Environment Officer (Conservation)

Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru; Cross Hands; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

An environmental agency in Cross Hands is seeking a skilled individual to manage Protected Sites focused on biodiversity. You will work closely with various stakeholders to ensure compliance with environmental regulations, support conservation efforts, and contribute to local projects. The position allows for hybrid working arrangements and offers comprehensive employee benefits including a Civil Service Pension Scheme and professional development opportunities. Ability to engage in Welsh language is an asset.

Benefits

Civil Service Pension Scheme

28 days annual leave

Health and wellbeing benefits

Commitment to professional development

Qualifications

• Experience with environmental management, agriculture, or conservation.
• Strong ability to influence and negotiate effectively.
• Ability to manage difficult situations.

Responsibilities

• Manage Protected Sites through consents and proactive engagement.
• Ensure compliance with relevant legislation and permit conditions.
• Monitor project progress and manage contractor performance.

Skills

Self-management

Organizational skills

Negotiation skills

Experience in environmental management

Teamwork

Education

Full UK valid driving license

Experience in fisheries or biodiversity

Tools

GIS systems

NRW customised applications

Job description

The role

At Natural Resources Wales, we put the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources (SMNR) at the heart of everything we do. Our goal is to strengthen ecosystem resilience and support the wellbeing of future generations. And we need passionate, skilled people like you to help make it happen.

In this role, you'll bring your expertise to a multi-functional team delivering real-world impact at a local level.

You'll play a key part in managing Protected Sites by leading on consents & assents, permissions and proactive engagement to ensure these vital areas are protected. You will be instrumental in delivering for biodiversity - supporting the implementation of NRW's biodiversity priorities through internal advice, hands‑on project work and collaborative mitigation schemes.

As part of your role you will handle regulatory and compliance work focussing on protected sites and contributing to water resources, water quality and land management and play a role in the NRW Incident Management Service.

This is your chance to take your skills into the field and onto the map – delivering outcomes that protect and restore the environment, support communities, and shape a more sustainable future for Wales.

As an organisation we support flexible working. You will be contracted to the NRW office at the above location and a suitable hybrid working pattern will be agreed on appointment. Any regular face‑to‑face meetings or training will be planned in advance.

To make an informal enquiry about this role please contact Alys Rees at [e-mail]

Interviews will be held via Microsoft Teams the week commencing the 9th February.

Successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS) check. Appointments are normally made within 4 to 8 weeks of the closing date.

About us

In this role you'll be joining the Carmarthenshire Environment Team is based in Plas Gwendraeth, Crosshands, which sits in our South West Wales area of the Operations Directorate.

Carmarthenshire has an astounding array of habitats and species and includes 100 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Notably, the Afon Tywi Special Area of Conservation (SAC) notified for freshwater features and the Mynydd Mawr SAC for Marshy Grassland and Marsh Fritillary Butterfly.

What you will do

• Work with a wide range of internal and external customers including permit holders, landowners, businesses, public bodies, recreation groups, volunteers and third sector organisations to enable others to achieve SMNR.
• Establish, maintain and advise partners to support the development of partnership projects and plans through from concepts to implementation. These projects will deliver outcomes aligned with place priorities.
• Assess compliance with relevant legislation, permit or consent conditions. Where non‑compliance is identified, determine and implement the most appropriate intervention option to ensure a return to compliance as quickly as possible. Take appropriate actions to collect evidence for enforcement purposes, in accordance with defined procedures.
• Draft valid consents and assents for operations affecting protected sites. For all work areas produce required advice, investigations, documentation and reports to agreed quality standards to support operational and management decisions, protected site notification, public enquiries, court cases etc so that information, evidence and NRW interests are accurately and effectively presented.
• Within your area of expertise, provide professional local advice and responses to consultations from planning and permitting teams. Maintain working relationships with these teams through regular liaison.
• Monitor progress of work, which may include interpretation of data, contractor management, project delivery or compliance with management agreements or statutory legal notices. Identify and support any remedial actions to ensure outcome delivery.
• Play a role in a resilient NRW Incident Management Service that follows NRW process to ensure effective, timely and safe response to incidents.
• Undertake health and safety duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post
• Be committed to Natural Resources Wales Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy , together with an understanding of how it operates within the responsibilities of the post
• Be committed to your own development through the effective use of your personal development plan (known as Sgwrs).
• Any other reasonable duties requested commensurate with the grade of this role.

Your qualifications, experience, knowledge and skills

In your application and interview you will be asked to demonstrate the following skills and experience using the STAR method . A good working knowledge of environment management, agriculture, fisheries, conservation or biodiversity, with focused experience in one of these distinct areas of the team remit. Strong and effective self‑management and organisational skills. The ability to influence, negotiate and gain cooperation of others. Experience of dealing successfully with difficult people/situations is important. The ability to use specialised IT systems, such as GIS or NRW customised applications. Able to work well as part of a team. Hold a current full UK valid licence to drive NRW fleet vehicles (cars and vans).

Welsh Language level requirements

• Essential - Level A1

Please note if you do not meet the A1 requirement i.e., ability to understand basic phrases and ability to pronounce Welsh names correctly, then NRW offers a variety of learning options and staff support to help you meet these minimal requirements during the course of your employment with us.

Benefits

This role will offer a range of benefits, including:

• Civil Service Pension Scheme offering employer contributions of 28.97% (successful internal staff will remain in their current pension scheme)
• 28 days annual leave, rising to 33 days
• generous leave entitlements for all your life needs
• commitment to professional development
• health and wellbeing benefits and support
• weekly wellbeing hour to use as you choose

See full details for all the employee benefits you will receive.

Please keep reading

We're passionate about creating a diverse workforce and positively encourage applications from under‑represented communities. We embrace equality of opportunity irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

We are committed to equal opportunities, and we guarantee interviews for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

We want to attract and retain talented and highly skilled staff, so we make sure that our pay scales remain competitive. We advertise the full pay scale on our job descriptions. Appointed candidates start at the first point of the pay scale and annual increments are paid each year.

We want our staff to grow professionally and personally. From leadership development to access to further and higher education courses, our staff have opportunities to expand their knowledge on variety of topics, stay current in their field and continue to learn as their career progresses.

We are a Bilingual organisation which complies with the Welsh Language Standards. Welsh language skills are considered an asset to NRW, and we encourage and support staff to learn, develop and use their Welsh language skills.