Protected Sites Senior Adviser – Ref : 5646

Do you have a passion for nature and the environment? Do you want to make a real difference and secure significant environmental gains in the present and the future? Do you enjoy working in a team? Can you see yourself advising communities and customers to maximise gains for the Natural Environment?

If this appeals to you, a career at Natural England offers rewarding opportunities to secure environmental improvements and play your part in creating a better future for people and nature.

The priority work Natural England is delivering includes:

• Establishing a Nature Recovery Network to help wildlife thrive
• Monitoring environmental changes to identify and help reduce the effects of climate change
• Working with farmers and landowners to develop greener food production methods
• Advising on plans for new developments to maximise gains for nature, and
• Providing ways for people to better connect with nature, including green social prescribing.

We are the Government’s Adviser for the natural environment, playing a vital role in delivering the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan, an ambitious vision which brings new opportunities to protect and enhance and to achieve real outcomes for the environment.

Find out more about the work of Natural England at www.gov.uk/government/organisations/natural-england

The Norfolk and Suffolk Team is responsible for delivering environmental outcomes across our two counties, which is home to 30 National Nature Reserves (NNRs) and 305 Sites of Special Scientific Interest, many also subject to international designation and protections. We integrate a range of mechanisms, including protected sites regulation and enforcement, promoting improved management practices to achieve favourable condition on sites for species and habitats for the protection and enhancement of our biodiversity and landscapes. We are uniquely placed, amongst our partners, to be able to blend regulation, incentives, and advice to create positive land use change and nature’s recovery and are passionate about doing so. As a Team we aim to work flexibly and support each other and collaborate with others across the region to increase awareness and appreciation of our landscapes and wildlife. Our successful delivery of nature recovery will rely on us explaining the benefits people derive from our special marine environment, fantastic landscapes and helping people and local communities grow and nurture connection with their natural environment.

Job description

As a member of the Area Leadership Team, you will lead the delivery of our team’s Protected Sites (PS) Regulation and Enforcement programme. You will lead on our complex and high-risk PS casework within the team. You will work hand in hand with our Protected Sites enhancement and Recovery Senior Adviser and collaborate with others leading on Water, Farm Advice, Marine Recovery, and our place specific Nature Recovery Project Managers, to maximise the integration of our work and maximise its benefits for people and nature. You will role model the organisational values, demonstrating visible and accessible leadership and capability building and support for staff. You will be flexible and willing to adapt both your role and the focus of the programme as priorities evolve.

Key tasks

• Oversee SSSI regulatory and enforcement casework delivery ensuring our advice meets statutory deadlines, complies with current guidance, and that national reforms are implemented effectively locally, as needed.
• Provide technical leadership and support on processes, including Habitat Regulation Assessment, and ensure staff have access to Protected Sites advice to support timely and robust responses to consultations from Regulators.
• Act as Senior Responsible Officer for high-risk casework acting as case escalation, supporting case officers in decision making, and building their capability to manage complex cases.
• Work with Team Leaders to grow the team capability and capacity for delivering our Protected Sites work within the team by leading on a development programme including site-based training, coaching, and mentoring.
• Work alongside Team Leaders to ensure Advisers are clear on Protected Sites priorities and work is allocated and resources assigned across the area as and when required, making best use of skills available.
• Work closely with other Senior Advisers in the team including Catchment Sensitive Farming, Marine, National Nature Reserves, Water, Farmland Conservation & Nature Recovery to ensure integration and that our Protected Sites are at the heart of nature recovery networks in Norfolk and Suffolk.
• Be an active member of key networks with other Area and National Teams to fully understand nationally developed commissions, to grow your own knowledge base and share that with colleagues within the team.
• Ensure our advice is recognised and, where appropriate, charged for through the Discretionary Advice Service.
• Build and manage external relationships for example with conservation NGOs, regulatory bodies, community groups, stakeholders, and local authorities to enable and support the delivery of shared aims and objectives, and to actively seek new projects to deliver our outcomes.

Benefits

Wherever possible Natural England accommodates requests for both full-time and part-time hours and other flexible working patterns to help employees achieve a good work/life balance and maintain their health and wellbeing.

Natural England provides excellent opportunities for career progression, training and development tailored to your role. From induction to ongoing learning and development, everyone in Natural England is supported to develop their skills and capabilities. Everyone has 10 days to devote to personal learning and development, as well as an additional 3 days to volunteer.

You will have access to Civil Service Pension and benefits arrangements and generous leave allowances (33 day per year pro rata), as well as flexible working, to help you achieve a work-life balance that works for you and us.

You will have access to a range of benefits including discounts on shopping vouchers, cycle to work scheme, and childcare vouchers. You can also join the Civil Service Sport club which offer discounts on a range of sports and leisure opportunities as well as social events.

Natural England is a fantastic place to work, where difference is celebrated.

We’re committed to fairness and equality for all, so you feel valued for who you are and what you do. Our shared values help us work together to benefit the communities we serve. Our thriving employee-led diversity networks support our inclusive culture and contribute to our Diversity Action Plan.

Locations

Natural England is adopting hybrid working – which means our staff work from a flexible range of locations, encompassing home, offices (ours and our partners) and relevant sites. All new staff will be formally linked to one of our 25 offices across England and the expectation is that all new staff will be able to access their local office to be part of the community of staff in their geographical area. Full time staff are expected to attend their associated office for a minimum of one day a week. Staff members are required to carry out all their duties working in this way and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time. Travel expenses will be paid if work related travel is required but does not apply to travel between home and your associated office.

National team roles can be linked with any Natural England office while Area Team roles will be linked with an office in the relevant geographic area. This role will be linked to either the Norwich or Cambridge Office, on appointment. View a map of our office locations here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/natural-england-office-locations

Pay

It is Natural England policy to employ at the entry point of the salary range.

You will become an active member of the Norfolk & Suffolk local leadership community, the group of senior Natural England staff in each of the localities across England who we ask to provide support and co-ordination for the local group of staff.

How to Apply

We welcome and encourage applications from all communities. Natural England is accredited to the Disability Confident Scheme, which denotes organisations which have a positive attitude towards disabled people. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum requirements for the role at the shortlisting stage are guaranteed an invitation to interview.

If you require a reasonable adjustment at interview, or there is anything else you would like the panel to take into consideration, you should notify us of this at application stage where possible, or well in advance of your interview.

This vacancy uses competency-based assessment. We’ll assess you against the competencies below during the selection process:

• Personal Effectiveness
• Putting People at the Heart of the Environment
• Work Delivery
• Creating Resilience Landscapes and Seas
• Technical Skills & Knowledge

When completing the application form you should present relevant examples using the STAR format. Give us an example of how you have demonstrated the competency (which can be work related or from another area of your life) and tell us about the Situation, the specific Task you had to undertake, the specific Actions you took, and the Result (both immediate and in a wider context) of your doing so.

Please note that STAR format is not required when answering the Technical Skills & Knowledge competency.

Examples should be given in no more than 250 words for each competency.

Competencies

Competence 1   

Professional competency

Detail   

Personal Effectiveness

Description   

• Be ambitious, identify and adopt ways to make improvements in your team and your organisation and inspire others to act. [Practitioner]
  • Make and explain objective decisions which combine your professional judgement and evidence. [Expert]
  • Share expertise and knowledge with people and networks so that you can develop together. [Expert]

Competence 2   

Professional competency

Detail   

Putting People at the Heart of the Environment

Description  

• Understand the importance of people accessing and engaging with the natural environment and how to balance their needs with nature conservation objectives. [Practitioner]

  • Nurture trusting partnerships and collaborate to achieve pragmatic outcomes that help deliver Natural England’s vision, mission and aims. [Practitioner]

Competence 3   

Professional competency

Detail   

Work Delivery

Description   

• See the big picture so you can set your team’s work within the context of the organisation’s vision, mission and aims, and help them understand how their work relates to and supports this. [Expert]
  • Manage and deliver your work to meet agreed targets and deadlines. [Expert]
  • Handle data responsibly, understand your role in good governance, and comply with delegations, policies, and procedures [Practitioner]

Competence 4   

Professional competency

Detail   

Creating Resilient Landscapes and Seas

Description  

• Understand the environmental value of designated sites and explain that to partners, stakeholders and customers. [Practitioner]
  • Understand how natural processes, land/sea management and use impact the conservation and management of geodiversity, the marine and historic environments. [Practitioner]

Competence 5  

Professional competency

Detail   

Technical skills/knowledge

Description   

• Experience of applying protected sites legislation, including Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) Section 28 regimes and completing Habitat Regulations Assessments. (Essential)
  • Knowledge of key habitats and species in Norfolk and Suffolk, on land and coast. [Essential]
  • Ability to oversee complex cases/issues in the team which may include water abstraction, wildfowling, game shooting, fisheries and flood and coastal defence. [Essential]
  • Knowledge and experience of Natural England’s statutory role in the delivery of protected sites work. [Desirable]

• 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 average employer contribution of 27%

Job contact :

• Name : Fiona Hinds
• Email : fiona.hinds@naturalengland.org.uk
• Telephone : 07827 897363

Recruitment team

• Email : defra-recruitment-enquiries@gov.sscl.com