3723 - Marine Licensing Policy Manager
Job summary
Lead Marine Licensing Policy – Strategic Role with National Impact
Shape the future of marine regulation in Wales.
This is a rare opportunity to influence a nationally significant regulatory system at a time of major strategic importance. The role provides strategic leadership for Welsh Government policy on the marine licensing regime, ensuring Wales has a modern, coherent and future‑proof system underpinned by robust policy and legislation.
About the role
At the heart of this role is responsibility for ensuring the marine licensing system:
- Enables sustainable development
- Supports Ministers’ priorities
- Delivers timely, proportionate and effective regulatory decisions
You will provide strategic oversight and assurance of Natural Resources Wales’ delivery of the delegated marine licensing function on behalf of Welsh Ministers, helping to ensure the system is fit for current and future challenges.
Job description
Why this role matters
Marine licensing is a high‑profile, fast‑moving policy area and a recognised ministerial priority. This role is central to:
- Supporting net zero ambitions
- Unlocking growth across Wales’s blue economy
- Enabling major infrastructure and offshore renewable energy projects
Leadership and influence
You will:
- Lead a small, expert team
- Work closely with senior stakeholders across Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales
- Drive forward a programme of reform arising from a recent independent end‑to‑end review of marine licensing
This is a genuine opportunity to influence change, strengthen regulatory delivery and leave a lasting legacy in a nationally significant policy area.
Person specification
As Marine Licensing Policy Manager, you will provide strategic leadership for marine licensing in Wales, leading a small specialist team and shaping how Wales manages its seas—balancing environmental protection with economic and social priorities.
Leadership and team management
- Lead and inspire the Marine Licensing Team, driving high‑quality delivery while championing professional development and growth across the team.
- Support wider branch priorities and deputise for the Head of Branch when required.
Policy leadership and regulatory oversight
- Shape, develop and implement marine licensing policy, ensuring Natural Resources Wales (NRW) delivers an efficient, effective and future‑ready regulatory regime.
- Act as the authoritative voice for the marine licensing regime, clearly articulating its purpose and ensuring it is well understood and respected.
- Provide strategic oversight and assurance of NRW’s delivery of marine licensing on behalf of Welsh Ministers, driving continuous improvement and implementing recommendations from the recent end‑to‑end review.
Legislation and reform
- Ensure marine licensing legislation remains coherent, up‑to‑date and fit for purpose, supporting a joined‑up regulatory landscape.
- Lead the development of new marine licensing and related legislation, responding to evolving requirements around environmental assessment, strategic compensation and marine recovery.
- Promote coherence across interconnected regulatory regimes, including those where marine licences sit within wider consenting processes.
Strategic coordination and decision‑making
- Advance plan‑led decision making, aligning marine licensing with marine planning policy and working closely with the Marine Planning Implementation Team.
- Ensure senior leaders and Ministers are fully briefed on high‑profile or sensitive cases, maintaining strong oversight of NRW delivery and anticipating emerging risks and issues.
- Hold day‑to‑day responsibility for a range of Welsh Government business within the policy area.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Delivering at Pace
- Working Together
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Clear understanding of key concepts and issues in marine environmental science.
Benefits
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
Things you need to know
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.Welsh Government, like all other Government Departments use Success Profiles when we recruit. For each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job. It raises performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.
The selection process and stages are:
Number of Stages:2 stage processStage 1Application FormStage 2InterviewFeedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team
- Email : sharedservicehelpdesk@gov.wales
Further information
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition. Please see the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles on the Commission's website.If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and wish to make a complaint please email complaints@gov.wales. Please ensure that you refer to the vacancy reference number.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Welsh Government, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: info@csc.gov.uk.
https://cais.tal.net/vx/appcentre-ext/brand-7/spa-1/candidate/so/pm/1/pl/3/opp/3723-Marine-Licensing-Policy-Manager/en-GB
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Salary range
- £47,675 - £56,445 per year