Species Advisor

Species Advisor

Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: £37,594 + benefits including Civil Service pension scheme (Salary rising in increments to £41,428)
Hours: Full-time, 37 hours per week Mon - Fri
Location: South Wales (Hybrid Working Available)

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is at the heart of making sure Wales' natural resources are being used sustainably so that future generations can benefit from them.

Offering agile working, flexible working and remote working with generous annual leave allowances, civil service pension, CPD and a wide range of health & wellbeing benefits ensures that Natural Resources Wales remains an employer of choice for job seekers across Wales and beyond.

Yolk Recruitment is working in partnership with Natural Resources Wales to recruit a Species Advisor to join its Wales-wide Protected Species Team.

This is a specialist advisory role, suited to someone with solid professional experience who can work independently, apply judgement, and engage confidently with a wide range of stakeholders.

Key responsibilities

• Provide robust, evidence-based ecological advice on development proposals, including major infrastructure projects
• Advise on protected species licence applications and amendments
• Contribute to NRW's responses to Local Development Plans and strategic planning documents
• Assess whether proposals are fit for purpose from a conservation and mitigation perspective
• Negotiate outcomes with developers, local authorities and other stakeholders
• Support appeals, inquiries, and challenges to planning or licensing decisions
• Build and maintain strong internal and external working relationships
• Contribute to wider compliance, monitoring, and biodiversity resilience work

Job Requirements:

• A background in ecology, conservation, biology, geography or a related environmental discipline
• Practical experience of protected species ecology, conservation and mitigation
• A working knowledge of wildlife legislation and how it is applied in planning and licensing contexts
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to adapt messages for different audiences
• Confidence in negotiation and advisory discussions, balancing conservation needs with development pressures
• Experience working collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams
• A full, valid UK driving licence

Welsh Language Requirements

• Essential: Level 1 - ability to pronounce Welsh names correctly and use basic Welsh phrases.
• Desirable: Level 1 - ability to pronounce Welsh names correctly and use basic Welsh phrases.

If you do not currently meet the Level 1 requirement, Natural Resources Wales offers learning options and staff support to help you achieve this during your employment.

To apply:

To access the full job description, please contact Branwen Johns at Yolk Recruitment.

To apply, please submit your up-to-date CV. A personal statement will be required but please discuss before submitting.

Closing date: 22nd February. Interviews are planned to be held on the 4th March