Head of Monument Conservation

Overview

The Welsh Government operates name-free recruitment. The recruiting panel will not see personal information such as a candidate's name and address during the sifting process. This policy is in line with our commitment to end bias and promote equality and diversity.

Vacancy details

Vacancy title: Head of Monument Conservation

Advertising basis: Permanent

Salary: Grade 7 £61,098 to £73,057

Location: Pan Wales (the post holder can be based in any Welsh Government office, subject to business needs). Travel between home and the assigned Welsh Government office is considered ordinary commute and is in the candidate's own time and at their own cost.

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: Education, Culture and Welsh Language

Directorate: Cadw

Branch: Properties in Care

Travel and location notes: Welsh Government offices are listed at A preference for a specific office location may not always be possible.

A list of Welsh Government offices is available online. The post requires travel across Wales and regular overnight stays for meetings.

A full driving licence is required as many Cadw sites are not easily accessible by public transport.

Post date/time: 15/05/2026, 16:00

Vetting level: Basic

Number of posts: 1

Contact:

Welsh language requirements: Welsh language skills are desirable but not essential. See details in the Welsh language requirements section.

Location notes: Cadw offices are in South-East Wales (Cardiff), Merthyr Tydfil, and North Wales (Llandudno Junction).

Merit order: See details in the Merit Order section. A reserve list may be held for 12 months.

Interview location: In-person interview at the Welsh Government building, Merthyr. A presentation on Experience 1 will be required at interview stage.

Nationality requirements: See eligibility criteria for groups who may apply.

Assessment: The Welsh Government uses Success Profiles for recruitment, including behaviour, experience, and technical criteria.

Purpose of post

This role is responsible for ensuring Cadw's 132 historic monuments across Wales, in state care, are in good condition, accessible, and safe for visitors. It includes developing a robust in-house direct labour craft team of masons and joiners, including trainees, into a well-trained team. There are approximately 30 people in this team, mostly craft skilled masons and joiners.

Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire a team of 30 people dedicated to the conservation of Cadw's monuments and their setting. Ensure clear work priorities, quarterly progress monitoring, robust training and development plans, and access to resources and equipment.
• Develop a robust system to monitor the condition of Cadw's monuments and plan a three-year rolling programme of prioritized conservation work and budget, using in-house teams or external consultants/contractors as needed.
• Ensure briefs or invitations to tender for condition reporting or digital measured surveys are clear and benchmarked to industry standards.
• Review the SafetyCulture inspection system to log condition issues and ensure value.
• Lead on climate mitigation and adaptation for Cadw's monuments in care.
• Manage the team's annual spend within the approved budget.
• Collaborate with the Head of Conservation Projects to ensure new projects are based on accurate monument condition data.
• Collaborate with the Head of Health and Safety to ensure safety issues are addressed in work programmes.
• Oversee the deployment of Conservation Design and Project Manager and Historic Monuments Ground Manager within the team.
• Recruit effectively to minimise vacancies and manage people-related issues efficiently.
• Directly procure, or support procurement of, external consultants or contractors for maintenance and remedial conservation projects, ensuring best value and quality.
• Develop and maintain a trainee programme for masons and joiners.
• Maintain relationships with comparable posts in other UK heritage organisations to share best practice.

Qualifications and experience

The successful candidate will be educated to degree level or hold a postgraduate qualification in a discipline related to historic building conservation and be a full member or eligible to be a full member of a relevant professional body (ARB, CIOB, RICS or IHBC).

CV emphasis: Experience on significant historic buildings and qualifications in historic building conservation, plus membership in relevant professional organisations. CVs will be used for understanding experience; they will not be scored.

Application information

How to apply: All applications must be made online. The vacancy is closed to applications at present. Visa sponsorship information is provided in the advert. Applications are encouraged from diverse backgrounds. If you need an alternative format or recruitment adjustments, contact us.

For support about the application process, contact the recruitment team. If you would like to apply in Welsh, use the Change Language option.

Disability Confident, Veterans, Redeployment, and Social Partnership

Welsh Government participates in Disability Confident, Great Place to Work for Veterans, Redeployment Interview Scheme, and Social Partnership with trade unions. Minimum criteria may apply for certain schemes.

Other information

• All Welsh Government staff are Civil Service members with associated benefits (e.g., annual leave, training, Cycle2Work, Smart Working, Green Car Scheme).
• Complaints and contact: and details for the Civil Service Commission.

Status

This opportunity is closed to applications.