Catchment Sensitive Farming Adviser – Lead Adviser (Ref: 5164)

Do you have a passion for nature and the environment? Do you want to make a real difference? Do you enjoy working in a team? Do you enjoy speaking to farmers? 

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:

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

Catchment Sensitive Farming

Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) is delivered by Natural England in partnership with Defra, the Environment Agency, and the Forestry Commission as a part of NE’s farm advice service.  CSF operates through a network of Farm Advisers and local partners.  CSF delivers Defra’s 25-year plan ambitions for water quality, air quality (ammonia) and natural flood mitigation through nature-based solutions. We  work alongside farmers and partners to find practical ways to take action for the natural environment.

The next few years will see significant changes to the support and schemes available to farmers. Associated with these changes will be improvements to Natural England’s farm advice service. This role will evolve in tandem with these changes.

Farm Advisers work in partnership with Farmers, Water Companies, National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs), Flood Authorities and others. All Farm Advisers will have the opportunity to enrol in a structured training programme.  

Find out more about Catchment Sensitive Farming at: 

Catchment Sensitive Farming: advice for farmers and land managers – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Job description  

The role of the CSF Farm Adviser is to:

• Evaluate and understand the local environmental priorities within a catchment.
• Work with the local team to develop information and advice campaigns for farmers and landowners. Including group events, farm visits and newsletters.
• Undertake targeted farm visits to assess environmental priorities.
• Work with farmers to find appropriate mitigating solutions and prioritise actions.

• Advise farmers on the range of tools available including specialist training and advice, and incentives such as Countryside Stewardship, Sustainable Farming Incentive and Slurry Infrastructure Grants.
• Support Countryside Stewardship (CS) applications by advising farmers on suitable land management options and/or capital items, prioritising and approving CS Capital Grants and providing advice on other Defra grant schemes.
• Offer general advice on wider Natural England priorities and/or signpost applicants to additional advice from other sources where targeting overlaps.
• Support Defra’s new Tackling Pollution from Slurry programme including offering advice to Slurry Infrastructure Grant applicants.
• Promote and provide advice on the Sustainable Farming Incentive Offer
• Keep up to date on emerging themes, trends and incentives relevant to the role.
• Communicate, advocate, and promote CSF activity internally with Natural England colleagues and externally with farmers, land managers and partners.
• Work with Natural England colleagues and partners such as the Environment Agency, water companies and catchment partnerships to deliver a joined-up approach including developing formal partnerships where appropriate.
• Work with the local Contract Manager to provide timely information for tenders for group events and specialist farm advice. Conduct quality control on technical farm reports to agreed processes and deadlines.
• Record interactions and advice given.

The post holder will be required to visit farms regularly during their day-to-day work.

The post holder will be required to hold a full UK driving license.

Some national travel may be required, which might involve overnight stays.

In NE Area teams, Farm Advisers are supported by a CSF Coordinator, a Team Leader and Contract Manager for the procurement and delivery of specialist training and advice.  Nationally, Farm Advisers are supported with project planning tools, campaigns, and services.

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 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. 

These roles are based within Cumbria and will be linked to an office in Penrith or Kendal.

View a map of our office locations here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/natural-england-office-locations 

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:

• Creating Resilient Landscapes and Seas.
• Personal Effectiveness.
• Putting People at the Heart of the Environment.
• 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.

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

Competencies

Competence 1  Professional competency

Detail  

Creating resilient landscapes and seas

Description  

• Understand and use appropriate agri-environment schemes and other interventions to contribute to a healthy natural environment that benefits people and the economy (Practitioner)
• Identify appropriate solutions for avoidance, mitigation, compensation of environmental impacts and meeting shared outcomes; and identify opportunities for enhancing the natural environment (Practitioner)
• Understand and apply appropriate management techniques to maintain or enhance the condition of sites (Practitioner)

Competence 2  Professional competency

Detail  

Personal effectiveness –

Description  

· Use insight to identify target audiences and partners and to inform communication objectives, messages and solutions (Practitioner)
· Use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage your audience. (Basic)
· Assess the impact and effectiveness of communication; review achievement of objectives; identify lessons learnt and share feedback (Practitioner)

Competence 3  Professional competency

Detail  

Putting people at the heart of the environment –

Description  

· Nurture trusting partnerships and collaborate to achieve pragmatic outcomes that help deliver the vision, mission and aims of the organisation (Practitioner)
· Deliver the environmental benefits that people and places need most and take practical steps to enhance opportunities for people to access, engage with, enjoy, and take action for the environment. (Practitioner)
· Listen to and understand our diverse partners and customers so that you achieve the best outcomes for them and Natural England (Practitioner)

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. (Practitioner)

Contact and additional information (Recruiters Name, Email and Phone Number)  

Emma Bullock

emma.bullock@naturalengland.org.uk

07880484236

Emma Abrams

emma.abrams@naturalengland.org.uk

07778 829753

• 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 : Emma Bullock
• Email : emma.bullock@naturalengland.org.uk
• Telephone : 07880484236

Recruitment team

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