Marine Licensing Lead Specialist

Lead Specialist Permitting Officer

You’ll be one of the most senior members of NRW’s Marine Licensing Team, responsible for assessing some of the most complex and high-profile marine licence applications.

You’ll carry out detailed technical assessments, consult with experts, and ensure decisions are robust, defensible, and well-documented. You may also act as an expert witness in public inquiries, supporting evidence-based, transparent regulation.

This is a busy, desk-based role where you’ll manage multiple cases simultaneously – balancing deadlines, problem-solving, and applying risk-based decision making under tight statutory timescales. You’ll also play a key role in mentoring and supporting the wider team, helping to maintain high technical standards in marine permitting.

If you’re looking for a role that combines deep technical challenge, environmental impact, and leadership – this is it.

As an organisation we support flexible working. You will be contracted to one of the NRW offices at the above locations and a suitable hybrid working pattern will be agreed on appointment. Any regular face to face meetings or training will be planned in advance.

To make an informal enquiry about this role, please contact Emmer Litt t

Interviews will be face to face (details of location will be shared in advance).

As the principal environmental regulator for Wales, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) plays a critical role in protecting, maintaining, and enhancing our natural resources-helping ensure a healthy environment for people and wildlife, now and in the future.

Our Permitting Service is central to this mission. By robustly assessing applications for a wide range of regulated activities, we reduce environmental risks, support sustainable economic growth, and promote responsible behaviour across Wales.

Though small in size, our department has a broad reach, made up of eight expert teams working collaboratively to share knowledge and drive best practice. Your role will sit within the Marine Licensing Team, where you’ll help regulate some of the most complex and environmentally significant activities taking place in Welsh waters.

• Determination of applications for Environmental Licences from marine sites of high public and/or political interest, managing effective communication with all interested parties, including government and national stakeholder groups.
• Analyses highly complex data and information to inform and assist policy and legal colleagues within your area of expertise.
• Build effective working relationships with key individuals within NRW and other UK Competent Authorities to ensure that the value of Permitting to our regulatory role is maximised.
• Take responsibility to ensure that the work of the Permitting Team is clearly documented and that decisions taken on permit applications are transparent and consistent.
• Take responsibility for ensuring that the Marine Permitting Team have the required tools and skills to ensure fair and consistent approach to decision making in line with our legal remit.
• Ensure that the Marine Permitting Team delivers appropriate decisions on licence applications within the statutory timelines by monitoring progress against targets, identifying risks to delivery and managing those risks.
• Lead or support the Permitting Service technical leads group to ensure consistent ways of working and that we have the correct tools and processes in place to identify skill gaps and develop our people so that we can effectively deliver for our customers in a timely manner.
• Specifically lead on the development of the technical development framework and the mentoring and coaching of Marine Permitting Officers to ensure that the team has sufficient technical and legislative resilience to be able to advise on and assess the full range of marine licencing requirements.
• 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…