Marine Adviser – Ref : 5645

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, landowners and fisheries to develop greener food production methods
• Advising on plans for new developments to maximise gains for nature
• Providing ways for people to better connect with nature, including green and blue social prescribing

We are the Government’s advisor 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

 About the Job

Summary

Natural England is seeking an enthusiastic, motivated individual to be part of the dynamic Southern North Sea Network, covering marine work across East Midlands and Norfolk & Suffolk area teams.

Role Title:      Marine Adviser                                                           

Team:             Norfolk and Suffolk                                        

 Sub Team: You will work as part of the Southern North Sea Network, which covers marine work across Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, out to 12 nautical miles of the land.

Job description   

Role Description:

Natural England’s Southern North Sea Network are looking for a motivated individual to join our team . The successful candidate will work with colleagues and partners to: (a) gather and interpret data, (b) provide advice and work with other stakeholders, and (c) aim to safeguard and restore the marine environment off the Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk Coasts.

We are seeking individuals with a passion for nature and the marine environment. You need to be a team player, able to work with a range of staff in different Natural England teams and have the ability to operate as an individual. You will contribute to different projects and cultivate effective working relationships that can make a real difference in the natural environment.

 Key tasks/principal accountabilities.

• Work with a small project team to collate and interpret data to assess the condition of Marine Protected Areas in the Southern North Sea.

• Help to collect and analyse evidence on the marine environment, including habitat and species surveys. This includes conducting surveys within the team, and commissioning contractors to complete surveys.

• Work with a small project team to produce online advice to help colleagues and external stakeholders better understand the impact of human activities on our Marine Protected Areas.

• Working with a small project team to give advice to regulators (such as the Marine Management Organisation and Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority) on the impacts of fishing and sustainable development activities in Marine Protected Areas.

• Work collaboratively, with Natural England colleagues and external stakeholders, on projects to help recover nature across our coasts and seas.

• Using Microsoft Office and Natural England IT systems to undertake administrative tasks which will help facilitate, and report on the progress of, marine work in the Southern North Sea.

• You should be flexible, and ready to contribute to other marine and coastal work in the Southern North Sea region when needed.

 Skills and knowledge

Technical/specialist knowledge/qualifications

Essential

• Relevant degree and / or experience of working in the marine/coastal environment.

• An understanding of the ecology for a variety of marine / coastal habitats and species located within in the Southern North Sea area.

• Knowledge of the impacts of activities / pressures on marine and coastal environment.

• Experience of/capability in interpreting evidence in relation to habitats, species, activities, condition, etc.

• Experience of data analysis, environmental monitoring, and the use of evidence.

Desirable

• Previous experience of working with marine / coastal stakeholders.

• Knowledge of legislation relating to the marine and coastal environment.

• Experience / capability in the use of ARC GIS and statistical software.
• Driving licence.

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.

Location

Natural England is adopting hybrid working – which means that our staff will 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 geographic 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.

This post will ideally be based at either our Norwich, Lincoln, Peterborough, Cambridge or Nottingham offices, however other locations may also be considered.

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. 

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:

• Technical/Specialist Skills and Knowledge.
•  Putting People at the Heart of the Environment.
• Personal Effectiveness.
• Work Delivery.

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   

Technical Skills and Knowledge

Description  

• Demonstrate an understanding of marine pressures, impacts, management and mitigation
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the different types of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in England, how they are created and their management.
  • Relevant degree and / or experience of working in the marine/coastal environment

Competence 2   

Professional competency

Detail   

Putting People at the Heart of the Environment

Description   

• Listen to and understand our diverse partners and customers so that you achieve the best outcomes for them and the organisation (Practitioner).
  • Nurture trusting partnerships and collaborate to achieve pragmatic outcomes that help deliver Natural England’s vision, mission and aims (Basic).

Competence 3   

Professional competency

Detail  

Personal Effectiveness

Description  

• Make and explain objective decisions which combine your professional judgement and evidence (Practitioner)
  • Use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage your audience (Basic).

Competence 4   

Professional competency

Detail   

Work Delivery

Description   

• Manage and deliver your work to meet agreed targets and deadlines (Practitioner).
  • Handle data responsibly, understand your role in good governance, and comply with delegations, policies and procedures (Basic)

• 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 : Chris Terry
• Email : Chris.terry@naturalengalnd.org.uk
• Telephone : 07500 854356

Recruitment team

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