Outdoor Access & Recreation Team Leader

Team / Directorate: Health, Education Access & Recreation Team / Evidence, Policy & Permitting Directorate

Starting salary:  £45,367 rising to £50,877 per annum through annual increments being paid each year (pro rata for part time applicants)

Contract type: Permanent

Work pattern: Full time, 37 hours per week (Part time, annualised hours, compressed hours or term time working considered - discussions at interview stage welcome)

Interview date: To be confirmed

Post number: 201372

The role

Reporting to the Integrated Approaches Climate Change and People Manager within the Natural Resources Management (NRM) Department in our Evidence Policy and Permitting Directorate (EPP), this is an exciting opportunity to make your mark to contribute to NRW’s ambition  to better connect people with nature. We know how important being outdoors is for personal well-being but it is also vital that people care about their environment if it is to influence the decisions they make every day. As  Team Leader Outdoor Access and Recreation you will lead a team which works through others to promote access more often for more people from diverse backgrounds and with different access needs to enjoy  the varied and rich environments  of Wales to undertake recreational activities. 

You will lead the Outdoor Access & Recreation team to develop and deliver NRW’s ambition for  outdoor access & recreation in line with NRW's values.  You will work with colleagues from other teams in EPP and Operations, officials from Welsh Government, sector representatives and partners.  You will also act as a specialist in this area of work to lead, manage and deliver NRW policy, programmes (including managing two established grants programmes), plans, strategies and guidance.  This will translate Welsh and UK Government policy into practical approaches to the point of delivery. 

As an organisation we support flexible working. You will be contracted to the nearest NRW office to your home 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 Bill Pervis at bill.purvis@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk or Michelle van-Velzen at                                        Michelle.van-Velzen@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk 

Interviews will take place through Microsoft Teams

Successful external applicants will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS) check. We aim to make offers of appointment within 4 to 8 weeks of the closing date.

About us     

Lead a small team of highly technical specialist advisors and, in some cases, act as a specialist leading and project managing specific and complex issues that require development of NRW policies, strategies, plans, programmes.

What you will do

• Lead a small team of highly technical specialist advisors and, in some cases, act as a specialist leading and project managing specific and complex issues that require development of NRW policies, strategies, plans, programmes.
• Be responsible for delivery of the team’s Work Plan, maintaining and monitoring performance against agreed goals and targets set out in the NRM Service Plan.
• Retain ownership and oversight of the Outdoor Access policy area to ensure integrity of NRW approaches with Welsh Government, Central Government and EU Policy intent.
• Lead and project manage specific and complex issues, such as Guidance preparation, that require development of policies, strategies, plans, programmes for NRW and relevant sectors/partners.
• Advise on evidence needs and opportunities, commission evidence & project manage evidence projects, in line with the agreed evidence programme.
• Lead the team's work to develop and maintain engagement with partners, Wales & UK Government, relevant sector policy leads, stakeholders, networks and partnerships; you will represent NRW and be the lead point of contact for national and local access forums, your other specialist/technical area and for customer queries.
• Maintain knowledge of the assigned specialist sector(s) identifying the implications of legislative, technology and market changes for Natural Resources Wales and the sector(s).
• Contribute to task and finish groups, commissioned through the Business Boards, to prepare defined products as required.
• Collaborate with the Manager to develop and deliver an agreed Personal Development Plan. 
• 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, and that of your staff through the effective use of your personal development plan (known as Sgwrs).
• Any other reasonable duties requested commensurate with the grade of this role.
• Required to take part in incident response activities.

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.

1. Knowledge of: Welsh, UK and EU legislation related to recreation and access and your specialist area of responsibility. Welsh, UK Government policy drivers related to recreation and access and your specialist area of responsibility; and the issues and opportunities in Wales.
2. Knowledge and practical understanding of the range of partners and stakeholders involved with access and recreation in Wales.
3. Experience of: In-depth understanding of the outdoor access and recreation and the complex range of drivers and barriers to delivery.
4. Steer your team's working with/in outdoor access & recreation sector, local authorities, landowners and managers; representatives of outdoor/countryside organisations and voluntary bodies including national and local access forums.
5. Working in a programme and project management environment with Project Management experience and/or qualifications.
6. Representing the organisation in high profile and contentious issues in the public arena.
7. Share your knowledge and expertise to help solve problems, supporting all Heads of Business in EPP as required.

Welsh language level requirements

• Essential: Level A1 - Entry level (able to use and understand simple, basic phrases and greetings, no conversational Welsh) with an expectation to develop Welsh language skills to Level B2 – Upper intermediate level (able to discuss work matters) following an agreed 

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%
• 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

If you think you have what it takes to do this role, but don’t necessarily meet every single point on the job description, please still get in touch and we will be happy to discuss the role with you in more detail.

We’re passionate about creating a diverse workforce and positively encourage applications from under-represented communities. We embrace equality of opportunity irrespective of disability, neurodivergence, ethnic origin, colour, nationality, gender expression and gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, culture, or religion.   We put the principles of human rights, equality, fairness, dignity and respect at the heart of our values.

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. 

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