Overview

As a part-time mammal specialist leading on bats and riparian mammals, the post holder will have an up-to-date overview of issues related to terrestrial mammals’ evidence. You will lead the provision of relevant evidence and advice for the implementation of Natural Resource Management and the development and provision of evidence needs for terrestrial mammals biodiversity action and conservation science requirements.

This post is part-time (23 hours per week). The post-holder has a responsibility for mentoring the other Mammal Ecologist, Bats and Riparian Mammals (part-time).

Responsibilities

Setting direction

  • Provide strategic direction and operational advice to the business, including ensuring our evidence activities are based on good science, and can stand up to scrutiny and challenge
  • Maintain a knowledge of terrestrial mammals evidence issues and their natural resources, including the relationships to, natural resource management, catchment management plans, climate change adaptation, survey, monitoring and reporting
  • Provide advice on environmental standards and contribute to responses to internal and external consultations where they relate to terrestrial mammals
  • Identify and advise on future opportunities, issues and problems, and assess their significance for NRW and the Welsh environment
  • Provide the technical lead and give advice for the relevant terrestrial mammals for policy development and evaluation, operational decision making (including licensing procedures and policy for protected species, licence applications, and impact assessments) and intervention evaluation; shape and inform Government policy and the evidence requirements to support it

Delivering results

  • In association with the other Terrestrial Mammal Ecologists and other colleagues, identify and deliver corporate terrestrial mammals evidence priorities and the provision of advice to fill them in a resource constrained situation
  • Initiate, develop and manage special projects to support operational needs
  • Develop and use innovative approaches to address evidence priorities and regulatory policy and procedures
  • Initiate large and novel projects to support NRW evidence needs and activities
  • Provide professional, strategic and technical leadership for the relevant mammal evidence
  • Lead on the provision of expert advice to NRW operations on major casework (eg Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects) potentially affecting terrestrial mammals, as well as other casework that arises. This may include representing NRW in public examinations / hearings
  • Provide interpretation and explanation of complex scientific and technical principles, procedures and policy in relation to terrestrial mammals
  • Provide advice and assistance in relation to SSSI /SAC notification, monitoring and site management for terrestrial mammal species
  • Oversee, process and analyse data in the context of corporate evidence needs for application in natural resource management; producing presentations, reports and publications; and work with key partners at national and UK levels to co-ordinate evidence and identify improved methods for information and data capture

Building relationships

  • Cultivate an extensive and productive network of internal and external technical and NGO stakeholders to deliver evidence needs and conservation outcomes including manage the Wales Mammal Biodiversity Action Forum
  • Manage NRW’s Joint Working Partnership with the Bat Conservation Trust
  • Represent NRW terrestrial mammals evidence interests on internal and UK working groups on terrestrial species evidence including UK BAP groups and Mammals Interagency Working Group and work closely with and support the work of the other teams within NRW
  • Represent UK at Eurobats Meetings and contribute to the work of the Advisory Committee and Intersessional Working Groups as required
  • Provide a terrestrial mammals evidence service to WG and other UK stakeholders
  • Communicate the outcomes of our work internally and externally
  • Develop a pro-active relationship with corporate communications and contribute to media initiatives

Ensuring effective governance

  • Manage the budget related to your subject area and relationships with 3rd party suppliers to meet value for money and spend profile requirements
  • Promote and adhere to NRW data policy and standards for creating, managing and supplying terrestrial mammal data
  • Report to project management structures and NRW’s Board, and brief senior management and NRW leadership as required

Developing people and teams

  • Ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of staff and contractors and provide assurance of safe working practices
  • Mentor staff and provide training to support development and implementation of operational guidance

Job Specific Criteria:

  1. Expertise in bat and riparian mammals identification, ecology, conservation, mitigation, relevant legislation survey/monitoring, data analysis and presentation of results : Essential
  2. Ability to interpret and report on environmental data and evidence, and translate into locally relevant advice, guidance and policy: Essential
  3. A degree in a relevant environmental subject is necessary along with a post-graduate qualification or equivalent experience, together with specialist knowledge of mammals : Essential
  4. Working independently demonstrating personal initiative and good organisational skills, liaison with partners : Essential
  5. Project management skills : Desirable
  6. Good communication skills including producing high quality reports and publications, providing advice and dealing with the media : Essential

Welsh Language Requirements:

Due consideration has been given to the Welsh language requirements for the post and the existing skills within the team. Taking this into consideration the Welsh language skills required for the post are at

Level 1 – The ability to use basic Welsh conversational phrases (eg “bore da” – “good morning”) and to pronounce Welsh place names correctly.

Additional Information:

  • You’ll need to be an excellent communicator, be able to demonstrate effective interpersonal skills and be a strong team worker

Job Advert Information

  • Contract type: Permanent, part-time
  • Work pattern: 23 hours per week
  • Grade / Salary: £22,690 (pro-rata of a full time salary of £36,502)

This role will be subject to the forthcoming Job Evaluation exercise which may result in a change in the grade and salary. Existing NRW staff applying for vacancies via an external advert will be treated as internal applicants and remain on their substantive grade and salary until job evaluation is implemented”

  • Application closing date: 20 August 2017
  • Interviews to take place on: To be confirmed

To apply send your completed application form to:  

If you have any queries please contact:

Before applying for this position, please ensure you read the Candidate Guidance.

Natural Resources Wales embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunity. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition. We welcome and encourage applications from groups currently underrepresented including women, black and ethnic minority groups and people with a disability and we have a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

We are an employer of choice because we put the principles of human rights, equality, fairness, dignity and respect at the heart of our values.