Monitoring Strategy and Planning Team Leader

The role involves leading a high-performing team at the heart of Wales' environmental management agenda. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is seeking an experienced technical leader to drive our environmental monitoring functions within the Knowledge and Evidence Department. You will lead a team of 10 technical specialists responsible for designing and planning NRW's environmental monitoring programmes, which inform natural resources policies and our response to nature and climate emergencies.

You will have responsibility for setting the strategic direction for NRW's environmental monitoring of land, marine, freshwater, and biodiversity resources. You will work seamlessly with policy advisors, operational delivery teams, and our dedicated NRW analytical laboratory to maintain NRW's high-class monitoring and analysis function. Additionally, you will act as a key advisor to the Welsh Government, ensuring national decisions are grounded in robust evidence, and implement innovative new approaches in environmental monitoring.

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 upon appointment. Regular face-to-face meetings or training will be planned in advance.

To make an informal enquiry about this role, please contact Alun Attwood. Interviews will take place week commencing 23 March 2026 through Microsoft Teams. Successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS). Appointments are normally made within 4 to 8 weeks of the closing date.

This role meets the criteria for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route. Natural Resources Wales welcomes applications from non-UK citizens who are eligible to apply under this route, subject to confirmation by the Home Office. Please note that while we may be able to support the Certificate of Sponsorship required for a visa application, the organisation does not cover the cost of the visa itself, including any associated fees for dependants. The applicant must still meet the UK Skilled Worker Visa Eligibility and Requirement.

About us: Natural Resources Wales is the Welsh Government sponsored body with responsibility for the sustainable management, protection, and regulation of Wales' natural resources, including its land, water, and wildlife. The post will lead a national monitoring team. As a team, we value collaboration, innovation, and integrity. We offer a supportive and inclusive working culture where your contributions are recognised and your professional growth is encouraged. Joining us means being part of a passionate community committed to making a real difference in the way Wales understands and responds to environmental challenges.

What you will do:

• Lead and manage a team of technical specialists and advisors involved in developing monitoring strategy and the planning of annual monitoring programmes.
• Be responsible for delivery of the team's workplan, maintaining and monitoring performance against agreed goals and targets.
• Recruit, manage, coach, and motivate staff, maintaining an effective and appropriately skilled, and high performing, team.
• Set the strategic direction for all of NRW's environmental monitoring across air, land, freshwater, and marine, ensuring it is fit to support our corporate outcomes and meet our statutory obligations.
• Define NRW's annual monitoring and associated laboratory analytical programmes, and allocate funding to support their delivery.
• Act as a specialist lead in one or more areas of monitoring, providing expert advice and guidance to staff across the business.
• Interact with and influence a range of partner organisations working on complex and strategic monitoring projects at Wales and UK levels.
• Lead on the development of new and innovative approaches to drive forward efficiency and improvements to the monitoring service.
• Undertake health and safety duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post.
• Be committed to Natural Resources Wales Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy.
• Be committed to your own development and that of your staff through the effective use of your personal development plan.
• Required to take part in incident response activities.
• Any other reasonable duties requested commensurate with the grade of this role.

Your qualifications, experience, knowledge and skills:

• Previous experience of leading and managing teams and complex projects.
• Substantial technical knowledge and experience in one or more areas of environmental monitoring.
• Confident and skilled communicator with good inter-personal skills.
• Experience in developing strategies and operational guidance.
• Experience of working at national and UK levels managing a portfolio of work programmes related to environmental monitoring.
• Well-developed analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to extract key information and present this clearly to a range of audiences.

Welsh Language level requirements:

Essential: Level A1 - Entry level. Please note if you do not meet the A1 requirement, 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:

• 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.

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 ensure 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.