Executive Director, National Operations

The role

Join Natural Resources Wales as our Executive Director, National Operations, and play a leading role in shaping the future of Wales' largest Welsh Government-sponsored body. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) plays a vital role in the sustainable management of Wales' natural resources, helping to ensure that people and nature can thrive now and for future generations. We are strengthening how we deliver national services and organisational support functions, ensuring the systems, services and capabilities that underpin NRW are resilient, efficient and equipped to meet current and future challenges.

This is an opportunity to join a refreshed Executive Team and help shape the next chapter of NRW, ensuring the organisation is well positioned to respond to increasing environmental demands, changing public expectations and the evolving needs of Wales. As Executive Director, National Operations, you will lead nationally delivered services that are critical to the effectiveness, resilience and reputation of NRW.

Your leadership will directly influence how the organisation supports operational delivery, responds to major incidents, delivers high quality services and continuously improves performance across Wales. You will lead a significant and diverse portfolio, ensuring services are delivered consistently, effectively and with a strong focus on customer outcomes, public value and organisational priorities. Working across a complex and constantly evolving landscape, you will build organisational resilience, manage competing demands and drive continuous improvement in the way NRW delivers for the people of Wales.

As a member of the Executive Team, you will contribute to the overall leadership of NRW, helping to shape organisational strategy, influence national priorities and support collective decision making. You will take responsibility not only for your own portfolio but also for the success and long term sustainability of NRW as a whole. We're looking for a leader who can build trust and confidence with a wide range of stakeholders.

You will work closely with Welsh Government, regulators, partners and stakeholders, developing strong relationships that enable collaboration, influence and shared outcomes. You will represent NRW at the most senior levels and act as a visible ambassador for the organisation. A key aspect of the role is creating the conditions for others to succeed. You will develop leaders, champion wellbeing and inclusion, and foster a culture where people feel valued, supported and empowered to perform at their best.

Through courageous, authentic and compassionate leadership, you will bring people together around a shared purpose and help lead NRW through future challenges and opportunities. This is an opportunity to shape the future of Natural Resources Wales and make a lasting contribution to the organisation's capability, resilience and impact across Wales. 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.

• Leadership and organisational contribution Contribute to collective Executive Team leadership and organisational performance.
• Demonstrate corporate leadership and accountability for the success of NRW as a whole, beyond the boundaries of the directorate.
• Model NRW values and inclusive leadership, setting clear expectations, accountability and high standards of behaviour.
• Demonstrate courageous and ethical leadership, making evidence based decisions and taking responsibility for organisational outcomes and challenges.
• Act as a visible and credible organisational leader, communicating with clarity, authenticity and influence across a diverse range of audiences.
• Champion NRW's wellbeing objective, promoting a culture that supports employee wellbeing, inclusion, engagement and sustainable organisational performance.
• Hold senior leaders to account for operational delivery, regulatory compliance, staff wellbeing, capability development, financial stewardship and performance outcomes.
• Build leadership capability and lead on workforce development, succession planning and organisational resilience.
• Lead through senior leaders and multiple operational layers, ensuring that performance expectations, statutory responsibilities, risk controls, resilience requirements and organisational priorities are delivered consistently across national services.
• Operational delivery and resilience Hold executive accountability for safe, consistent and effective national operational delivery.
• Hold executive accountability for the leadership, performance and resilience of nationally delivered operational services, inclu