Specialist Forestry Advisor in Aberystwyth

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in shaping commercial projects across the NRW managed estate in South Wales. As a Specialist Advisor within the Communications, Customer and Commercial Directorate, you'll provide expert forest management advice that enables sustainable, commercially viable projects to progress. Working as part of a small, collaborative team — including environmental specialists, project managers and business support colleagues — you'll contribute your technical expertise while influencing outcomes on the ground.

Site visits are a central part of the role, giving you the chance to work directly within the forest estate and see the impact of your advice first-hand. This position offers a strong professional focus with no line management responsibilities, allowing you to concentrate on delivering high-quality technical and advisory support. The role covers South Wales and reports to the Team Leader, Programme Development and Governance, who is based in Aberystwyth.

If you're motivated by making a tangible difference to forest management and commercial delivery, and value collaborative working within a specialist team, this role offers both variety and impact. As an organisation we support flexible working. You will be contracted to an NRW office within the place base / location above 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 James Laing at James.Laing@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk. Interviews will be face to face in Aberystwyth, date to be confirmed. 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.

• Act as the Technical lead to deliver an effective forestry service.
• Undertake site-based walkovers, assessment, monitoring and supervision of forestry operations (e.g. tree clearance) communicating regularly with Project Managers and Developers and identify risks and issues.
• Review, analyse and interpret complex information and provide timely advice on forestry issues such as valuations.
• Procure forestry contract resource and manage contract resources as necessary.
• Participate in the development of team work plans and deliver any agreed actions to contribute to the facilitation of commercial projects.
• Contribute to NRW technical / strategic groups ensuring that policy and delivery are consistent and appropriate.
• Influence the work of others through representation at team and Developer events and build and maintain relationships and lines of communication.
• 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).
• Required to take part in incident response activities.
• Any other reasonable duties requested commensurate with the grade of this role.

In your application and interview you will be asked to demonstrate the following skills and experience using the STAR method:

• Degree in forestry or related subject and / or relevant experience of forest management and working towards professional membership.
• Extensive knowledge and experience of all aspects of forest practice, including forest planning, forest operations, forest inventory, tree crop valuation and UKWAS.
• Good interpersonal skills, team working skills and the ability to deal appropriately with people of all levels.
• Ability to communicate effectively with Developers, explaining complex issues and gaining support by influencing.
• Ability to be self-motivated and lone work.
• Good written and spoken communication skills.
• Full Driving Licence.

Essential: Level A1 - Entry level. 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.

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.

We are 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 a 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.