Species Permitting Officer

Species Permitting Officer

Role ID: 201588

Location: Flexible

Grade/Salary range: 4: £33,755 - £36,693

Working pattern: Full time

Contract type: Permanent

Closing date: 01/03/2026

The role

As a Permitting Officer, you'll join a dynamic team of dedicated professionals, handling a diverse portfolio of species permits that vary in complexity and scale. This team is part of our broader Permitting Service, a vital function at the heart of Natural Resources Wales (NRW).

Your role will involve assessing permit applications for a range of UK and European protected species for various purposes, including science and conservation, translocation projects, developments, bird control (including lethal control) and commercial forestry, ensuring they align with NRW's policies, processes and guidance. Your specialist expertise will play a pivotal role in navigating the intricacies of species permitting regimes and applying the relevant legislation to safeguard and manage Wales's natural resources responsibly.

Collaboration is at the core of this role. You'll work closely with your colleagues in the Species Permitting team and across the wider Permitting Service, sharing responsibilities and contributing to a culture that values efficiency, teamwork, and the unique strengths of every individual.

This is a customer-facing role dealing with the general public, industry and ecological consultants. If you have an interest in wildlife, have customer relations experience, good analytical and report writing skills and enjoy working as part of a team dealing with complex applications, we would welcome your interest.

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.

Interviews will take place week commencing 9 March 2026 through 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

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is the principal environmental regulator for Wales, working to protect and improve our natural environment for current and future generations. From tackling climate change to improving water quality, we play a vital role in managing Wales's natural resources sustainably.

This role sits within our Species Permitting Team, which leads on regulating activities which affect protected species.

What you will do

• Determine the outcome of Environmental licence/permit applications through sound decision making for applications for their assigned regime by carrying out appropriate technical assessment in accordance with NRW policies and procedures where available, and issue, refuse or vary permits to time and budget.
• Support and work collaboratively with the permitting service to ensure process efficiency and consistency of approach.
• Undertake technical screening reports to inform on applications in relation to your subject area.
• Develop and maintain effective customer relationships (internal and external) to ensure good understanding and the efficient delivery of fit for purpose licences and transition into compliance activities.
• Produce appropriate records of decisions, actions and outcomes to justify and demonstrate that all legal and procedural requirements have been met.
• Produce and provide regular accurate information to managers on progress, to adapt and ensure delivery of work to time and cost.
• 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. A degree or equivalent in a relevant scientific discipline.
2. Customer service experience and ability to influence/persuade to achieve desired outcome.
3. An understanding of the Environmental Permitting Regulations and how they relate to the permitting process.
4. Experience of decision making using technical software and modelling programmes.
5. Ability to identify efficiencies and improvements in processes and ways of working. You will be expected to keep up to date with changing regulatory policy and proposed changes to legislation via membership of a relevant professional body or other equivalent means.

Welsh Language level requirements

Essential: A1 - Entry Level

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.