Project Manager - National Peatlands Action Programme.

Closing date: 22 March 2023 | Salary: £41,150-£46,147 (Grade 7) | Location: Flexible

Contract type: Fixed term appointment until 12 May 2024 or earlier if the permanent post holder returns from maternity leave sooner

Work pattern: Full time, 37 hours per week.

Post number: 202522

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

This is an exciting opportunity to become a key part of delivering Wales’ national programme to restore peatlands to address the Nature and Climate Emergencies. Working with the Peat Programme Manager and Lead Specialist Advisor for Peatlands, the post-holder will manage all aspects of the delivery of the National Action Programme for Welsh Peatlands. This will include providing technical and managerial leadership and overall management of the project and its current team of five staff (directly line managing two members of staff and matrix managing 3). Using a range of key policy elements, primarily NRW’s National Action Programme for Welsh peatlands, you will work across NRW and with key partners to deliver a £1.5M p.a. action programme for peatlands. A primary focus of the programme is restoration groundworks projects, implemented via direct delivery on the NRW estate and private sector land, and funding third party activity via NRW’s grants route and land management agreements. The programme also works to deliver cross-cutting partnership engagement and communications as well as developing Wales-wide reporting procedures to enable reporting to WG against delivery and policy targets.

Responsibilities

Your responsibilities include:

Develop and lead the implementation of a £1.5M programme of peatland habitat restoration across Wales, working closely with NRWs Lead Specialist Advisor for peatlands, NRWs Peatlands Working Group, other relevant NRW and partner staff and the two project delivery posts.
Lead and project manage specific and complex issues implicit in the delivery of the National Action Programme that require extensive liaison across NRW and with partner bodies, coupled with interpretation of and adherence to NRW policies, practices, strategies, plans and programmes.
Have oversight of the peatland restoration work area and process to ensure integrity of the project with NRW approaches with Welsh Government, Central Government and EU Policy intent, supporting ongoing development of the longer-term 4-5 year action programme for Welsh Peatlands.
Serve as NRW’s client manager with external partners engaged through the agreed funding mechanism to ensure delivery of agreed objectives and overcome obstacles to delivery.
Develop, maintain and deliver a detailed project implementation plan (incorporating the Area Statement priorities at Place) following management practices and principles approved by NRW to manage the project budget and ensure delivery of objectives and targets.
Monitor progress against the plan and undertake regular reviews and the production of progress reports to ensure full delivery of projects within the 2020-21 timeframe, ensuring that implementation and reporting of the project fully adheres to NRW policies, procedures and consenting requirements.
Advise on evidence needs and opportunities, commission evidence & project manage evidence projects, in line with the agreed evidence programme.
Lead, develop and maintain engagement with partners, Wales & UK Government, relevant sector policy leads, stakeholders, networks and partnerships; you will represent NRW and be the lead point of contact for the National Action Programme for Welsh Peatlands, representing the project at key internal and external boards and forums.
Maintain a detailed working knowledge of the assigned sector(s) identifying the implications of legislative, technology and market changes for Natural Resources Wales and the sector(s).
Contribute to task and finish groups, commissioned through the Business Boards, to prepare defined products as required.
Collaborate with the Team Leader to develop and deliver an agreed Personal Development Plan.

Qualifications, experience and knowledge

Knowledge and experience of the following:

Welsh, UK and EU legislation regulatory and permitting mechanisms, policy drivers and practices related to biodiversity, and the management of large-scale groundworks projects.
Knowledge and practical understanding of peatland restoration techniques and their application in specific contexts.
Experience and knowledge of: the range of peatland habitats in Wales and the causes and symptoms of ecosystem degradation.
Proven experience of partnership working and working with landowners and managers.
Knowledge of commissioning and managing groundworks projects, including the production of technical specifications, contractor management and the use of CDM regulations.
Working in a programme and project management environment with Project Management experience and/or qualifications including budget management, management of staff and work programming
Proven team working and communication skills and the ability to write clear, concise technical reports.
The ability to currently and legally drive a car in the UK.
Representing the organisation in high profile and contentious issues in the public arena.
Share your knowledge and expertise to help solve problems, supporting all Heads of Business in EPP as required.

Welsh language requirements:

Essential Level 1 – able to pronounce Welsh and use basic phrases

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

Please note - 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 complex practical or technical tasks or work, requiring advanced specialist knowledge in the relevant subject matter. Able to provide objective advice to others on related issues based on their knowledge and experience, keeping up to date with advances and changes within their specialist field. Demonstrates relevant substantial experience. Able to demonstrate a high level of knowledge, and personal and professional credibility, for example, able to act as an expert witness in a public enquiry. Able to demonstrate good mentoring, knowledge sharing and supervisory skills as well as the ability to set strategic direction for themselves, their area and others.
Evaluation of Information	Able to interpret relevant delivery plans and understand their context in the wider national and NRW policy and strategy. Able to analyse and interpret a wide range of information, which may be of a technical nature, extracting key points and communicate them to individuals at all levels.
Decision Making and Autonomy Requirements	Ability to decide how best to achieve results, with the need for some judgment or creativity to alter priorities due to conflicting demands. Responsible for making independent decisions based on input from line management and peers; an understanding of NRW policy; the range of options available; and their potential implications for the business. Able to lead and project manage specific, complex and often challenging issues, that typically carry a high degree of reputational risk. An appreciation that decisions (which may relate to national policy) may be made, leading to changes in established procedures/practices within the post-holder’s area of work. Demonstrates an appreciation of the consequences of making wrong decisions and the adverse effect they may have on the organisation in relation to its external stakeholders, such as partner organisations, lenders, service users etc.
Impact	Demonstrates an awareness of how their decisions may encompass a broad range of matters and that the outcomes may not always be immediately clear or apparent. An appreciation that the impact of decisions made by the post holder are likely to be wider than the immediate function or department, and likely to be medium term and from an external perspective, may be at a national level.
Communication and Relationships with Others	The post holder will have considerable external stakeholder connections and may be expected to represent the organisation externally, conveying specialist knowledge. Able to interact and foster good working relationships with senior leaders internally and externally, at a national and UK level. Able to discuss policy issues with others, which may be highly technical, specialist or detailed in nature, tailoring the method, style and level of communication appropriately to the audience. The work will involve written and verbal communications; and leading key projects with a high degree of complexity, requiring excellent communication and persuasive skills. Able to facilitate and/or present at internal or external meetings, providing advice on complex technical or specialist issues, including legislative changes and steering the direction of discussion or activities. Able to foster and maintain good relationships and networks. Ability to produce moderately complex documents, reports, accounts, contracts etc., containing advice, guidance or opinion which the recipient will act upon or use, and would have detrimental consequences if incorrect or poorly drafted. Ability to source data and content from multiple locations requiring external research and professional judgment in how such research should be interpreted. The impact of such documentation is likely to be generally longer term in nature.
Responsibility for People	Post holders will have no direct line management responsibility but will have responsibility for leading specialist/ technical staff, through complex and/ or highly technical/ specialist programmes through a ‘matrix management’ structure. Post holders will also mentor less experienced colleagues.
Responsibility for Resources	Post holders may have a delegated budget and/or will have responsibility for checking the validity of forms and documents as part of a process and/ or the procurement of goods and services. Post holders will be responsible for the safe and legal use and operation of equipment and data that they use to fulfil the requirements of their role.

Benefits of working for us

This role will offer a range of benefits, including:

Agile and flexible working
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 at your choice

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 22 March 2023

Interviews will take place on 27 March 2023 through Microsoft Teams

If you have any queries about the role, please contact Liz Halliwell at liz.halliwell@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk or Rhoswen Leonard at Rhoswen.leonard@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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