Service Programme Manager

Team / Directorate: NRW2030 / Finance and Corporate Services

Starting salary:  £59,547 rising to £65,004 per annum through annual increments being paid each year (pro rata for part time applicants)

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 01/09/2025 or 08/09/2025

Post number: 203986                                 (For office use only: TJN, H, TTJ) 

The role

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is delivering a major organisational transformation through NRW2030, designed to help us meet the ambitions of our Corporate Plan to 2030. At the centre of this transformation is the Service Programme—a critical initiative enabling better customer experiences, stronger operational support services, and smarter use of resources.

As Service Programme Manager, you will lead on delivering complex programmes and transformational change across NRW’s corporate services. You’ll provide strategic oversight, manage multi-disciplinary teams and third-party suppliers, and help shape the way our services meet the needs of both internal users and external stakeholders.

This is a high-impact leadership role, ideal for someone with the experience, energy, and vision to help build a better, digitally enabled public service.

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.

To make an informal enquiry about this role, please contact Andrew Jones andrew.r.jones@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk  

Interviews will take place via Microsoft Teams   

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. 

About us

The Service Programme forms a core pillar of NRW2030, our long-term transformation journey that underpins NRW’s ability to achieve its Well-being Objectives and the wider vision set out in our Corporate Plan: “Nature and people thriving together.”

By modernising how we deliver support services, manage data, and interact with users, the Service Programme plays a vital role in making NRW a more effective, responsive, and resilient organisation—better equipped to tackle environmental challenges and serve the people of Wales.

 

What you will do

• Lead and manage major and complex projects and programmes within the Service Programme, ensuring alignment with NRW’s Project and Programme Management (PPM) policies, delivering business cases, and reporting progress to the Senior Responsible Officer (SRO).
• Provide strategic leadership in shaping and overseeing the governance framework for the Service  Programme, collaborating with governance channels to monitor interdependent projects, address assurance issues, and manage corporate risks effectively.
• Translate NRW’s digital, KIM, and customer strategies into a unified technical vision and Target Operating Model (TOM), balancing risks, opportunities, and cost implications.
• Direct and matrix manage internal and external resources, including third-party suppliers, technical teams, and specialist staff, to ensure effective delivery of projects and programmes.
• Act as the organisational expert in business change and improvement, providing high-level coaching and guidance on continuous improvement principles and compliance with NRW’s PPM policies.
• Maintain technical expertise in emerging technologies, evaluating their feasibility for supporting NRW’s objectives and making strategic decisions on their adoption or alternatives.
• Work closely with strategic leads, business analysis, and programme management functions to ensure the delivery of agile, efficient enterprise solutions and fit-for-purpose transformation initiatives.
• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, influencing policy, strategy, and activities to align with NRW’s strategic goals and operational needs.
• Analyse and interpret complex data, producing detailed reports and dashboards to support decision-making and meet governance requirements.
• Operate as a key member of NRW’s Management Team, supporting organisational transformation and contributing to the sustainable management of natural resources.
• 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.
• Required to take part in incident response activities.

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. Degree or equivalent experience, with recognised professional qualifications in Programme/Project Management (e.g., MSP®, Prince2) and Continuous Improvement (CI), alongside proven experience in upskilling staff and leading complex programmes and change initiatives.
2. Strong experience in complex environments, engaging effectively with senior business leadership and end-user communities, and managing technical and expert staff directly and through matrix structures, including geographically dispersed teams.
3. Advanced analytical, visualisation, and communication skills, with the ability to translate business requirements through structured analysis methods, and a solid understanding of corporate and project risk management.
4. Comprehensive knowledge of the application of CI and PPM processes to enhance performance, combined with a commitment to staying current with emerging technologies.

 

Welsh language level requirements

• Essential: Level A1 - Entry level (able to use and understand simple, basic phrases and greetings, no conversational Welsh)

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.

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 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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