Coastal Management Specialist

Team / Directorate: Marine & Coastal Policy & Planning Team / Evidence, Policy and Permitting

Starting salary:  £41,132  rising to £44,988 per annum through annual increments being paid each year (pro rata for part time applicants)

Contract type: Fixed Term appointment until 31/03/2026 with possibility of extension

Work pattern: Full time, 37 hours per week  (Part time, annualised hours, compressed hours or term time working considered - discussions at interview stage welcome)

Interview date: To be confirmed

Post number: 203885

The role

Are you passionate about the marine environment and experienced in spatial environmental data analysis? Join Natural Resources Wales’s Marine & Coastal Policy and Planning Team and help improve the resilience of marine protected areas across Wales.

You will lead on spatial assessment and marine mapping to understand and address the effects of ‘coastal squeeze’ - the loss of vital coastal habitats due to sea-level rise and coastal development. Your work will shape actions that increase biodiversity, improving the condition of marine protected sites and enhancing the resilience and connectivity of our habitats and species.

The role will primarily involve spatial analysis, project management and supporting non-expert users in understanding spatial data.  Initial focus will include:

• Further analysis of spatial data from the recent project “Investigating the scale of deterioration of marine protected area features due to coastal squeeze” to refine outputs and communicate key messages.
• Assessing workshop outcomes with stakeholders to shape future actions needed to address the impacts of coastal squeeze.
• Support team members by providing spatial analysis and data presentation to inform marine planning across Welsh seas, including strategic mapping of opportunities to enhance resilience and mapping of environmental considerations. 

This role sits within the Marine Nature Networks Programme, a five-year initiative tackling the nature emergency in Wales. Initial funding is secured for one year, with potential for extension.

Come and join our friendly workforce, benefit from our flexible working conditions, and be part of the solution to the climate and nature emergencies our world is facing. 

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 Helen Bloomfield at Helen.Bloomfield@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk  

Interviews will be conducted via Microsoft Teams.

Successful external applicants will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS) check. We aim to make offers of appointment within 4 to 8 weeks of the closing date.

About us

Natural Resources Wales has been putting in place an exciting new programme of marine work with support from Welsh Government’s Nature Networks Programme. The aim of the programme is to deliver projects that build resilient ecological networks across Wales, focussing on improving the condition of protected sites. NRW will deliver a suite of projects focussed on Welsh coasts and seas. In addition, we will be undertaking feasibility and evidence work that will help us to put in place better management for our coasts and seas in the future.

In this role, you will sit within the Marine and Coastal Policy and Planning Team and work closely with a range of technical specialists in NRW, and partners and stakeholders across Wales.

What you will do

• Prepare technical spatial assessments, drawing on a range of complex information and data.
• Manage the preparation of material to inform the development of NRW, WG and other Partners policy, statutory advice and guidance documents.  Manage the development of procedures, tools and guidance and lead the delivery of new ways of working.
• Liaise with external stakeholders such as Welsh Government, sector representatives and partners to ensure the timely and effective delivery of project, policy or strategy obligations.
• Advise on evidence gaps and project manage agreed evidence projects, in line with the agreed evidence programme.
• Support engagement with sectors, partners, WG, JNCC and other Environment bodies in the UK; and be the lead point of contact for customer queries.
• Maintain knowledge of Mapping approaches identifying the implications of policy, legislative, technology and market changes for WG, Natural Resources Wales and the sector.
• Maintain knowledge of coastal squeeze, to inform the development of policy, advice and guidance.
• Contribute to task and finish groups, commissioned through the Business Boards, to prepare defined products as required.
• Collaborate with the Team Leader to develop and deliver an agreed Personal Development Plan.
• 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 the Marine and coastal Environment; Welsh and UK Government policy drivers regarding coastal squeeze and the issues and opportunities in Wales.
2. Experience of: technical analysis and interpretation of a range of complex environmental information and marine and coastal ecosystems data sources; analysing large data sets using GIS and other data analysis software.
3. Working with/in Welsh Government, statutory nature conservation bodies, eNGOs, public bodies and marine sector representative bodies.
4. Working in a programme and project management environment with Project Management experience and qualifications.
5. You will be a member of a relevant professional institution and/or working towards membership
6. Share your knowledge and expertise to help solve problems, supporting all Heads of Business in EPP as required

 

Welsh language level requirements

• Essential:  Level A1 - Entry level (able to use and understand simple, basic phrases and greetings, no conversational Welsh)

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

If you think you have what it takes to do this role, but don’t necessarily meet every single point on the job description, please still get in touch and we will be happy to discuss the role with you in more detail.

We’re passionate about creating a diverse workforce and positively encourage applications from under-represented communities. We embrace equality of opportunity irrespective of disability, neurodivergence, ethnic origin, colour, nationality, gender expression and gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, culture, or religion.   We put the principles of human rights, equality, fairness, dignity and respect at the heart of our values.

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. 

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