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Senior Project Manager, Marine Biosecurity Planning

Closing date: 14 August 2022 | Location: Flexible | Salary: £35,994 - £39,369 (Grade 6)

Contract type: Fixed Term Contract until 31 March 2025 with the possibility of extension

Work pattern: 37 hours a week

Post number: 203247

As an organisation we support flexible working. This role allows hybrid working (a mix of home and office working) and a working pattern suitable for you can be discussed on appointment if you are successful.

You will be contracted to the nearest NRW office to your home, of which you will be required to attend for regular meetings, training and for one-to-one meetings with your manager. These will be planned in advance.

Job Description

Natural Resources Wales is currently 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 ranging from developing marine biosecurity plans to restoring salt marsh habitats. 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 Projects Team and work closely with a range of technical specialists in NRW, and partners and stakeholders across Wales.

You will be one of two post holders responsible for managing the delivery of projects to develop biosecurity plans for six Marine Protected Areas across Wales, building on experience and lessons learnt from a currently running biosecurity project for Pen Llyn a’r Sarnau SAC. Over the course of the project, you will also be responsible for reviewing options for monitoring INNS to support biosecurity planning, and investigating the use of novel technology for the removal of marine INNS.

The post holder in this post would cover sites in South Wales and another cover sites in North Wales, working together to ensure a consistent approach.

Responsibilities

Your responsibilities will include:

Lead on delivering the key outputs and tasks of the marine invasive non-native species Project.
Lead on providing technical specialist Invasive Aquatic Species (IAS) and marine advice to the project.
Propose, plan, initiate and manage projects or contracts to help deliver the Project.
Support and advise the Project Steering Group on project progress.
Be key contact points for updates on the project to the Marine Programme Board and others.
Lead on managing the Project plan and work programme for the Project.
Build and maintain relationships on technical IAS issues and be the key contact for advice, evidence or information to help deliver the project.
Work with Data, Evidence and Operational teams and others across NRW to deliver the project.
Maintain external relationships with key stakeholders to deliver the Project and ensure effective knowledge and good practice sharing.
Keep abreast of technical and policy developments within a culture of continuous improvement and learning.
Mentor, coach or train others as appropriate on associated work to help broaden technical capacity, understanding and knowledge transfer.
Ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of staff and contractors and provide assurance of safe working practices.
Use appropriate programme or project management techniques to ensure agreed work packages are delivered to time and specification.

Qualifications, experience and knowledge

You will be able to demonstrate knowledge and experience of the following:

Proven knowledge or experience in marine ecology and/or marine IAS management.
An understanding of the environmental risks of marine IAS and species identification, data gathering and information management to help manage these risks.
Substantial marine evidence analysis and interpretation skills, report critiquing and writing skills.
An understanding of legislation relevant to Natural Resources Wales for marine IAS and the sustainable management of natural resources legislative context.
High level Influencing skills and ability to communicate, negotiate and collaborate effectively both internally and externally at senior levels.
Project and contract management / project coordination skills.
Coaching and mentoring skills.

Welsh language requirements:

Essential: Level 1 – Able to pronounce Welsh and use basic phrases

Desirable: Level 3 – Able to communicate with confidence in Welsh in some work situations

Please note if you do not meet the level 1 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.

Competencies

Applications to this role will be assessed based on the following competencies, both at shortlisting and interview. Please give examples of how you demonstrate these competencies when completing your application form.

Essential Knowledge and Skills	Able to undertake practical or technical tasks or work, requiring specialist knowledge/ expertise. Expert in a range of subjects relating to their specialism and able to act as the local expert or specialist lead for a small area, in an advisory capacity. Demonstrates substantial experience and specialist knowledge in their field, with the ability to manage projects, including the project budget and team. Possess analytical, influencing, persuading, supervisory and mentoring skills, together with project management skills.
Evaluation of Information	Able to interpret the function’s operational delivery plans and understand their context in the wider NRW strategy. Able to interpret developments in their area of expertise, contributing to business planning and the design and delivery of team-work programmes. Demonstrates the ability to analyse and interpret a wide range of complex information, extracting key points and able to communicate them to individuals at all levels and contribute to the development of policy.
Decision Making and Autonomy Requirements	Ability to lead and project manage specific areas of work, taking responsibility for managing project budgets and teams, and for the success and delivery of the project. Able to decide how best to achieve results, with guidance from peers, requiring the need for some degree of judgment and creativity which may lead to changes in established procedures/ practice in the work area. Post holders will be delivering often significant programmes of work, which may require the need to alter priorities due to conflicting demands. Responsible for making independent decisions at an operational level, with input from line management and peers, together with an understanding of NRW policy and the range of options available and their potential implications for the business. Understands the consequences of taking wrong decisions, which would have an adverse effect in relation to external stakeholders, such as partner organisations, lenders, service users etc. Decisions taken may concern a broad range of matters, the outcome of which may not always be immediately clear or apparent; and are likely to be wider than the immediate function or department. Problems encountered may also relate to the work of other parts of the organisation and could be variable and diverse.
Impact	Working as a local expert / sector lead, the post holder’s input and influence will be at an operational level and have an impact both internally and externally.
Communication and Relationships with Others	Ability to interact and link with other roles across the business, fostering and maintaining good relationships and networks, engaging the organisation in delivering polices and work plans in the most efficient way. Communication with others will be at an operational level both internally and externally and will typically be specialist in nature. Able to act as an advisory or functional specialist, providing advice, which may be technical, specialist or detailed; tailoring the method, style and level of communication appropriately for the audience. Demonstrates effective communication and persuasive skills with the ability to lead projects, which may include facilitating and presenting at internal or external meetings, giving advice and input as required. Able to produce documents, reports, programs, contracts, with some complexity; containing advice, guidance or opinion; which would have detrimental consequences if incorrect or poorly drafted. Ability to research and gather information and data from multiple locations or sources and apply professional judgment in how the information should be interpreted.
Responsibility for Resources	Will have a small budget for delivery of a specific project and/or responsibility for checking the validity of forms and documents as part of a process or procurement of goods and services.

Benefits of working for us

This role will offer a range of benefits, including:

Agile and flexible working (role dependent)
Civil Service Pension Scheme offering employer contributions of 26.6% to 30.3%
28 days annual leave, rising to 33 days
Generous leave entitlements for all your life needs
Health and wellbeing benefits and support
Weekly well-being hour to use as you choose

See full details for all the employee benefits you will receive.

How to apply

Please send a completed application form to: Applications@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk

Before completing your application, please read our Guidance on completing a job application form

Application closing date: 14 August 2022

Interviews will take place via Microsoft Teams

If you have any queries about the role, please contact Kirsty.lindenbaum@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk

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. We have a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

We put the principles of human rights, equality, fairness, dignity and respect at the heart of our values.

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