The role
We’re offering an exciting opportunity to join our North Wales Control of Agricultural Pollution Team on a permanent basis as an Environment Officer. We’re looking for a confident and motivated individual with strong communication and influencing skills who can make a real impact.
As part of this team, you’ll work across Powys to ensure farms are meeting the Control of Agricultural Pollution Regulations. Whether conducting inspections solo or alongside colleagues, you’ll be at the forefront of environmental protection, helping to shape sustainable agricultural practices.
This is more than a compliance role — it’s about building trust and driving change. You’ll engage with farmers and land managers, offering practical guidance and taking proportionate enforcement action when needed. Your ability to influence and communicate effectively will be key to fostering collaboration and long-term improvements.
You’ll also respond swiftly and effectively to environmental incidents, including illegal waste activities, as part of NRW’s duty as a Category 1 responder under the Civil Contingencies Act. Covering a large geographical area you will need to hold a valid full UK licence to drive NRW fleet vehicles (cars and vans).
If you’re curious by nature, thrive on problem-solving, and want a career where no two days are the same, this is your chance to be part of something meaningful. Join us and help shape a cleaner, safer, and more resilient environment for Wales.
To make an informal enquiry about this role, please contact Simon Griffiths at simon.griffiths@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk
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
As part of the North Wales Control of Agricultural Pollution (CoAPR) team at Natural Resources Wales you will be in a team comprising of officers specialising in CoAPR . The team is part of our North West Wales Operations directorate and covers all of North Wales.
What you will do
- Work with a wide range of internal and external customers including permit holders, landowners, businesses, public bodies, recreation groups, volunteers and third sector organisations to enable others to achieve SMNR.
- Establish, maintain and advise partners to support the development of partnership projects and plans through from concepts to implementation. These projects will deliver outcomes aligned with place priorities.
- Assess compliance with relevant legislation, permit or consent conditions. Where non-compliance is identified, determine and implement the most appropriate intervention option to ensure a return to compliance as quickly as possible. Take appropriate actions to collect evidence for enforcement purposes, in accordance with defined procedures.
- Draft valid consents and assents for operations affecting protected sites. For all work areas produce required advice, investigations, documentation and reports to agreed quality standards to support operational and management decisions, protected site notification, public enquiries, court cases etc so that information, evidence and NRW interests are accurately and effectively presented.
- Within your area of expertise, provide professional local advice and responses to consultations from planning and permitting teams. Maintain working relationships with these teams through regular liaison.
- Monitor progress of work, which may include interpretation of data, contractor management, project delivery or compliance with management agreements or statutory legal notices. Identify and support any remedial actions to ensure outcome delivery.
- Play a role in a resilient NRW Incident Management Service that follows NRW process to ensure effective, timely and safe response to incidents.
- 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.
- A good working knowledge of environment management, agriculture, fisheries, conservation or biodiversity, with focused experience in the team’s remit.
- Ensure continuing professional and personal development, expertise and competence through formal and informal learning and certification.
- Strong and effective self-management and organisational skills.
- The ability to influence, negotiate and gain cooperation of others. Experience of dealing successfully with difficult people / situations is important.
- The ability to use specialised IT systems, such as GIS or NRW customised applications.
- Able to work well as part of a team.
- Hold a current full UK 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.
#ENV, GRJ
