under own initiative, with minimum supervision.

Averil Petley

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.