Senior Environmental Assessment Officer (Water Quality Data)

The role

We are looking for a Senior Environmental Assessment Officer to join our multidisciplinary environmental monitoring and assessment team. In this role you will undertake freshwater chemistry data analysis, interpretation and reporting as well as provision of technical water quality monitoring advice.

As a member of the Environmental Assessment and Advice Team northwest in our Operations directorate, you will report directly to the team leader. You will also be a contributing member of our all-Wales virtual water quality technical group.

You will ensure NRW makes efficient, insightful and wide-reaching use of its freshwater environmental monitoring data and also of data from relevant external sources whilst ensuring that our data meets and maintains the required quality standards.

In this role you will be involved in planning and implementing monitoring, assessment and reporting programmes. You will ensure that the resultant data, where possible, meets the often reactive needs of NRW’s agile Operations Directorate, so that our data and evidence drives positive changes in water quality across Wales.

Using your experience and technical knowledge you will interpret legislation to inform the development and implementation of NRW policies, procedures and guidance, especially regarding the techniques and methods used in our water quality work. You will lead at an all-Wales level, on certain aspects of our work and the provision of advice and guidance regarding water quality data.

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 Claire Liversage 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

The six Environmental Assessment and Advice Teams (EAATs) provide multifunctional monitoring, assessment, and reporting services, as well as the provision of technical advice, across Wales. These teams play a particular role in gathering data in the field, and processing those data and turning them into usable evidence for use by the rest of the organisation and to help meet NRW’s statutory reporting duties. Our data are used to help NRW respond to the nature and climate emergencies, as well as helping improve the quality of our rivers, lakes and inshore waters. This role will lead with water quality data work undertaken by our EAATs.

What you will do

• Lead and co-ordinate specialist, monitoring and/or earth science technical advice and guidance to internal and external customers, from a range of sources; ensure that decisions are based on sound technical judgement, in line with current legislation and best practice.
• Provide professional/technical monitoring, assessment and reporting and/or earth science expertise to influence and inform operational priorities and NRW policies.
• Ensure that NRW’s monitoring data is collected and stored to the quality standards prescribed by European and UK legislation and by NRW policy.
• Review evidence of new and emerging environmental monitoring technologies and their applicability, analysing complex information and benefits for use by NRW.
• Identify and produce technical reports analysing and interpreting national and local datasets for operational work, national policy decisions, public enquiries, court appeals etc.
• Provide evidence and act as expert witness for prosecutions, public enquiries and judicial reviews.
• Take a lead role for area and Wales-wide monitoring projects including scoping, resourcing, appointing contractors and budget management. Take a lead on specialist contribution to delivery of survey and monitoring programmes.
• Lead on the development, implementation of new monitoring and reporting methods, including collaboration with partner organisations at a local and national level (e.g. EA, SEPA, SNH, JNCC, NE, Coal Authority, utility companies, Welsh Government and JNCC).
• For earth science specialists, provide specialist technical advice on planning casework and the management of protected sites (including SSSI notifications, site management work, enforcement action etc.).
• Provide earth science technical input into strategic and regional plans such as Area Statements, Local Development Plans, planning guidance etc, and contribute to maintaining the scientific integrity of the designated sites network.
• Support partner organisations in promoting nature conservation and SMNR.
• Provide ongoing technical development to the team, leading and coaching on new and existing procedures and techniques.
• Undertake health and safety duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post
• Be committed to Natural Resources Wales Equality, diversity and inclusion – an overview, 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. A first or second-class degree (or equivalent) in a biological, environmental science or geographical or earth science subject or relevant experience in discipline.
2. High level expertise in terrestrial ecology, freshwater ecology, water quality fisheries or earth science.
3. Expertise in interpreting and reporting on environmental data and undertaking monitoring activities.
4. Expertise in work planning, budgeting and contract management.
5. Excellent report writing skills, and knowledge and experience of implementing relevant UK and European legislation coupled with expert interpretation of data against legislative drivers.
6. Experience of supervising, coaching and mentoring.
7. High level analytical skills including statistics, and expert knowledge of data handling including GIS.
8. Member of professional body. (Desired)
9. Ability to swim and be confident working in water. (subject to discipline)
10. A current full valid licence to drive NRW fleet vehicles. (Cars and vans)

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.