Introducing Fiona Jones, our new chair

Our new chair is no stranger to Tai Tarian or our local communities.

Fiona, who lives locally, has taken up the reins from outgoing chair of the board Jonathon Davies, who stepped down after a whopping eight years in the hot seat.

Fiona grew up in a forces family, so moved around a lot, but made our patch of Wales her home when she took up a job to run the job centres and service centres across Wales for the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).

Now firmly settled in Wales with her Welsh husband, large family and granddaughter, Fiona recalls where she first encountered Tai Tarian. She said:
“I absolutely loved working in the communities and the partnership and collaboration with Tai Tarian in  Neath and Port Talbot. We would liaise if someone had complex needs, or if someone was made homeless and needed the right support.

“One of the things I loved about Tai Tarian back then, and I see it now, is that it’s a really kind organisation that truly cares.”

Fiona believes strongly in consistent customer service. Managing the job centres and service centres for DWP clearly brought challenges, so she ensured she would personally visit every single centre at least twice a year.

After moving into the role of director for customer experience for DWP, she was then asked to join the Home Office as director of asylum and human rights, where her commitment to safeguarding people was called upon again.

Fiona was awarded an OBE in the 2020 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to unemployed people in Wales. Throughout her career Fiona has proved she isn’t afraid of a challenge and has set herself a new goal: To be the best chair I can be for our customers and colleagues.