Outdoor Access and Recreation Specialist

Team / Directorate: Outdoor Access & Recreation / Evidence, Policy and Permitting

Starting salary: £41,132 rising to £44,988 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: Week commencing 22 September 2025

Post number: 203816 (For office use only: ENV, GRJ, GGL)

The role
This is an exciting opportunity to make your mark to contribute to NRW\’s ambition to better connect people with nature, reporting to the Outdoor Access and Recreation Team Leader, within the Integrated Approaches Nature, Climate and People Group, and Natural Resource Management Department. 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 Specialist Outdoor Access and Recreation Advisor with a focus on responsible recreation, you will contribute to a team which works through others to promote access more often for more people from diverse backgrounds and with different access needs to enjoy responsibly, the varied and rich environments of Wales to undertake recreational activities.

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 Carys Drew, Outdoor Access and Recreation Team Leader,

Interviews will take place via 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.

About us
Natural Resources Wales is the principal environmental body for Wales, working to protect and enhance the nation\’s natural environment for future generations. The Natural Resource Management Policy Department provides expert advice to Welsh Government and the organisation on policy and legislative development and stakeholder engagement.

In this role, you will contribute to the team\’s work 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 the Evidence Policy and Permitting and Operations, officials from Welsh Government, sector representatives and partners. You will also act as a specialist in this area of work to lead and deliver NRW policy, strategies, technical advice and guidance. This will translate Welsh and UK Government policy into practical approaches to the point of delivery.

What you will do

Prepare specialist/technical assessments, drawing on a range of complex information and data sources.
Manage the preparation of material to inform the development of NRW, WG and other Partners policy, advice, and guidance documents;
Manage the development of procedures, national tools and guidance including supporting legislative change and lead the delivery of new ways of working.
Liaise with external stakeholders such as Welsh Government, sector representatives and partners to ensure the timely and effective delivery of project, policy, or strategy obligations.
Advise on evidence needs and opportunities and project manage agreed evidence projects, in line with the agreed evidence programme.
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 Team Leader to develop and deliver an agreed Sgwrs 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 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 .

Knowledge of: Welsh, UK and EU legislation related to outdoor access and recreation. Welsh, UK Government policy drivers related to outdoor access and recreation and the issues and opportunities within Wales.
Specialist technical knowledge relating to one of more of the following: responsible recreation, countryside codes, National Trails, Countryside and Rights of Way Act, open access and recreational access to freshwater and inland coastal waters, and public rights of way.
Experience of specialist/technical analysis and interpretation of a range of complex environmental and relevant information and data sources.
Working with/in outdoor access & recreation sector, local authorities, landowners, and managers; representatives of outdoor/countryside organisations, forums, and voluntary bodies.
Working in a programme and project management environment with Project Management experience and/or qualifications.
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)
Desirable: Level C2 – Higher proficiency level (fluent in both spoken and written 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% (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.

Please keep reading
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.

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.