Environmental Evidence Officer (Fixed Term)

The purpose of this post is to assist and support NRW Data and Information Teams

Job Location

Bangor

Job purpose

The purpose of this post is to assist and support NRW Data and Information Teams to help staff to efficiently manage, mobilise, quality assure, collate and disseminate environmental evidence so that it informs operational decisions and policy development. This will involve working with a wide range of people, both internally and externally, as well as working closely with colleagues in IT to help specify, develop and implement appropriate systems and tools.

Job Specific Responsibilities

• Help to maintain our inventory of environmental datasets. This is an invaluable online database that allows anyone to search for our environmental data. You will also be required to prepare metadata for new datasets.
• Ensure the safe storage and future use of our environmental evidence by archiving data produced from NRW research and monitoring contracts.
• Accept, catalogue and where required transform datasets received into NRW from external partners, check them against the agreed standard (format) and transfer into appropriate corporate system for dissemination throughout NRW.
• Validate, check and quality assure new and existing data captured by NRW staff in our systems using standard guidance and tools. Advise and assist the updating of legacy environmental data to current industry standards.
• Advise and assist with the transfer of legacy environmental data into our corporate systems from paper formats and legacy databases.
• Help to publish and disseminate our environmental evidence to partners according to our data dissemination plan. E.g. extract, package and disseminate our data to the National Biodiversity Network (NBN) Gateway, Local Record Centres, Data Archive Centres and other partners, in line with our KIM strategy
• Collate, negotiate and prepare Data Exchange Agreements between NRW and partner organisations and manage the exchange of data and appropriate storage and dissemination of information received.
• Respond to internal and external requests and enquiries for data and information by extracting, analysing, summarising and packaging data from our systems and licensing as appropriate. Also producing queries and reports from databases in response to operational needs.
• Assist with the creation of summary reports and publications that analyse and present our environmental evidence in a meaningful and accessible way for a wide range of audiences. Publish reports in paper, Word, .pdf or web page format, including editing of intranet content.
• Advise and assist NRW staff, with all aspects of data management and dissemination including the preparation of written guidance on the use of IT systems and data management procedures.
• Review, administer and maintain (with IT staff) tools for data aggregation, data management and presentation
• Assist team members in ensuring business continuity for existing systems and services during our transition to new NRW infrastructure and beyond. In the short-term contribute to testing of software and data during transition to NRW network
• Take reasonable care for the health and safety of yourself and others and comply with all health and safety legislation as appropriate.
• Behave in accordance with our corporate values.
• Consistently meet the standards required to fulfil the service expectations of your internal and external customers/citizens and partners.
• Carry out other general duties as requested.

Job Specific Requirements

1. A good grounding in natural, environmental or computer science.
2. Data management skills:
   • collating, managing, interrogating, archiving, extracting, analysing and using biological or environmental data in a distributed organisation
   • the ability to deal appropriately with sensitive and confidential information and the recognition of the importance of accuracy and attention to detail.
3. IT literacy:
   • the ability to use Windows and Microsoft Office applications confidently;
   • a good level of knowledge of information management systems including relational databases and GIS;
   • the ability to manipulate and analyse digital data, to transform it from one format to another, and to transfer data from one organisation or location to another including data dissemination within a distributed organisation;
4. An understanding of monitoring/survey methods/terminology and scientific naming including remote monitoring.
5. Good written and verbal communication skills.
6. The ability to harness good working relationships within a team, with other colleagues in different teams and with partner organisations, allied to the ability to network effectively with a wide range of customers, suppliers and colleagues.
7. Good organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks and competing priorities.

Due consideration has been given to the Welsh language requirements for the post and the existing skills within the team. Taking this into consideration the Welsh language skills required for the post are at

Level 1 - The ability to use basic Welsh conversational phrases (eg “bore da” – “good morning”) and to pronounce Welsh place names correctly

Personal Responsibilities

• Agree a personal delivery plan and report to your line manager on progress no less than twice a year
• Exercise good judgement and be willing to be held to account for decisions, actions and choices made personally and by staff for whom you are responsible
• Act as a role model of organisational values:
  • Show exemplary behaviours of honesty, integrity and ethics
  • Challenge others when they fail to act as role models
  • Combine confidence and resilience with humility and a willingness to learn

The post holder is responsible to:

Terrestrial Environmental Evidence Manager if based in Bangor
Team Leader Data Quality and GIS if based in Cardiff

This post is responsible for:

Supporting, advising on and carrying out appropriate management of NRW’s evidence base and supporting the transition of data assets from our legacy organisations

Status

This is a fixed-term, pensionable, full-time appointment until 31/03/15.

Applications and Closing Date

For further details please contact Barnaby Letheren on 01248 387163 or email Barnaby.letheren@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk

Closing Date:

22 August 2014

Applicants should be aware this role does NOT attract a public expense (relocation move) and therefore any cost of moving will not be met by NRW.

Please forward your expression of interest demonstrating your suitability for this role to:

recruitment@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk