Senior Strategic Environmental Policy Specialist

Natural Resources Wales; Aberystwyth; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

An environmental government agency in Aberystwyth is seeking a programme manager to oversee strategic environmental policy initiatives. The successful candidate will lead collaborations, develop policies across various disciplines, and manage important relationships with government bodies. This fixed-term role supports hybrid working and encourages applications from diverse backgrounds.

Benefits

Civil Service Pension Scheme

28 days annual leave

Health and wellbeing benefits

Commitment to professional development

Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of environmental legislation and policy drivers.
• Experience in advising government on environmental issues.
• Ability to manage risks and mentoring skills.
• Experience in complex programme management.

Responsibilities

• Manage strategic relationships with the Office of Environmental Governance.
• Develop policies related to nature, climate and people.
• Lead mentoring within the team for resilience.
• Review evidence needs and manage evidence projects.
• Contribute to strategic groups for environmental governance.

Skills

Knowledge of Welsh, UK and EU legislation

Experience influencing government departments

Understanding of NRW's environmental challenges

Portfolio management at national level

Understanding of environmental governance

Ability to deliver on time

Experience in project management

Job description

You will develop and manage a new, cross-cutting programme of policy and advice that supports the sustainable management of natural resource (SMNR) as part of NRW's Natural Resource Management Service. The programme is intended to encourage integration of nature, climate and people across NRW's work and covers a range of policy areas including: climate change, biodiversity, SMNR, wellbeing, access to and enjoyment of nature and the outdoors, environmental assessment, land use planning, landscape and energy. You will provide strategic environmental policy advice within NRW and to Welsh and UK Government. You will act as senior specialist advisor for the Natural Resource Management Service on a range of collaborative work areas with other Services in NRW, for example on sustainable finance. You will act as our primary point of contact with the new Office of Environmental Governance for Wales supporting effective environmental governance for Wales. You will also manage a range of other strategic external relationships. This opportunity will be offered as a Fixed Term Appointment (FTA) until 29 May 2026 with the possibility of being made permanent. As an organisation we support flexible working. You will be contracted to the Aberystwyth NRW office 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 Mary Lewis at [email protected]. Interviews will take place through Microsoft Teams. 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. This role meets the criteria for sponsorship under the UK Skilled Worker Visa route. Natural Resources Wales welcomes applications from non-UK citizens who are eligible to apply under this route, subject to confirmation by the Home Office. Please note that the organisation does not cover the cost of the visa itself, including any associated fees for dependants.

Responsibilities

• Be the principal point of contact with the Office of Environmental Governance for Wales to share information and work together on environmental governance, engagement and other strategic project work.
• Develop policies, Strategies, Plans and Programmes for a wide portfolio of disciplines related to Integrated Approaches across nature, climate and people, including requirements of Welsh legislation, and drive collaboration and integration with other relevant areas of policy, strategy, plans, programmes, funding mechanisms and development planning.
• Identify and manage organisational and reputational risks, relating to the Integrated Approaches Programme displaying sound judgement and good political awareness in decision making.
• Specifically lead on the mentoring and coaching of Advisors within the Integrated Approaches for Nature, Climate and People Group to ensure that the team has sufficient technical and legislative resilience for your assigned area of work.
• Retain ownership and oversight of NRM Service Integrated Approaches policy area (a) to ensure integrity of NRW approaches with Welsh Government and Central Government and (b) through a programme and service led approach in NRW that supports strategic and operational delivery of policies and programmes.
• Provide advice to WG and other bodies in Wales and the UK as appropriate, and in-turn review and advise on the produced policy, plans and strategies.
• Review and oversight of evidence needs and opportunities, commission evidence & project manage complex evidence projects, in line with the agreed evidence programme.
• Contribute to task and finish groups, related to environmental governance, international engagement and strategic project work, to prepare defined products as required.
• 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., 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.

Skills and Experience

1. Extensive knowledge of Welsh, UK and EU legislation and Policy drivers related to environmental governance, regulation and the environment.
2. Experience in informing and influencing government departments/regulators, preferably on environmental issues.
3. Knowledge and practical understanding of how to overcome the complex priorities, drivers and barriers faced by NRW, partners and stakeholders involved in delivering natural resources and the environment outcomes in Wales.
4. Experience of working at a national level, managing a portfolio of work programmes related to environmental policy and national or international engagement.
5. In‑depth understanding of environmental governance and the complex range of drivers and barriers to delivery.
6. Ability to work at pace and have a track record of delivery.
7. Experience of working in a programme and project management environment with Programme and Project Management experience and/or qualifications.

You are welcome to apply for any vacancy in Welsh or English and any application submitted will be treated equally. Applications are welcome from individuals who work part time, as part of a job share or who work full time. The post in part of the Natural Resource Management Policy Department, and reports to the Manager of the Integrated Approaches for Nature Climate, and People. The Department also includes three further Groups focussed on strategic environmental advice on the three ecosystems – land, water and marine. We are a dispersed set of colleagues, based across Wales, working in a hybrid manner in a range of offices and at home. We come together on line and in person to deliver work and to develop our working relationships. The post will require travel to NRW and other offices in Wales and from time to time, elsewhere in the UK.

Benefits

• 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.

Equality & Diversity

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. Unless otherwise stated in the ‘Role’ section of this advert, Natural Resources Wales is unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position. Although we hold a Skilled Worker visa sponsorship licence, it applies only to specific roles that meet both the eligibility criteria and salary requirements set out by the UK Government under the Skilled Worker visa route. 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.