Water Quality Modelling Specialist

Team / Directorate: Water Quality Policy Team / Evidence, Policy & 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: 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) 

Post number: 203863

The role

As the Water Quality Modelling Lead Specialist Advisor, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of water quality management within Natural Resources Wales (NRW). You will provide expert advice and knowledge to inform the development of NRW’s water quality policies, programmes, plans, strategies, and guidance. By translating both Welsh and UK Government policies into actionable, practical approaches, you will directly contribute to impactful outcomes that advance water quality across Wales.

In this role, you will take the lead in identifying NRW’s water quality modelling needs, developing a prioritised programme to ensure the provision of the tools, guidance, knowledge, and capacity necessary for technical assessments. These assessments will be critical in driving the achievement of key water quality objectives and outcomes. Your leadership will be instrumental in securing the delivery of NRW's water quality modelling programme, working collaboratively with colleagues across various teams within NRW, as well as external stakeholders, including Welsh Government officials, the Environment Agency, water companies, and other sector representatives.

This position offers the opportunity to be a key influencer in shaping the water quality landscape, providing a crucial link between policy and practical implementation. You will be joining the Water Quality Policy Team, which is part of the Water & Nature Group within the Natural Resources Management Policy division. The team works flexibly and collaboratively across Wales, with hybrid working arrangements in place to ensure a balance between office and remote work.

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 Geraint Weber.

geraint.weber@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

The post holder will:

• Set the strategic approach to water quality modelling in NRW, and in relation to this lead the development and provision of advice and guidance, so that NRW’s regulatory and water quality planning decisions are robust and consistently applied.
• Retain ownership and oversight of NRW water quality modelling policy to ensure integrity with Welsh Government, Central Government and EU Policy intent.
• Lead the requirements for, and commission the assessment of, water quality models and plans, also acting as the intelligent client for these assessments as appropriate.
• Provide statutory advice to WG and other bodies in Wales and the UK as appropriate.
• Provide and/or commission audits for the evaluation of models.
• Lead and project manage specific and complex issues, including support on casework that is novel, contentious or of high public interest in relation to our approach to modelling water quality impacts.
• Ensure appropriate liaison with the Environment Agency, academic institutions and other WQ modelling experts in Wales and the UK to promote consistency where required in cross border catchments, develop best practice and maintain expertise by growing a professional network. 
• Advise on evidence needs and opportunities and project manage agreed evidence projects, in line with the agreed evidence programme.
• Maintain and enhance your extensive knowledge and experience in water quality modelling and the principles and application of water quality modelling for regulation and planning purposes. Also, maintain a working knowledge of water quality modelling in the water industry and other sector(s).
• Support the development of tools and procedures to facilitate data analysis and processing enabling interpretation and reporting on environmental data and turning data into locally relevant evidence.
• Contribute to task and finish groups, commissioned through the Business Boards, 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 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 water quality and environmental regulation; Welsh & UK Governments & EU policy drivers in water quality as set out in the WG Water Strategy; and the issues and opportunities in Wales. 
2. Knowledge and practical understanding of the range of partners and stakeholders directly involved with delivering water quality policy and objectives as well as working with those benefiting from interventions across Wales.
3. Substantial knowledge and previous experience in the development and application of all aspects of water quality modelling and the principles and application of WQ modelling for regulation and WQ Planning purposes.
4. Able to develop/appraise complex technical information and data to a range of audiences from technically proficient to non-technical.  
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.

Welsh language level requirements

• Essential: A1 - 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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