Lead Biodiversity Specialist

Team / Directorate: Water/Land/Biodiversity & Marine Regulatory Approaches Team / Evidence, Policy and Permitting 

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: Fixed-term until 31/03/2026

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

Post number: 203766

The role

Are you passionate about making a real difference in protecting and enhancing biodiversity? This pivotal role offers the opportunity to lead the transformation of species licensing processes, ensuring they are efficient, effective, and aligned with best practices.

As our Biodiversity Regulatory Approaches Lead Specialist Advisor, you will be at the forefront of translating Welsh and UK Government policy into practical, impactful solutions. Your expertise will shape regulatory approaches related to species licensing, assents, and consents for Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and fisheries, directly contributing to the preservation of our natural heritage.

In this role, you will:

• Undertake a comprehensive end-to-end review of species licensing processes, driving improvements that support sustainable biodiversity outcomes.
• Provide expert leadership in biodiversity regulation, supporting the delivery of innovative and effective solutions that reflect our Regulatory Principles.
• Collaborate closely with colleagues across our Natural Resource Management (NRM) Policy and Operations teams, Welsh Government officials, and sector representatives to align regulatory processes with broader environmental goals.

This is your chance to join an organisation dedicated to shaping the future of biodiversity and make a lasting impact on the natural world.

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 contract Eleanor Ellick or Steve Attwood.

eleanor.ellick@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk

stephen.attwood@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk

Interviews will be conducted via 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.

What you will do

• Be the principal point of contact with environmental regulators, both UK and European, to share information and work together on the regulatory approach, technical advice and guidance for all relevant Sectors.
• To share information and work together on the development of operational policy and new legislation, interpretation of relevant legislation, advice and guidance for the specific sector(s) and areas of responsibility.
• Maintain a detailed working knowledge of the assigned sector(s) identifying the implications of legislative, technology and market changes for Natural Resources Wales and the sector(s).
• Support the development and training of staff across NRW by applying technical, legislative and regulatory knowledge and experience.
• Lead and project manage specific and complex issues (inc. commissions by RBB) to enable consistent and appropriate understanding and application by staff that enables effective regulatory service provision.
• Contribute to the delivery of the team’s business plan, the directorate delivery plan and NRWs corporate plan.
• Support the mentoring and coaching of Advisors within the team to ensure that the team has sufficient technical and legislative resilience for your assigned area of work.
• Advise on evidence needs and opportunities, commission evidence & project manage evidence projects, in line with the agreed evidence programme.
• Design monitoring and evaluation frameworks of regulation interventions to inform assessment of the need for improvements in regulation and permitting processes by NRW.
• 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.

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 your specific sector(s); Welsh, UK government Policy drivers in your specific sector(s).

2. Experience in informing and influencing government departments/regulators, preferably on environmental issues.

3. Extensive experience in forming and maintaining close links with internal and external partners/stakeholders to deliver the outcomes of both a specific function/project/team and the wider organisation.

4. Experience of understanding and applying regulatory activities.

5. Be able to work at pace and have a track record of delivery.

6. Being innovative and demonstrating drive to achieve targets

7. You will be expected to keep up to date with changing regulatory policy and proposed changes to legislation via membership of a relevant professional body or other equivalent means.

 

Welsh language level requirements

• Essential: - Entry level (able to use and understand simple, basic phrases and greetings, no conversational Welsh)

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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