Graduate Placement, People and Places
The role
Join our team and help shape the future of the places we care for in South Wales Central.
This is not a one-size-fits-all placement. We will work with you to tailor a programme around your interests, giving you real responsibility and the opportunity to make a difference from day one.
You will be supported by a friendly, experienced team that is genuinely invested in your development. You could work with Miki as we collaborate with Public Service Boards to improve well-being and adapt to climate change. You might join Sally, Harriet and Will in taking a catchment-based approach to tackling water pollution, reducing flood risk and restoring our rivers. You could support Liz's landscape-scale work to address the nature emergency and restore ecosystems, or work alongside Emily and our Head of Place in engaging with local politicians on issues that matter to our communities. There may also be opportunities to work with Laura on long-term planning for the forests we manage, balancing timber production, nature recovery, climate resilience and well-being. You will also learn how we approach complex challenges through systems thinking and service design.
Most importantly, you will not be doing this alone. You will be guided, mentored and encouraged by people who want to see you grow in confidence and develop skills that will help shape your career. We are equally interested in learning from your views, experiences and knowledge.
If you are curious, motivated and want your work to matter, we would love to hear from you.
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.
To make an informal enquiry about this role, please contact Andy Robinson at andrew.robinson@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk
Interviews will take place on 25/08/2026 through Microsoft Teams.
About Us
The South Wales Central People and Places Team sits within the South Wales Central Operations Area. The team leads on strategic environmental planning and partnership working both internally within NRW and externally with stakeholders aimed at addressing the key environmental challenges facing our diverse communities.
We focus on delivering integrated, place-based solutions that support resilient ecosystems and landscapes, reduce pollution and flood risk, and promote access to clean air, clean water, and green spaces. Our work ensures that the natural environment is valued, embedded in decision-making, and supported through inclusive, equitable partnerships.
What You Will Do
In your application and interview you will be asked to demonstrate the following skills and experience using the STAR method.
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.
Additional Information
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.
Natural Resources Wales is unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position. Although we hold a Skilled Worker visa sponsorship licence, it applies only to specific roles that meet both the eligibility criteria and salary requirements set out by the UK Government under the Skilled Worker visa route.
Benefits
This role will offer a range of benefits, including:
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.
Join our team and help shape the future of the places we care for in South Wales Central.
This is not a one-size-fits-all placement. We will work with you to tailor a programme around your interests, giving you real responsibility and the opportunity to make a difference from day one.
You will be supported by a friendly, experienced team that is genuinely invested in your development. You could work with Miki as we collaborate with Public Service Boards to improve well-being and adapt to climate change. You might join Sally, Harriet and Will in taking a catchment-based approach to tackling water pollution, reducing flood risk and restoring our rivers. You could support Liz's landscape-scale work to address the nature emergency and restore ecosystems, or work alongside Emily and our Head of Place in engaging with local politicians on issues that matter to our communities. There may also be opportunities to work with Laura on long-term planning for the forests we manage, balancing timber production, nature recovery, climate resilience and well-being. You will also learn how we approach complex challenges through systems thinking and service design.
Most importantly, you will not be doing this alone. You will be guided, mentored and encouraged by people who want to see you grow in confidence and develop skills that will help shape your career. We are equally interested in learning from your views, experiences and knowledge.
If you are curious, motivated and want your work to matter, we would love to hear from you.
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.
To make an informal enquiry about this role, please contact Andy Robinson at andrew.robinson@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk
Interviews will take place on 25/08/2026 through Microsoft Teams.
About Us
The South Wales Central People and Places Team sits within the South Wales Central Operations Area. The team leads on strategic environmental planning and partnership working both internally within NRW and externally with stakeholders aimed at addressing the key environmental challenges facing our diverse communities.
We focus on delivering integrated, place-based solutions that support resilient ecosystems and landscapes, reduce pollution and flood risk, and promote access to clean air, clean water, and green spaces. Our work ensures that the natural environment is valued, embedded in decision-making, and supported through inclusive, equitable partnerships.
What You Will Do
- Apply your professional training in real world situations
- Develop good working relationships internally and externally
- Provide support to Area Statement leads to help deliver the Area Statement, particularly around the themes; Connecting People with Nature, Working with Water and Building Resilient Ecosystems and our work delivering Public Service Board (PSB) Wellbeing Plans.
- Support the work undertaken by the South Wales Central Place: Including our operations communications plan and relationship building with decision makers and elected officials.
- Support the development and monitoring of outward funded projects taking responsibility for some aspects of the programme. Participate in the development, monitoring, review and reporting of the integrated Place Plan, working co-productively with teams in the place.
- 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.
In your application and interview you will be asked to demonstrate the following skills and experience using the STAR method.
- A graduate qualification in a relevant discipline with an environmental application, such as ecology, environmental management, environmental science or geography.
- Good written and verbal skills and the ability to communicate confidently, with excellent customer service skills.
- Good inter-personal skills with the ability to work under pressure using your own initiative in order to meet tight deadlines.
- Good ICT skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
- Essential: Level A1 - Entry level
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.
Additional Information
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.
Natural Resources Wales is unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position. Although we hold a Skilled Worker visa sponsorship licence, it applies only to specific roles that meet both the eligibility criteria and salary requirements set out by the UK Government under the Skilled Worker visa route.
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
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.