Environment Officer (Conservation) in Dolgellau

Help us deliver Wales's contribution to the global goal of conserving 30% of land, freshwater and marine environments by 2030. Working as part of NRW's support for the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS), you'll help create practical management plans for designated sites and work directly with farmers to identify actions that benefit habitats, species and the wider environment. We are recruiting Environment Officers across North East and North West Wales, on fixed‑term appointment until 31/03/2027 only. These roles will be based out of our Bangor, Buckley and Dolgellau sites.

You will provide technical expertise in protected site management, including regulatory work (assents and consents), proactive conservation advice, and developing partnerships and management agreements. Your role will support NRW's biodiversity priorities and offer specialist input to colleagues and projects across the organisation. You may also contribute to broader environmental management, including incident response, water resources, land and water quality, and work linked to delivering Water Framework Directive outcomes. You'll work alongside established operational teams and play a key role in improving environmental outcomes on the ground. As an organisation we support flexible working. You will be contracted to the nearest NRW office to your home in the above list of locations and a suitable hybrid working pattern will be agreed on appointment. Any regular face‑to‑face meetings or training will be planned in advance.

What you will do:

• Work with a wide range of internal and external customers including permit holders, landowners, businesses, public bodies, recreation groups, volunteers and third sector organisations to enable others to achieve SMNR.
• Establish, maintain and advise partners to support the development of partnership projects and plans through from concepts to implementation. These projects will deliver outcomes aligned with place priorities.
• Assess compliance with relevant legislation, permit or consent conditions. Where non‑compliance is identified, determine and implement the most appropriate intervention option to ensure a return to compliance as quickly as possible.
• Take appropriate actions to collect evidence for enforcement purposes, in accordance with defined procedures.
• Draft valid consents and assents for operations affecting protected sites.
• For all work areas produce required advice, investigations, documentation and reports to agreed quality standards to support operational and management decisions, protected site notification, public enquiries, court cases etc so that information, evidence and NRW interests are accurately and effectively presented.
• Within your area of expertise, provide professional local advice and responses to consultations from planning and permitting teams. Maintain working relationships with these teams through regular liaison.
• Monitor progress of work, which may include interpretation of data, contractor management, project delivery or compliance with management agreements or statutory legal notices.
• Identify and support any remedial actions to ensure outcome delivery.
• Play a role in a resilient NRW Incident Management Service that follows NRW process to ensure effective, timely and safe response to incidents.
• 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:

• A good working knowledge of conservation and biodiversity, with focused experience in these distinct areas of the team remit.
• An understanding of how your role in a multi‑functional team can contribute to the sustainable management of natural resources.
• Strong and effective self‑management, organisational and ICT skills, including the ability to use specialised IT systems, such as GIS or customised applications.
• The ability to influence, negotiate and gain cooperation of others including experience of dealing successfully with difficult people or situations and proven ability to work well as part of a team.
• Ensure continuing professional and personal development, expertise and competence through formal and informal learning and certification.
• Hold a current full UK valid licence to drive NRW fleet vehicles (cars and vans).
• Welsh Language.

Benefits:

• 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. 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.