PRN & PERN expert

Job Title: Packaging Recovery Note (PRN) and Packaging Export Recovery Note (PERN) Expert
Location: Bristol, London, Newcastle or York (Hybrid - 3 days per week on site)
Contract Duration: 12 Months
Daily Rate: £ 550/day (Umbrella Maximum)
IR35 Status: Inside IR35

The Opportunity

• We are seeking a highly experienced industry expert to play a pivotal role in strengthening the UK s PRN and PERN market. This is a high-impact, temporary expert position working at the heart of packaging producer responsibility policy.
• You will lead the development and delivery of practical measures to increase market transparency and significantly reduce price volatility in the PRN market. This is a rare opportunity to shape reforms that will benefit the entire packaging supply chain, improve circularity, and support better functioning of this critical environmental compliance market.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the scoping, development, and delivery of a comprehensive plan to improve the use of regulator and market data to increase transparency and reduce PRN price volatility.
• Map current and future data sources against the root causes of market volatility and design new data-sharing processes, reports, and/or forums to ensure timely, accessible information for all market participants.
• Evaluate the potential for additional data reporting requirements or other interventions to stabilise the PRN market.
• Support the implementation of wider market reforms arising from the recent consultation, including analysis of consultation responses, development of policy instructions, and engagement with legal and regulatory teams.
• Work with stakeholders to progress specific measures, such as minimum sorting standards for packaging waste eligible for PERNs and the design of an emergency compliance mechanism.
• Collaborate closely with regulators, economists, digital/data specialists, compliance schemes, reprocessors, and other key industry players.

Person Specification
Essential

• Deep, practical understanding of the PRN / PERN system and how the markets operate across different materials (paper, plastic, glass, metal, wood).
• Ideal: direct experience trading PRNs or PERNs, or working within a compliance scheme, reprocessor, or broker.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to weigh benefits, costs, and practical delivery challenges to produce balanced, actionable recommendations.
• Proven ability to drive complex projects forward as a proactive self-starter.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and collaboration skills confident working with senior industry figures, regulators, and government officials to build consensus.

Desirable

• Experience of policy development, consultation responses, or regulatory reform in the waste/packaging sector.
• Knowledge of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and related packaging policy.

Location: Bristol, London, Newcastle or York (Hybrid)

Disability Confident

As a member of the disability confident scheme, CLIENT guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group.

Armed Forces Covenant

CLIENT is proud to support the Armed Forces Covenant and as such, we guarantee to interview all veterans or spouses / partners of military personnel who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of ex-military candidates / military spouses or partners, who meet all of the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group.

If you qualify for the above, please notify us on (phone number removed).

We will be in touch to discuss your suitability and arrange your Guaranteed Interview.

Should you require reasonable adjustments at any point during the recruitment process or if there is a more accessible way for us to communicate, please do let me know.

To apply for this role please submit your latest CV or contact Aspect Resources on (phone number removed)