Landscape Advisor - Operations

Two posts are available, one working in NRW’s Operations South Operations Directorate, the other in North Operations Directorate.

Job Location:

Location is flexible, within the relevant Directorate in which they are employed.

Job Purpose

• Provide specialist landscape and visual amenity advice and support to Operational casework staff on nationally significant development cases, primarily onshore wind energy.
• Provide input including, quality assurance, into scoping and reviewing landscape and visual amenity sections of environmental statements for complex development planning cases, and, undertaking site visits where/when necessary.
• Provide input into landscape management plans.
• To support NRW attendance at, and, provide evidence to Public Inquiries as required.
• Acting as ‘intelligent client’ in the management of NRW’s external landscape consultancy framework contract and the advice provided by it.
• Contribute to relevant strategic policy consultations received from NRWs Evidence & Advice Directorate and the E&A Directorate’s own research and guidance work.
• Work with Operations and Knowledge, Strategy and other colleagues (including NRW’s Landscape Architect community to achieve consistency in NRW’s landscape advice on development proposals. Actively network to build working relationships with other landscape staff in NRW, who will be doing likewise, to collectively form a ‘virtual landscape team’ to share and innovate good practice and promote consistency in NRW’s advice.
• Provide specialist input to NRW’s responses to local authority development plans and other plans and strategies.
• Contribute to the planning and delivery of training events related to landscape aspects of development casework.
• Develop and maintain strong links with key partners in public, private and voluntary sectors and take forward projects and initiatives with them
• Contribute to relevant NRW networks.
• Keep appropriate records for management, audit and freedom of information purposes and ensure adequate tracking and reporting of progress on development control projects.
• Give equal weight to managing operations, resources and the people for whom you are responsible.
• Take reasonable care for the health and safety of yourself and others and comply with all health and safety legislation as appropriate.
• Carry out and regularly review appropriate risk assessments, including stress, on all of your staff.
• Behave in accordance with our corporate values.

Job Specific Responsibilities

To be considered for this post you will need to demonstrate the following competencies:

1. An appropriate qualification, preferably as a Chartered Landscape Architect, with relevant post qualification (Part IV) experience.
2. A sound knowledge of the potential impacts of energy (particularly wind energy) and other developments on landscapes, seascapes and visual amenity, and on siting, design and mitigation issues.
3. A good knowledge of the landscapes of Wales, including the historic landscape and LANDMAP
4. Expert knowledge of Environmental Impact Assessment and landscape character assessment methods, the town & country planning system as it applies to NRW, and an understanding of relevant policies, particularly Planning Policy Wales; Welsh Government Technical Advice Note 8 and relevant UK energy policy.
5. Proven good written and spoken communication skills and an ability to represent both the technical and strategic aspects of landscape to non-specialists, both within NRW and externally, in a concise and effective way.
6. The ability to use IT applications such as databases, spreadsheets and word processing.
7. Good organisational skills and an ability to meet tight timetables and an ability to work across multi-disciplinary teams.
   - The ability to currently and legally drive a car in the UK
   - The ability to use basic Welsh conversational phrases, to pronounce Welsh place names correctly, an awareness of Welsh culture and a positive attitude to linguistic and cultural diversity
8. An awareness of the European Landscape Convention and the UK’s / Wales’ commitments under it.
9. A knowledge and understanding of wider land management issues, including nature conservation, ecology and countryside access and the role that NRW plays in this.
10. An awareness of the Welsh Government’s policies for the environment, sustainable development, economic development and spatial planning, particularly energy.

Personal Responsibilities

• Agrees a personal delivery plan and report to their line manager on progress no less than twice a year
• Exercises good judgement and be willing to held to account for decisions, actions and choices made personally and by staff for whom you are responsible
• Acts as a role model of organisational values
  • Shows exemplary behaviours of honesty, integrity and ethics
  • Challenges others when they fail to act as role models
  • Combines confidence and resilience with humility and a willingness to learn

The post holder is responsible to: Planning Services Manager, Operations South or, equivalent in Operations North

Status

These are permanent, pensionable full-time appointments of 37 hours a week.

Salary

The starting salary is £30,769 per annum.

Applications and Closing Date

For further details please contact Jill McGriele on 01686 613413 or email Jill.McGriele@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk

Please forward your expression of interest demonstrating your suitability for this role to Recruitment@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk

Closing Date:

06 May 2014