Head of Organisational Development

Location: South Wales Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters

Salary: £74,360 per annum (pay award pending) plus access to Service lease car scheme

Please apply by: 23/07/2026

Shortlisting: WC 03/08/2026

Interview: WC 10/08/2026

To support our mission and meet evolving needs, South Wales Fire & Rescue Service is creating a Head of Organisational Development (OD) role. This is a new senior post that will work alongside the Head of People Services, with a dedicated focus on strategic people development, culture, and change. The Head of OD will report directly to the Director of People Services and OD and will uphold our Service’s core values of being Compassion, Courage, Respect, Integrity, Excellence. This is an exciting opportunity to support the Service’s journey of transformation. We are seeking an enthusiastic, innovative leader who can drive cultural and organisational development across the Service, ensuring our workforce is engaged, inclusive, high-performing and future ready. In this role, you will have the opportunity to shape the Service’s culture, talent, and leadership for the future. The Head of OD will provide strategic leadership on all aspects of organisational development, from talent management and leadership development programmes to driving equality, diversity, inclusion and engagement (DICE) initiatives. Working at the heart of our senior management team, you will build and maintain high performance, champion our values, and deliver improvements that will enhance the services we provide to our communities. This is a significant and exciting opportunity to influence how we attract, develop, and retain our people, and to help strengthen the Service’s role within the wider public service context in Wales and the UK.

The successful candidate will demonstrate strong strategic planning, organisational and people development skills. Excellent communication and relationship-building abilities are essential, with the confidence and credibility to influence at senior levels and inspire teams across the Service. You will be adept at advising Fire & Rescue Authority members and other key stakeholders, and comfortable collaborating with external partners (such as Welsh Government, the National Fire Chiefs Council, and other fire and rescue services) to share best practice and drive innovation. We are looking for an individual with a broad range of experience in organisational development, and the ability to make effective decisions based on sound judgement and evidence.

As a champion of inclusion, wellbeing and cultural change, you will design and implement initiatives that foster a positive, fair, and inclusive working environment. You should be resilient and adaptable, leading by example to embed our values and continuously improve our Service’s culture and performance. If you have a passion for developing people, driving organisational improvement and building an inclusive culture, we want to hear from you.

Key Details: The post is based at Service Headquarters (Forest View Business Park, Llantrisant, CF72 8LX) with flexibility to work across our Service area. Standard hours are 37 per week, but as a senior manager you will be expected to work flexibly and commit to some work outside normal office hours when needed (for example, representing the Service at events or undertaking key projects).

Job ref: 506524

Directorate: People Services

Grade: Head of Service

Contract: Permanent

Hours of work: Full-time (37 hours per week)

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Alison Reed, Director of People Services, on 01443 232024.