Team / Directorate: Integrated Evidence Group / Evidence, Policy and Permitting
Starting salary: £45,367 rising to £50,877 per annum through annual increments being paid each year (pro rata for part time applicants)
Contract type: Permanent
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: 12 September 2025
Post number: 204037 (For office use only: GDN, TTJ)
The role
We're looking for a passionate and forward-thinking individual to join us in embedding environmental evidence into economic planning-both within Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and with our external partners.
In this role, you'll provide expert advice that helps ensure decisions about investment, policy, and development lead to better outcomes for both nature and people. You'll be at the forefront of supporting Wales' transition to a regenerative economy, directly contributing to Aim 4 of the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources (SMNR).
If you're driven by the idea of aligning economic progress with environmental resilience, and want to be part of an organisation leading that change, 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 Michael Gerardo
[email protected]Interviews will take place via 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
At NRW, we are committed to fostering a future where nature and people thrive together. Our corporate plan, Nature and People Thriving Together to 2030, places evidence at the heart of everything we do. We believe that the collection, interpretation, visualisation, and sharing of high-quality information and evidence are fundamental to achieving better outcomes for both the people of Wales and its natural environment.
As a forward-thinking organisation, we recognise that traditional approaches alone are not enough. Embracing innovative evidence methods and fostering strong collaboration are essential to meeting the complex environmental and societal challenges we face. Through these efforts, we strive to support sustainable development, biodiversity conservation, and climate resilience across Wales.
Joining NRW means becoming part of a dynamic team dedicated to making a tangible difference shaping policy, informing decisions, and safeguarding Wales's natural heritage for generations to come.
What you will do
- Be the internal Head of Profession and Business Lead for economics in NRW.
- Act as the lead across the business to embed ecological economic thinking such as integrated environmental-economic assessment, nature positive economic planning, ecosystem services and valuing the environment.
- Lead, develop and facilitate innovative economic methodologies and identification of evidence in support of delivering NRW outcomes, such as financing for Nature based Solutions.
- Undertake environmentally-extended cost-benefit analysis and impact assessments to inform planning and management.
- Take a lead role in influencing key stakeholders, working collaboratively and building partnerships to develop economic approaches and evidence (e.g. work with EA, Welsh Government, Defra, Local Authorities, water companies, consultancies and the academic community).
- Be responsible for interpreting and reporting on environmental-economic data turning it into evidence and then to disseminating complex technical information and data to a range of audiences ranging from technically proficient to non-technical.
- Work closely with other specialists especially in the Integrated Evidence Group, through a matrix management approach, to address complex evidence issues.
- 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 .
- Experience working with government departments translating Government policy/legislation or organisational strategy into practical approaches on environmental-economic issues.
- Demonstrable ability in Green Book compliant Cost Benefit and Net Present Value calculation.
- A degree in Economics.
Welsh Language Level Requirements
- Essential: Level A1 - Entry level (able to use and understand simple, basic phrases and greetings, no conversational Welsh
- Desirable: Level B2 - Upper intermediate level (able to discuss work matters)
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.
