Integrated Evidence Manager

Team / Directorate: Knowledge and Evidence / Evidence, Policy and Permitting

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: 18 August 2025

Post number: 204010

The role

We at Natural Resources Wales (NRW) continuously make complex and fascinating decisions that integrate environmental, economic and social considerations in pursuit of our core objective of sustainable management of natural resources (SMNR). We are seeking a manager to run the teams that lead on the integration of our specialists' knowledge and evidence from across NRW to make good decisions, evaluate those decisions, learn from and adapt to the impact we have, and let others know what we are learning. As Manager, Integrated Evidence you will lead teams with around 16 specialists in total with about 6 direct reports.  You will report to the Head of Knowledge and Evidence in our Leadership Team, one of the 5 Heads of Business in the Evidence, Policy and Permitting Directorate.

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 Dominic Driver

dominic.driver@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 Knowledge and Evidence Department leads the strategy by which we fulfil our aim of being an evidence based organisation.  We use our and others science and expertise to work out how best to deploy the delivery tools at our disposal - regulation, grants, advice, advocacy, partnership, land management - to achieve our 3 Corporate Plan wellbeing objectives - Nature is recovering, Communities resilient to climate change, and Pollution is prevented - via SMNR.  We learn from the impact of those decisions and share our knowledge and evidence to enable others to contribute to our objectives.  You will be responsible for running the teams with direct responsibility for enabling us to bring together knowledge and evidence from wide ranging specialisms into integrated decisions.  A key product for which you will take the lead is our 5 yearly statutory State of Natural Resources Report (SoNaRR).

What you will do

• Manage programmes to collate and integrate the evidence to underpin the delivery of Welsh Government Natural Resources Policy and achieve our core purpose of sustainable management of natural resources (SMNR) across NRW so that we are interpreting and embedding evidence across all our functions.  
• Lead our horizon scanning and innovation service to identify risks, opportunities and new solutions. 
• Establish robust quality assurance of evidence (including peer review) across NRW and provide oversight and guidance on prioritisation of evidence needs. 
• Manage the Integrated Evidence Group (IEG) and the preparation of the Knowledge and Evidence Service Plan.
• Manage the 5-yearly State of Natural Resources Report cycle, publishing each iteration on time to quality requirements and using the cycle to develop our advocacy role to help achieve our corporate plan. 
• Project manage specific complex issues such as the provision of expert advice, guidance, evidence, corporate targets/plans and technical briefings to staff at all levels.
• With other Evidence Policy and Permitting (EPP) and Operations managers, ensure that our strategic approaches, and interventions are well evidenced to enable successful implementation while championing adaptive management approaches in response to changing evidence. 
• Develop and deliver personal development plans across the Integrated Evidence Group and for yourself. 
• Be responsible for the group budget.
• 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.

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 and understanding of the priorities, drivers and barriers faced by us and our partners and stakeholders involved in developing, providing and using evidence when making decisions and approaches available to support collaboration on evidence.
2. Knowledge and understanding of the legislation and Government policy relevant to Wales related to natural resources & well-being, integrated delivery mechanisms and environmental appraisal.
3. Experience of and ability in research pertinent to natural resources & well being and the complex range of drivers and barriers to evidencing their delivery.
4. Experience of and ability in working in a programme and project management environment with relevant experience and/or qualifications.
5. Experience of and ability in representing an organisation in public on high profile, sometimes contentious, issues.
6. Experience of and ability in sharing your knowledge and expertise to help solve problems, across a large organisation.
7. Degree level or equivalent higher education qualification or equivalent experience.

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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