Job Description

ID 2498

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The Welsh Government operates name-free recruitment. The recruiting panel will not see personal information such as a candidate's name and address during the sifting process. This policy is in line with our commitment to end bias and promote equality and diversity.
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Vacancy details

Vacancy title
Marine Licensing Continuous Improvement Officer


Closing date
07/05/2025, 16:00


Advertising basis
Fixed Term, Loan, Secondment
Actual starting salary
35,787
Salary range or pay band
HEO 35,787 to 43,759
Allowances
No
Work pattern
Full time (applications are welcome from people who work part time, as part of a job share or who work full time)
Duration
2 Years fixed term contract
Group
Local Govt, Housing, Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Directorate
Climate Change & Environmental Sustainability
Branch
Marine Planning & Licensing
Location (s)
Pan Wales
Pan Wales' means that the location in which the vacancy can be based is flexible, subject to the needs of the business. A list of the Welsh Government's offices can be found on www.gov.wales/welsh-government-offices. Please note it may not always be possible to accommodate a preference for a specific office location.
Purpose of post
Welsh seas are at the forefront of the move to low a carbon economy. Our seas are becoming increasingly crowded with demands for space from tourism, transport, marine energy, fisheries, aquaculture and telecommunications. The Welsh National Marine Plan (WNMP) is central to a long-term vision for the sustainable development of our seas. In order to carry on attracting investment into Welsh seas as well as maintaining and enhancing the marine environment, we must continue to strive for improvement in how implement the WNMP through marine licensing and the Marine Planning and Licensing Branch requires an individual to support this work. This time-limited programme-funded role will be central to developing legislation and guidance for the environmental assessment and consenting of offshore wind in Welsh waters. The individual will work closely with Defta, DESNZ and NRW ti speed un the consent process for offshore wind developments in Wales,while ensuring environmental impacts are addressed.


The second part of this role is to


to enable the Welsh Government to work closely with NRW to put processes in place to ensure marine planning policy is clearly and consistently applied in marine licensing decisions. This follows an independent review of the delivery of the Welsh Ministers marine licensing function by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and a commitment by Ministers to become more plan-led and strategic in decision-making.


The individual will work collaboratively with WG Marine Planning & Licensing and NRW marine licensing and advisory staff to analyse decisions made by NRW Marine Licensing. The individual will also design and deliver training on plan-led decision making and collate good practice.


The post will also support internal marine planning policy design by feeding back from the marine licensing process.


What the organisation will expect:

Ability to manage own and others work and prioritise to ensure that objectives are met to time and to standard, using own initiative and decision making, managing risks as appropriate. The ability to solve problems and make operational/policy decisions and/or recommendations by choosing between several options which may involve researching, organising and analysing facts and data You will be adaptable, flexible, open to, and accepting of change affecting you and your area of work and deal with that change efficiently and professionally.

What your team will expect:

Work independently on day-to-day issues which may include providing advice to more senior grades and supporting policy, digital, legislation or operational development work; whilst being the lead official to engage with a wide-range of stakeholders both internally and externally. You are proactive in exploring your own developmental needs and take action when required

What key stakeholders will expect:

Provide sound judgement with the ability to interpret information where issues are complex or conflicting with the ability to weigh up a number of factors to produce constructive ideas and solutions. Required to communicate information, to provide advice to senior colleagues on the effects of policy or operational changes and influence outcomes. Ability to grow strong professional relationships with internal and external stakeholders, effectively collaborating to share information, resources and support

Key tasks
Develop Welsh legislation and guidance for offshore wind environmental assessment and consenting working with the Marine Planning team and in liaison with Defra, DESNZ and NRW Work with Defra and NRW to implement Offshore Wind Environmental Standards in Welsh waters Develop guidance on consenting for developers other than offshore wind Develop and deliver a stakeholder engagement for offshore wind assessment and consenting Day to day responsibility for driving progress in marine license decision making becoming more led by the WNMP (plan-led). Work with NRW to ensure marine plan policy compliance in marine license decisions by understanding and analysing the process and decisions. Design and deliver training on plan-led decision making to NRW marine licensing team and advisory and wider decision makers Provide feedback from insight into plan led decision making and associated challenges of the marine licensing process into new planning policy design Lead input to a plan-led decision-making group within NRW Work with NRW Marine Licensing to ensure the application of the marine plan in decision making is proportionate and that good practice is shared and promoted.

Development opportunities
The role is central to effective delivery of the Welsh National Marine Plan in the marine licensing process in Wales and will be at the centre of important policy and legislation work to speed up consenting for offshore wind developments in Welsh waters. The post will help drive improvements to the delivery of marine licensing by NRW resulting in tangible improvements for marine licensing customers and supporting government objectives for the sustainable development of the Welsh marine area. The duties of the post will require close working with a range of NRW staff and all levels, as our delivery partner for marine licensing. This will require a degree of leadership and direction setting. The role will also require liaison with UK Government Departments (Defra and DESNZ).


Within Welsh Government's Policy Profession, we have a framework which outlines the expectations of policymakers in Welsh Government and is designed to strengthen the capabilities relevant to our policymakers now and into the future. We are dedicated to supporting our employee capability as an organisation and provide a consistent approach and a way to develop skills. This Framework is available once a candidate is appointed.



Other vacancy related information
The post will require travel to other Welsh Government offices and to attend face to face meetings with NRW and/or other UK Devolved administrations


A reserve list may be held for this opportunity. Any candidate who is successful in being offered a reserve status, will remain on the reserve list for 12 months.



Vetting level
Basic
Number of posts
1
Contact point for further information regarding the post
marineplanning@gov.wales