British Sign Language (BSL) Adviser

Licensed sponsor United Kingdom Posted 1 month ago

Purpose of post

The BSL Adviser for Wales will be expected to provide independent, expert advice to Welsh Ministers on promoting and facilitating the use of BSL in Wales, and to support the effective implementation of duties under the BSL (Wales) Act 2026. The BSL (Wales) Act 2026 (referred to in this document as ‘the Act’) is linked below:

British Sign Language (Wales) Act 2026

Information Pack for Applicants. Appointment of the British Sign Language (BSL) Adviser to Welsh Ministers (BSL version): https://youtu.be/PI7Rda3raRg

The successful candidate should be able to demonstrate

Experience of providing advice, influencing decision-making, and working at a senior level, as well as a strong understanding of public policy.
Objectivity, including independence from Government and independence from specific interest groups (where there could be potential conflicts of interest).
Ability to communicate effectively and fluently in BSL and have appropriate personal understanding of the experiences and perspectives of BSL signers.
Ability to bring together and lead discussions with representative BSL signing communities to understand common issues and identify opportunities for Government and public bodies to improve.
Understanding of deaf culture, BSL as a language, and the social model of disability.

Key tasks

Key responsibilities

The following responsibilities describe how the BSL Adviser for Wales is expected to operate in practice, including to support the delivery of the statutory functions set out in the BSL (Wales) Act 2026:

Strategic leadership and promotion of BSL

Demonstrate the Seven Principles of Public Life (also known as the Nolan Principles) of selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.
Embrace and promote equality, diversity and inclusion for BSL signing communities across Wales, reflecting and learning from own and the lived experiences of others.
Raise awareness of BSL as a language and supporting its status and use in Wales.
Promote the understanding of BSL as a language and deaf culture, taking an inclusion and rights-based approach.
Promote good practice and consistency in the use of BSL across Welsh Government and public services in Wales.
Act as a national leader for BSL by promoting interests of BSL signers in policy and public life.
Work collaboratively across government, public bodies and stakeholders to support a coherent, cross-government approach to implementation of the BSL (Wales) Act 2026.

Advising and informing Welsh Ministers

Agree and deliver a plan for the duration of the term of appointment, setting out how statutory functions of the BSL Adviser, set out in the BSL (Wales) Act 2026 will be exercised.
Provide independent advice and constructive challenge to Welsh Ministers on BSL policy and implementation of the Act.
Constructively challenge and influence policy/practice across government and public services.
Provide advice to support monitoring of progress and inform ongoing implementation of the Act.
Use evidence, engagement and information available to inform advice and recommendations to Welsh Ministers on issues relating to the use and promotion of BSL.

Working with the BSL community

Engage effectively and confidently in BSL with deaf BSL signing communities across Wales, ensuring engagement represents a diversity of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.
Ensure that engagement activity is inclusive, accessible and proportionate, enabling effective involvement of deaf BSL signing communities.
Demonstrate inclusive and visible leadership, acting as a positive ambassador for BSL and supporting confidence, trust and engagement across BSL signing communities.
Establish and maintain relationships through networks and continuous engagement to ensure feedback mechanisms between the BSL signing communities across Wales and public services.
Draw on engagement with BSL signing communities to present views and ensure lived experience and perspectives inform advice to Ministers on implementation Act.
Build and maintain strong partnership relationships between the organisation’s partners and stakeholder groups that represent BSL signers in Wales, to promote and enable the effective implementation of the Act.

Helping public services improve

Work with listed public bodies to inform delivery of their duties under the Act, including the development and implementation of BSL plans.
Provide insight to Welsh Ministers on how public bodies are fulfilling duties under the Act, drawing on evidence, stakeholder engagement and information provided by listed public bodies.
Provide advice, with the agreement of Welsh Ministers, to public bodies and others on promoting and facilitating the use of BSL in Wales.

Governance

Participate in meetings with Ministers, officials and external stakeholders as required.
Chair the BSL assisting panel;
- Support the recruitment of the panel.
- Consult the panel, as appropriate, when preparing information or advice for Welsh Ministers or others.
- Draw on the expertise, knowledge and perspectives of panel members to inform advice and recommendations.
- Determine the focus and priorities of panel discussions, in line with the Adviser’s work programme and statutory functions.
Attend and contribute to forums and governance structures that provide oversight of the delivery of the Act.
Support Welsh Ministers in building strong cross-governmental relationships across the four nations.

Other vacancy related information

Information Pack for Applicants. Appointment of the British Sign Language (BSL) Adviser to Welsh Ministers (BSL version): https://youtu.be/PI7Rda3raRg
Privacy Notice – British Sign Language (BSL) Adviser Recruitment (BSL version): https://youtu.be/akTZ7KABzsw
Welsh Government Recruitment Portal – How to Guide – British Sign Language (BSL) Adviser Online Application (BSL version): https://youtu.be/1HOCH_VFpoM
WeTransfer – How to Guide – British Sign Language (BSL) adviser personal statement (BSL version): https://youtu.be/gRL3tVePXiM

Person specification

Essential criteria to be evidenced in personal statement and tested at interview.

Ability to gather and represent insight from BSL signing communities to gain a broader understanding and inform advice, priorities and decision‑making for the benefit of the BSL signers.
Experience of providing independent challenge and scrutiny whilst maintaining constructive relationships.
Experience of bringing together and maintain a network of diverse range of stakeholders with often conflicting views and priorities, working collaboratively to achieve shared outcomes.

For those candidates who the panel determine meet the essential criteria and are invited to interview, in addition to the essential criteria, the following criteria will need to be evidenced at interview.

Commitment to adhering to the Seven Principles of Public Life (Nolan Principles) and the values of the organisation.
Experience of promoting diversity, inclusion and equality of opportunity, with ability to welcome and respond to views and challenges from others, despite any conflicting pressures to ignore or give in to them

Assessment process

The selection panel will assess candidates’ written CV and personal statement (submitted either in written format of BSL video) to determine who it believes best meet the essential criteria for the role, and who will be invited to interview. The essential criteria are described below. The panel will rely only on the information you provide in your CV and personal statement to assess whether you have the skills and experience required. Please ensure that you provide evidence to support how you meet all of the essential criteria.

The selection panel will be chaired by Tracey Breheny, Local Government and Planning and Social Justice - Welsh Government and will also include Andrew Charles, Deputy Director, Cohesive Communities - Welsh Government, and Rebecca Mansell, CEO British Deaf Association and Craig Crowley, CEO Action Deafness as Independent Panel Members. A member of the BSL Policy team at Welsh Government will also act as an observer.

We anticipate that during December 2026, the panel will have decided who will be invited for interview in January 2027. The panel will select for interview only the strongest applicants who it feels have demonstrated that they best meet the essential criteria set out in the job description. However, if you have applied under the guaranteed interview scheme and you meet the essential minimum criteria for the post, you will also be invited to attend an interview. Interview questions will be provided in advance.

If you are invited for interview by the selection panel, you will also be expected to take part in a lived experience engagement session with members of the deaf BSL signing community. The session will last for approximately 45 minutes. At this session, you will be asked to lead a discussion in BSL with members of the deaf BSL signing community. The lived experience panel will differ from the interview panel and will comprise of representatives from deaf BSL communities across Wales.

If you are invited to interview, we will provide you with as much notice as possible of the interview date. If you are unable to make the arranged date, we will endeavour to re-arrange it, but it may not be possible due to time constraints within the appointment timetable or selection panel availability. The lived experience engagement session will take place online. Candidates invited to interview will have the option of attending their interview either online or in person at Welsh Government offices in Cathays Park, Cardiff. Further information about arrangements for both the engagement session and interview will be provided in advance.

You will receive email communication from Welsh Government’s application centre to let you know if you have been invited to interview.

If you attend an interview, the panel will question you about your skills and experience, asking specific questions to assess whether you meet the essential criteria set out for the post.

Candidates who the panel believe are ‘appointable’ will be recommended to Ministers, who will make the final decision. The Minister may choose to meet with appointable candidates before making their decision. If they do, they will meet all candidates in the presence of the panel chair, or their nominated representative. There will be a time gap between interview and a final appointment decision being made. Candidates who have been interviewed will be kept informed of progress.

As part of the appointment process, following interviews, the preferred candidate will be required to attend a pre‑appointment hearing with the Senedd’s Equality, Human Rights and Social Justice Committee. Further information will be provided at the appropriate stage.

If you are successful, you will receive a letter appointing you as the BSL Adviser, which will confirm the terms on which the appointment is offered.

If you are unsuccessful at interview, you will be notified through the Welsh Government’s application centre. We appreciate it takes a lot of time and effort to apply for roles and that feedback is a valuable part of the process. As a result, the letter will provide the details of who you may approach for feedback on your application and interview, should you so wish.