Senior Enforcement Officer

Team / Directorate: South Central Waste Regulation / Operations

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: 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: 28/07/2025

Post number: 200995

The role

Are you ready to take the lead in tackling environmental crime? As Senior Officer (Enforcement) in our South Central Waste Regulation Team, you'll be at the forefront of protecting South Wales’ natural resources. You’ll lead the planning and delivery of enforcement work in one of the most complex and high-profile industrial areas in the region.

This is a hands-on, high-impact role. You’ll manage major investigations into illegal waste operations, contribute to strategic business planning, and shape the team’s enforcement priorities using intelligence-led approaches. You'll also coach and support colleagues, helping to build capability across the team and wider organisation.

With a team that includes enforcement officers, apprentices and waste crime specialists, you'll play a key part in driving our enforcement culture and ensuring we deliver on Sustainable Management of Natural Resources (SMNR) and Well-being goals.

From riverside rod licence checks to leading multi-agency criminal investigations, this role offers variety, challenge and the opportunity to make a real difference. You’ll work closely with internal teams and external partners, regularly visiting operational sites and contributing directly to Wales’ environmental future.

We offer flexible, hybrid working based out of our Rivers House office, and you'll be supported with training, development and the tools you need to thrive in the role

As an organisation we support flexible working. You will be contracted to the NRW office at the above location 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 Eleanor.davies@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk.

Interviews will be held on 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.

What you will do

• Routine tasking, deployment and development of investigators. 
• Act as a senior investigator (SIO) in environmental crime cases. 
• Take appropriate actions to collect evidence for enforcement purposes, in accordance with defined procedures. 
• Provide expert opinion and advice on enforcement procedures, evidence gathering and warrant applications, in line with current policies and legislation, to enable NRW to take appropriate action as per its enforcement and prosecution policy. 
• Planning and delivery of fisheries enforcement work in line with current policies and legislation to enable NRW to take appropriate action as per its enforcement and prosecution policy. 
• Coach and develop team members on new and existing enforcement policies, procedures and techniques equipping them with the knowledge and skills to deliver their work in an effective and efficient manner. 
• Liaise with other internal teams and external organisations, to establish sources of intelligence and to collate and share advice and information so that all parties possess the necessary information to perform and deliver their work.
• Attend court to represent and give evidence on behalf of the organisation to secure appropriate enforcement action in line with NRW’s enforcement policies. 
• May be required to participate in NRW technical/strategic groups or represent NRW on external forums. 
• Respond to incidents and complaints. 
• Contribute to a positive health, safety and wellbeing culture.
• 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.    Extensive knowledge of NRW legislative regimes. 
2.    Experience of working as a regulator/enforcer. 
3.    Experience of carrying out investigations and preparing and presenting casefiles to court.
4.    Ability to communicate effectively with regulated business and the public and gaining support by influencing.

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

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. 

Apply for this role

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