Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru / Natural Resources Wales
Graduate Placement, Water Quality and Waste Permitting
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The Role
As a Graduate Permitting Officer, you will gain valuable hands-on experience within either our Water Quality or Waste Permitting Team, helping to assess environmental permit applications and support environmental protection across Wales.
You will develop technical and professional skills, make evidence-based decisions, and work closely with colleagues, customers, and partners to deliver an efficient permitting service. With support from experienced professionals, you'll build your knowledge of environmental regulation while contributing to meaningful work that makes a real difference.
This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated graduate to begin a rewarding career in the environmental sector, with hybrid working and opportunities to learn, grow, and develop within a supportive team.
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 upon appointment. Any regular face-to-face meetings or training will be planned in advance.
To make an informal enquiry about this role, please contact Katrin Raynor at Katrin.Raynor@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk
Interviews will take place through Microsoft Teams.
About Us
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is the largest Welsh Government Sponsored Body, with a diverse workforce dedicated to protecting and enhancing Wales' natural resources. We work to ensure that the environment, natural beauty, and natural resources of Wales are sustainably maintained, improved, and used for the benefit of people, communities, and future generations.
Our Permitting Service plays a key role in delivering this purpose by assessing and regulating activities that may impact the environment. Through effective permitting and regulation, we help protect Wales' air, land, and water while supporting sustainable development and economic growth.
What You Will Do
- Determine the outcome of environmental permit applications through sound decision making for applications received in the Water Quality and/or Waste team by carrying out assessments 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.
- Develop and maintain effective customer relationships (internal and external) to ensure good understanding and the efficient delivery of fit-for-purpose permits 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.
- Manage health and safety issues on a day-to-day basis and contribute to a positive health, safety, and well-being 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.
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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.
- A graduate qualification in an environmental and sustainability-related discipline from a higher education institution.
- Good written and verbal skills and the ability to communicate confidently, with excellent customer service skills.
- Good inter-personal skills with the ability to work under pressure using your own initiative in order to meet tight deadlines.
- Strong ICT skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
- Knowledge and understanding of Environmental Legislation and how they relate to the permitting process.
Welsh Language Level Requirements
Essential: Level A1 - Entry level
Welsh language levels
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.
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Additional Information
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.
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 a 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.
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