Enforcement Officer

The role

Do you want to be on the front line of protecting Wales' rivers, fisheries and natural resources?

This is an exciting opportunity to join our Enforcement Team, playing a key role in tackling illegal fishing and other fisheries offences across Wales. You'll lead investigations, gather and present evidence, undertake surveillance, respond to incidents, and take action against those who threaten our fisheries and wider water environment.

While fisheries enforcement will be your primary focus, you'll also have the opportunity to support wider environmental crime investigations, including waste-related enforcement operations, giving you exposure to a broad and varied enforcement remit.

As a specialist enforcement professional, you'll provide expert advice across the organisation, work closely with partners, and contribute to complex investigations that make a real difference. You may also represent NRW in court, presenting evidence to support successful enforcement outcomes.

This is a challenging and rewarding role for someone who is passionate about protecting the environment, thrives on investigation work, and wants to make a tangible impact across Wales.

To read more about the work of the team, please visit our blog.

Driving is essential to this role as site inspections and incident response is a significant part of the role. These can often be in locations hard to reach via alternative transport means such as public transport. You must hold a full and current UK driving license.

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

About us

As part of a specialist enforcement team, you'll play a key role in protecting Wales' fisheries and tackling environmental crime. Working alongside regulatory and operational colleagues, partner organisations and enforcement agencies, you'll lead and support investigations, provide specialist enforcement expertise, and help deliver effective regulatory outcomes across Wales. While the role has a primary focus on fisheries enforcement, there will also be opportunities to support wider waste enforcement activity.

This is a varied and rewarding position that combines office-based work with regular travel and fieldwork. You'll undertake patrols, inspections and investigations at rivers, lakes, coastal locations and other environmental sites, working directly with communities and partners to protect the natural environment. The role also involves responding to incidents and complaints, and may require occasional evening, weekend and emergency response work.

What you will do

• Take appropriate actions to collect evidence for enforcement purposes, in accordance with defined procedures.
• Provide enforcement support to the wider organisation.
• Deliver and support surveillance operations.
• Provide opinion and advice on enforcement procedures, evidence gathering and warrant applications, in line with current policies and legislation, to enable NRW to take appropriate action as per its enforcement and prosecution policy.
• Coach and develop team members on new and existing enforcement policies, procedures and techniques equipping them with the knowledge and skills to deliver their work in an effective and efficient manner.
• Liaise with other internal teams and external organisations, to establish sources of intelligence and to collate and share advice and information so that all parties possess the necessary information to perform and deliver their work.
• Attend court to represent and give evidence on behalf of the organisation to secure appropriate enforcement action in line with NRW’s enforcement policies.
• Respond to incidents and complaints.
• Contribute to a positive health, safety and well-being culture.
• 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).
• Required to take part in incident response activities.
• 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 of key legislative regimes.
2. Ability to communicate effectively with regulated business and the public and gaining support by influencing.
3. Comfortable and competent in dealing with challenging situations and individuals.