Lead Waste Crime Specialist

Lead Waste Crime Specialist

Closing Date: 25 August 2025

Salary: Grade 7: £45,367 - £50,877

Location: Flexible

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: Week commencing 8 September 2025

Post number: 204013

The role

Are you ready to influence the future of waste crime in Wales? We're looking for an experienced and forward-thinking professional to take a leading role in shaping how Natural Resources Wales (NRW) tackles waste crime. As our Lead Specialist Advisor, you'll provide expert advice to the Welsh Government and share knowledge with our UK and European partners. You'll lead the development and delivery of NRW's Tackling Waste Crime work programme; implementing initiatives aimed at preventing and disrupting waste crime, and translating national ambitions into practical, environmentally informed guidance and strategic action.

You'll collaborate closely with internal technical specialists across NRWs teams in regulation, policy, and operations, to build robust, evidence-based responses that shape sustainable outcomes for Wales. You will be a senior voice representing NRW in key forums across the UK/Europe, helping to tackle waste crime head-on.

This is a high-impact role at the heart of the waste crime strategy in Wales; ideal for someone with a proactive mindset and a strong background in waste regulation and enforcement. Join our expert, passionate team and help shape a thriving and fair playing-field for sustainable waste treatment for Wales. Flexible working, a supportive culture, and the chance to make a meaningful difference await.

This is a rare opportunity to shape NRWs strategy and protect Wales' natural resources from the impact of waste crime. If you're driven by environmental protection, and are driven to deliver initiatives at pace we'd love to hear from you.

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.

What you will do

• Be the principle point of contact with the relevant UK and Welsh Trade Associations, Government Departments and environmental regulators, both UK and European, to share information and work together on the development of operational policy and new legislation, interpretation of relevant legislation, advice and guidance for Tackling Waste Crime in Wales.
• Maintain a detailed working knowledge of waste crime, identifying the implications of legislative, technology and market changes for Natural Resources Wales and waste sectors.
• Support the development and training of staff across NRW by applying technical, legislative and regulatory knowledge and experience.
• Lead and project manage specific and complex issues inc. commissions by NRWs Regulatory Business Group to enable consistent and appropriate understanding and application by staff that enables effective regulatory service provision.
• Contribute to the delivery of the team's business plan, the directorate delivery plan and NRWs corporate plan.
• Support the mentoring and coaching of Advisors within the virtual Tackling Waste Crime team to ensure that the team has sufficient technical and legislative resilience for your assigned area of work.
• Advise on evidence needs and opportunities, commission evidence & project manage evidence projects, in line with the agreed evidence programme.
• Design monitoring and evaluation frameworks of regulation interventions to inform assessment of the need for improvements in regulation and permitting processes by NRW.
• 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).

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. Knowledge of Welsh, UK and EU legislation related to your specific sector(s); Welsh, UK government Policy drivers in your specific sector(s), i.e. Waste regulation and waste crime
2. Experience in informing and influencing government departments/regulators, on environmental issues; and extensive experience in forming and maintaining close links with internal and external partners/stakeholders to deliver positive regulated waste outcomes.
3. Experience of understanding and applying regulatory activities.
4. Be able to work at pace and have a track record of delivery.
5. Being innovative and demonstrating drive to achieve targets.
6. 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.