(EXT) Conservation Officer, Environment Team

Natural Resources Wales (Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru); Dixton; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) seeks an Environmental Officer to deliver conservation and biodiversity objectives across Monmouthshire and Torfaen. The role blends field and office work, requiring habitat knowledge, site assessments and advisory work with landowners and partners.

You will participate in the Incident Management Service, manage designated sites and monitor outcomes, with a flexible hybrid pattern and a driving licence required.

Qualifications

• Significant knowledge of habitats and ability to identify species to collect and interpret environmental evidence, prepare reports and assessments.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to organise and prioritise workload effectively.
• Driving is essential; must hold a full and current UK driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Support management and restoration of designated sites.
• Provide advice and guidance to landowners and partners.
• Undertake site monitoring and assessment work.
• Process Wildlife and Countryside Act Section 28 assents and consents.

Skills

Habitat knowledge

Species identification

Communication skills

Workload management

Driving licence

Job description

The Role

Do you enjoy working outdoors and with people to protect and enhance the natural environment? Are you passionate about biodiversity, conservation and making a real difference for nature in Wales? This role is all about delivering conservation, biodiversity and sustainable natural resource management across Monmouthshire and Torfaen through a mixture of planned and reactive work.

As an Officer within the Monmouthshire and Torfaen Environment Team, you will help deliver Natural Resources Wales's (NRW) conservation and biodiversity objectives through a wide range of protected site and environmental management activities. You will be responsible for supporting the management and restoration of designated sites, providing advice and guidance to landowners and partners, undertaking site monitoring and assessment work, and processing Wildlife and Countryside Act Section 28 assents and consents.

Working closely with colleagues, local authorities, landowners, environmental organisations and local communities, you will help secure positive environmental outcomes through effective partnership working, practical conservation action and evidence-based decision making. You will also provide biodiversity advice to colleagues across NRW and contribute to projects and initiatives that support the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources (SMNR) and the delivery of NRW's corporate priorities.

The role combines both field and office-based work. You will need significant knowledge of habitats and good species identification skills to collect and interpret environmental evidence, prepare reports and assessments. You will also engage with a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders. Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, are therefore essential, as is the ability to organise and prioritise your workload effectively.

You will contribute to NRW's Incident Management Service through participation in the duty rota system, helping to ensure an effective response to environmental incidents when required.

This is an exciting opportunity to help protect and enhance nationally and internationally important habitats, species and landscapes across Monmouthshire and Torfaen. If you're an enthusiastic environmental professional who enjoys working collaboratively and delivering practical outcomes for nature, we'd love to hear from you.

Driving is essential to this role. You must hold a full and current UK driving licence.

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.

About Us

At Natural Resources Wales (NRW), we are working towards a future where people and nature thrive together. We know that a healthy environment is the foundation of strong communities, a resilient economy and a high quality of life across Wales.

Monmouthshire and Torfaen is a predominantly rural landscape that includes several market towns and the more populated South East Valleys areas. It supports designated landscapes and conservation sites of national and international significance, including the rivers Usk and Wye, important upland habitats such as the Black Mountains, the Wye Valley Woodlands and the eastern Gwent Levels.

Within the Monmouthshire and Torfaen Environment Team, we are responsible for the management of around 70 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and 9 Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), as well as leading work to notify new protected sites where appropriate. We work to protect, manage and restore these important sites and their features, helping to improve their condition and ensure they continue to provide benefits for nature and people.

You'll be joining a supportive, experienced and fast-paced team who turn their hands to the many different tasks needed to protect this varied and beautiful part of South East Wales.

You'll work alongside colleagues specialising in designated site protection, environmental regulation, fisheries management and project delivery. Together, we contribute to NRW's corporate plan and help achieve positive outcomes for nature, communities and the wider environment.

This is a highly rewarding opportunity to play a direct role in protecting some of Wales's most important environmental assets while developing your conservation, partnership working and practical environmental management skills.