Chair

QUALIFICATIONS WALES

Remuneration

£337 per day (up to 7 hours a day claimed against an hourly rate)

To note, Qualifications Wales have a scheme to reimburse reasonable expenses, and other expenses incurred on business, the position is not pensionable (full T&Cs are available). 

Brief background on the Body

Qualifications Wales is responsible for the regulation of awarding bodies and the quality assurance of non-degree qualifications delivered in Wales. Qualifications Wales, as an independent statutory body, is well placed to ensure that qualifications offered in Wales meet the needs of learners, employers and the economy.  

Qualifications Wales is the principal authority on qualifications in Wales and provides professional advice to the Welsh Ministers on relevant matters as well as information, advice and support to a wide range of stakeholders. It communicates the value of qualifications offered in Wales to stakeholders inside and outside of Wales.

Qualifications Wales is independent from the Welsh Government. It takes professional and autonomous decisions on qualifications. It leads on aspects of qualifications policy development. It reports to the Senedd on how it has fulfilled and how it plans to fulfil its functions.

Reason for appointment 

Qualifications Wales is seeking an experienced non-executive to succeed the current Chair from September 2025. 

The Chair will lead the Board and set the strategic direction for Qualifications Wales and monitor the delivery of the organisation’s business strategy, plans and performance objectives. The Board will be responsible for steering and developing the overall work of the organisation, while the Chief Executive will manage its day to day running. 

In addition, the Chair will be required to attend and represent Qualifications Wales at wider events and public committees. The appointee will be required to work in the region of 5 days per month.

Key responsibilities for the Chair include: 

• Providing vision and strategic leadership to the Board.

• Building effective working relationships with the Chief Executive and Directors.

• Formulating the Board’s strategies.

• Ensuring that the Board, in reaching decisions, takes proper account of statutory and financial management requirements, QW’s principal aims and statutory functions and pays regard to all relevant guidance and policy direction provided by the Welsh Ministers.

• Ensuring high standards of regularity and propriety.

• Representing the views of the Board to the public and to the Cabinet Secretary for Education.

• Working with Board members to build a positive working environment and encourage a culture of open and effective scrutiny and challenge.

• Assess the performance of the board including its collective skill sets and individual Board members in accordance with the arrangements agreed with the Welsh Government.

• Ensure that an appropriate Code of Conduct for Board members, including rules and guidance on Board members’ interests and conflicts of interest, is in place and consistent with the Welsh Government model Code.

• Attend an annual performance review, conducted by Welsh Ministers (Minister with Qualifications Wales Sponsorship / portfolio lead).

A full list of the responsibilities of the role is available and will be assessed as part of the recruitment process.

Location: Pan Wales –Qualification Wales Headquarters is based at Newport,

South Wales. The Chair will be required to travel to this office when meetings are

required in-person. When requested the Chair will also be expected to attend

meetings with Welsh Ministers, at times in-person which is often at the Ty Hywel

Welsh Government Office, Cardiff.  

The Welsh Government recognise the value of having public bodies reflecting a wide range of cultures, identities and backgrounds. We encourage applications from all parts of society and want to appoint from the widest and most diverse pool of talent. 

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

We are committed to recruiting women, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people, disabled people and members of the LGBTQ+ people, who are currently under-represented in Board positions at public bodies.

For further details and to apply, please click the ‘Apply’ button now.

The closing date for receipt of applications is 18th April (4pm).