Lead Water Quality Improvements Advisor

Are you passionate about protecting our most precious natural environments? This is a unique opportunity to lead transformative work improving water quality across Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) in Wales.

As the Lead Advisor for Water Quality Improvements, you’ll play a central role in delivering the SAC Nutrients Project. Working closely with the Project Manager and fellow workstream leads, you’ll help shape and implement innovative solutions to tackle nutrient pollution and drive forward nature-based interventions.

Your work will span:

• Nutrient neutrality and catchment-based approaches
• Coordination of Nutrient Management Boards
• Design and delivery of mitigation measures to enhance water quality in both riverine and marine SACs

You’ll ensure alignment with the Rivers and Marine components of the SAC Nutrients Programme, safeguarding NRW’s legal responsibilities under the Habitats Directive and the Water Framework Directive.

In this expert advisor role, you will:

• Develop and steer the Water Quality Improvements workstream
• Build on the foundations laid by the SAC Rivers Project to identify and implement effective interventions
• Lead the creation of NRW’s policy, strategy, and guidance on nutrient management and water quality in SAC-designated sites

This is a chance to make a lasting impact on Wales’ most ecologically valuable waters, working at the forefront of environmental protection and restoration.

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.

This post is a fixed term role until 31 December 2026. There may be the potential for this appointment to be extended or become a permanent position at a later date, however this cannot be guaranteed.

To make an informal enquiry about this role, please contact Marc Williams at [email protected]  

Interviews will take place through 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

This role sits in the Water and Nature Projects Team within the Sustainable Water and Nature Group. You will work collaboratively with colleagues from other teams and Directorates across Natural Resources Wales (NRW), and with Welsh Government and other cross sectoral partners at a Welsh and UK level. This will help to ensure delivery of this complex and high-profile programme of work.

This is a new team intended to deliver new strategies relating to water quality issues in protected areas.

What you will do

• Lead the development and provision of advice and guidance to the Nutrient Management Boards across Wales to ensure consistency; that NRW’s legal duties in respect of both Habitats and WFD Directives are not compromised; and to establish appropriate governance arrangements.
• Lead the development and provision of advice and guidance on complex aspects of water quality improvements to deliver neutrality and betterment.
• Have the ability to disseminate complex technical information and data to a range of audiences from technically proficient to non-technical. Examples of this will range from source apportionment data reports to nutrient calculators’ methodology and results.
• Support the development of tools and procedures to facilitate the solutions needed to drive water quality improvements in river catchments.
• The work will include ensuring consistency of approach with the Rivers and Marine elements of the SAC nutrients programme, and that NRW’s legal duties in respect of both Habitats and Water Framework Directive Directives are not compromised.
• Work with UK wide relevant organisations including UK and Welsh Governments on water quality solutions including interventions such as compensatory wetlands and calculators. Delivering on solutions that are tailored for Wales.
• The successful applicant will be expected to drive the delivery of NRW’s work programme in this key business area.
• 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.

The post holder will:

1. Be a water quality expert able to operate at a national level.
2. Hold extensive technical knowledge and experience in river restoration principles and interventions that will deliver water quality improvements as well as wider multiple benefits for  biodiversity and protected sites.
3. Need, as an expert to be an excellent communicator and be able to demonstrate effective interpersonal skills and be a strong team worker.
4. Have proven experience of successful partnership working across a variety of sectors including water companies, landowners, recreation users, householders, local authorities, environmental NGOS, planners and developers.
5. Experience of data management and Geographical Information Systems is desirable.
6. Have proven Project management experience, including contract and budget management and work programming.

Welsh Language level requirements 

• Essential: Level A1 – Entry level

Welsh language levels

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.