Natur am Byth Programme Manager

We’re looking for an experienced and passionate Programme Manager to lead Natur am Byth – Wales’ largest ever species recovery and public engagement initiative. This multi-million-pound programme brings together Natural Resources Wales and nine leading environmental charities to protect threatened species and inspire communities across the country.

In this pivotal role, you’ll oversee the delivery of 11 place-based conservation projects and 10 national work packages, managing a central team and supporting a wider network of over 20 staff. You’ll be responsible for programme governance, financial oversight, and reporting to senior stakeholders, including funders and government partners.

You’ll be part of our Strategic Projects team within the Operations Directorate, reporting to the Strategic Projects Manager – Nature Recovery.

The role offers flexible working arrangements and the chance to collaborate with passionate professionals across Wales and beyond.

If you’re a skilled leader with a background in programme management and a commitment to nature recovery, we’d love to hear from you

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.

To make an informal enquiry about this role, please contact John Clark or Mannon Lewis at [email protected]  or [email protected]

Interviews will take place through Microsoft Teams on the 24th & 25th November. 

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. 

What you will do

• Lead the implementation of the Natur am Byth Programme including delivery of the 11 place-based projects and 10 national work packages across Wales, working closely with relevant colleagues in NRW, project partners and delivery partners.
• Ensure appropriate governance for the programme is in line with the NRW Portfolio Management Office process and procedures and with PRINCE2 methodology or Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) methodology.
• Provide an expert, professional programme and project management service which is able to manage multi-disciplinary, high value programmes and projects with specific expertise in nature emergency and well-being projects.
• Forecast and control the Programme budget. Plan, manage and realign Project Management and externally funded resource so NaB Programme costs are fully reprofiled  (balanced budget).
• As Programme Manager for NaB, be responsible for taking decisions within the agreed partnership schedule of delegation.
• Lead multidisciplinary NaB Programme groups for complex projects with both internal and external project team members to achieve sustainable solutions.
• Present business cases to Business Boards for approval, with accountability as Programme manager within the agreed partnership schedule of delegation.
• Serve as NRW’s client manager with external partners engaged through the agreed funding mechanism to ensure delivery of agreed objectives and overcome obstacles to delivery.
• Sign off project products (e.g. business case, communications plan, budget forecast, risk register, reports, designs, technical notes) ensuring the project is achieving the agreed objectives to the agreed quality standards within budgetary and programme tolerances.
• Ensure that Procurement Strategies for engaging external services comply with NRW’s ‘Managing our Money’.
• Provide strong and effective advocacy for species conservation and societal benefits across Wales, supporting delivery of people engagement strategy and funding requirements.
• Be responsible for acting as primary contact point between National Lottery Heritage Fund monitors and advisors, Welsh Government officials landfill disposal tax communities fund monitors, other external funders and NRW governance groups.
• Provide advice and guidance as a lead expert in the field/function, developing appropriate solutions.
• Present complex issues to a range of key stakeholders including the public, community action groups, MPs and Senedd Members.
• Provide strong and effective advocacy for species conservation and societal benefits across Wales, supporting delivery of people engagement strategy and funding requirements.  Responsible for acting as primary contact point between National Lottery Heritage Fund monitors and advisors, Welsh Government officials and NRW governance groups.
• Deputising for Management tier colleagues.
• 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.

1. Knowledge of Welsh, UK and EU legislation related to biodiversity; Welsh, UK Government policy drivers in biodiversity; and the issues and opportunities in Wales
2. Knowledge of site conservation management techniques.
3. Recognised professional or technical qualification in programme or project management, or equivalent relevant knowledge in this field
4. Proven experience in complex programme management, including budget management, management of staff, and work programming.
5. Experience of managing projects within a mixture of income streams including charitable and public funding. e.g. National Lottery Heritage fund.
6. Demonstrated ability to lead and direct partnership initiatives involving both internal and external partners.  .
7. Experience of people engagement and public consultation methods, and negotiation and engagement skills
8. Good team working and communication skills
9. Experience of and ability to oversee the monitoring, evaluation and impact of projects, including data collection methods, KPIs and writing of reports to funders and other stakeholders.

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.