External Affairs Team Leader

External Affairs Team Leader

(Communications and External Affairs/Communications, Customer and Commercial)

Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: 45,367 per annum (Increasing to 50,000) + benefits including Civil Service pension scheme
Hours: Full-time, 37 hours per week Mon - Fri
Location: Wales (Hybrid & flexible working)

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is at the heart of making sure Wales' natural resources are being used sustainably so that future generations can benefit from them.

Offering agile working, flexible working and remote working with generous annual leave allowances, civil service pension, CPD and a wide range of health & wellbeing benefits ensures that Natural Resources Wales remains an employer of choice for job seekers across Wales and beyond.

Yolk Recruitment is working in partnership with Natural Resources Wales to recruit an External Affairs Team Leader. In this high-impact role, you'll manage a team of specialists working closely with the Chief Executive, Executive Team, and senior leaders across the organisation. Together, you'll shape and deliver NRW's external affairs strategy, ensuring their voice is clear, credible, and influential in environmental and public policy discussions across Wales.

The postholder can be based in any one of their offices across Wales: Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Bangor, Dolgellau, Welshpool, Aberystwyth, Llandrindod Wells, Lampeter, Neath Port Talbot, Resolven, Swansea, Llandovery, Cross Hands, Haverfordwest, Cardiff.

Key purpose of the Role

• Lead and manage a high-performing external affairs team, ensuring delivery of work plans, staff development, performance, and wellbeing. (Including External Affairs Officer & X2 Partnership & Engagement Officers)
• Develop and implement NRW's External Affairs Plan, aligning external engagement with strategic priorities.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including government, political advisers, and industry leaders.
• Oversee preparation for key meetings, ensuring NRW's Board, Executive Team, and Leadership Team are well-briefed and equipped to respond to stakeholder concerns.
• Work collaboratively with internal teams and stakeholders to support NRW's reputation, influence policy, and deliver consistent messaging.
• Ensure effective two-way communication of intelligence into and out of the organisation, enabling timely responses to emerging issues.
• Manage risk and ensure decision-making aligns with NRW policies and values.
• Uphold NRW's commitment to diversity, equality, and health & safety.
• Participate in incident response activities as required.

What we're looking for

• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal. With the ability to advise senior leaders.
• Must be a driver with access to a vehicle as you may be required to travel to different offices from time to time across Wales
• Proven track record in stakeholder management, particularly across diverse audiences.
• Strong relationship-building skills, with experience establishing networks that support advocacy and policy influence.
• Strategic thinker with good judgment and the ability to escalate issues appropriately.
• A deep understanding of the political and public policy landscape in Wales.
• Confident operating at senior levels, with credibility in high-level discussions and negotiations.
• Politically astute, with experience navigating sensitive or complex political environments.
• Demonstrated leadership and team management experience, including performance and development oversight.

Welsh Language Requirement:

Level A1 - Entry: Ability to understand and use basic phrases.
Don't meet this yet? Don't worry - NRW will support your learning journey.

Reward

Working for NRW means being part of a supportive, inclusive, and purpose-driven organisation. We offer:

• Agile and hybrid working - your nearest NRW office will be your base.
• Civil Service Pension Scheme - with employer contributions of 28.97%.
• Generous annual leave - starting at 28 days, rising to 33.
• Continuous development - including leadership programmes and higher education support.
• Wellbeing support - including a weekly wellbeing hour.

To Apply:

To access the full job description, please contact Branwen Johns at Yolk Recruitment.

To apply, please submit your up-to-date CV. As part of the application process a personal statement in the S.T.A.R format will be required, please discuss with Branwen before submitting.

Closing Date: Sunday 21st September

Interview Dates likely to be: 2nd & 3rd of October

NRW are passionate about creative a diverse workforce and positively encourage applications from under-represented communities. They embrace quality of opportunity irrespective of disability, neurodivergence, ethnic origin, colour, nationality, gender expression and gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, culture, or religion. They put the principles of human rights, equality, fairness, dignity, and respect at the heart of their values.

NRW are committed to equal opportunities and guarantee interviews for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Yolk Recruitment is the exclusive recruitment partner to Natural Resources Wales and therefore all applications will be managed by the team at Yolk following NRW's own fair and transparent recruitment process.