Environment Officer (Conservation) in Mold

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 will 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 two Environment Officers in North West Wales, on fixed-term appointment until 31/03/2027, with the possibility of permanency. This role will be based out of our Buckley site and will provide technical expertise in protected site management, including regulatory work (assents and consents), proactive conservation advice, and development of partnerships and management agreements. You will support NRW’s biodiversity priorities and offer specialist input to colleagues and projects across the organisation.

Responsibilities

• 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 from concepts to implementation, delivering outcomes aligned with place priorities.
• Assess compliance with relevant legislation, permit or consent conditions and determine the most appropriate intervention to restore compliance promptly.
• Take appropriate actions to collect evidence for enforcement purposes, in accordance with defined procedures.
• Draft valid consents and assents for operations affecting protected sites and produce the required advice, investigations, documentation and reports to agreed quality standards for operational and management decisions, protected site notification, public enquiries, court cases and other matters.
• Provide professional local advice and responses to consultations from planning and permitting teams and maintain regular liaison with these teams.
• Monitor progress of work, including data interpretation, contractor management, project delivery, and compliance with management agreements or statutory notices, and support remedial actions where needed.
• Play a role in a resilient NRW Incident Management Service that follows NRW process to ensure effective, timely and safe incident response.
• Undertake health and safety duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post.
• Commit to Natural Resources Wales Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy and understand how it operates within the responsibilities of the post.
• Commit to personal development through the effective use of the personal development plan (Sgwrs).
• Perform any other reasonable duties requested, commensurate with the grade of this role.

Qualifications & experience

• Good working knowledge of conservation and biodiversity, with focused experience in the distinct areas of the team’s remit.
• 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.
• 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.
• Commitment to 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 skills are an asset.
• Successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

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 life needs.
• Commitment to professional development.
• Health and wellbeing benefits and support.
• Weekly wellbeing hour available to use as you choose.

Equal opportunities

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. 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.