Development Planning Assistant
| Posting date: | 28 June 2025 |
|---|---|
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 13 July 2025 |
| Location: | Cardiff |
| Company: | Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 200064 |
Summary
Team / Directorate: Development Planning Team / Operations
Starting salary: £25,898 rising to £26,909 per annum through annual increments being paid each year (pro rata for part time applicants)
Contract type: Permanent
Work pattern: Full time, 37 hours per week (Part time, annualised hours, compressed hours or term time working considered - discussions at interview stage welcome)
Interview Date: TBC
Post number: 200064
The role
Are you organised, detail-driven and passionate about protecting the environment? Join Natural Resources Wales as a Development Planning Assistant and help shape the future of sustainable development in Wales.
In this vital support role, you'll be part of a team that reviews and advises on planning proposals across a range of environmental issues. You'll play a key part in the process - making sure data is recorded accurately, documents are well-managed, and the team can respond swiftly and effectively to consultations from local planning authorities.
This is more than just admin - your work will support advice that influences sustainable place making across Wales.
You'll:
• Keep our planning systems up-to-date and accurate;
• Support the team in responding to planning applications and Local Development Plans;
• Produce reports and data to support workload management ;
• Respond to basic customer queries and help maintain high service standards.
This is an excellent opportunity for someone with strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and a keen interest in environmental protection and planning. Whether you're starting your career or looking to build experience in a meaningful sector, this role offers the chance to grow your skills while contributing to Wales' natural future.
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 Gemma Beynon at gemma.beynon@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk.
Interviews will be held on Microsoft Teams.
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.
About us
Our Development Planning Advice Service is responsible for providing expert and influential environmental advice to Planning Authorities and Welsh Government to support their decision making.
What you will do
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 .
Education to GCSE level standard or relevant work experience. Able to work well as part of a team. Customer focussed with effective communication skills and good telephone manner. Good organisational skills. Ability to manage and prioritise a busy workload and deliver results to timescales. Able to utilise standard IT systems.
Welsh language level requirements
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.
Benefits
This role will offer a range of benefits, including:
See full details for all the employee benefits you will receive.
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.
Starting salary: £25,898 rising to £26,909 per annum through annual increments being paid each year (pro rata for part time applicants)
Contract type: Permanent
Work pattern: Full time, 37 hours per week (Part time, annualised hours, compressed hours or term time working considered - discussions at interview stage welcome)
Interview Date: TBC
Post number: 200064
The role
Are you organised, detail-driven and passionate about protecting the environment? Join Natural Resources Wales as a Development Planning Assistant and help shape the future of sustainable development in Wales.
In this vital support role, you'll be part of a team that reviews and advises on planning proposals across a range of environmental issues. You'll play a key part in the process - making sure data is recorded accurately, documents are well-managed, and the team can respond swiftly and effectively to consultations from local planning authorities.
This is more than just admin - your work will support advice that influences sustainable place making across Wales.
You'll:
• Keep our planning systems up-to-date and accurate;
• Support the team in responding to planning applications and Local Development Plans;
• Produce reports and data to support workload management ;
• Respond to basic customer queries and help maintain high service standards.
This is an excellent opportunity for someone with strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and a keen interest in environmental protection and planning. Whether you're starting your career or looking to build experience in a meaningful sector, this role offers the chance to grow your skills while contributing to Wales' natural future.
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 Gemma Beynon at gemma.beynon@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk.
Interviews will be held on Microsoft Teams.
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.
About us
Our Development Planning Advice Service is responsible for providing expert and influential environmental advice to Planning Authorities and Welsh Government to support their decision making.
What you will do
- Maintain business information systems (hardcopy and electronic) including the planning IT system.
- Enter application data accurately onto the planning data management systems. Produce information from IT systems.
- Handle and respond to basic customer inquiries.
- 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).
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 .
Education to GCSE level standard or relevant work experience. Able to work well as part of a team. Customer focussed with effective communication skills and good telephone manner. Good organisational skills. Ability to manage and prioritise a busy workload and deliver results to timescales. Able to utilise standard IT systems.
Welsh language level requirements
- Essential: Level A1 - Entry level (able to use and understand simple, basic phrases and greetings, no conversational Welsh)
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.
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
See full details for all the employee benefits you will receive.
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.