Landscape Planning Senior Advisor – Ref : 5527

East Midlands (England), East of England, London (region), North East England, North West England, South East England, South West England, West Midlands (England), Yorkshire and the Humber

This position is based Nationally

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 

Our Team

Strategy & Government Advice (S&GA) comprises a number of Programme-facing and cross-cutting teams. The role is based within Natural England’s Planning and Infrastructure Team in S&GA. It offers an opportunity to deliver ambitious conservation outcomes and be at the heart of Natural England’s-response to a changing planning system.

The Strategy & Government Advice Team supports Natural England’s aims by:

• providing advice, support and delivery of work for the four programmes
• advising Government on the development of its environmental policy relevant to our remit
• developing and delivering new programmes and pilots for the government to support major strategies such as the 25-Year Plan
• leading stakeholder relationships with key national-level partners
• developing internal standards and guidance on novel issues

 

Job description   

The Role

England’s designated landscapes (comprising our National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) cover 25% of England’s land mass. They contain some the country’s finest scenery and have cultural and historical significance which goes beyond the ‘view’. They contain some of our most special habitats, have inspired generations of artists and writers, helped to shape the nation’s identity and each year provide millions of people with an opportunity to experience the natural environment; for some this will be for the first time. The memories and associations that people have for these places help to shape and define us and who we are as a nation; they matter.

The role(s) will contribute to the on-going conservation and enhancement of the natural beauty of these places through the provision of advice, including statutory advice, to government on the environmental implications and opportunities of national planning policy and practice. You will also provide guidance and support to Natural England’s Operation Teams delivering statutory planning advice to Local Planning Authorities and the Planning Inspectorate in order that the implications of development on the statutory purposes of these places is made clear to the decision maker.

The Team develops and delivers new approaches to support key 25-Year Environment Plan initiatives and Environmental Improvement Plan targets; leads stakeholder relationships with key national partners and develops internal standards and guidance on novel or complex casework for use by our operation teams and ensures join up across Natural England’s marine and terrestrial planning casework. Fundamental reforms are currently proposed to the planning system through the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, Project Speed and related environmental assessment system reforms.  The successful candidate(s) will play a key role in shaping Natural England’s response to these proposals, help to safeguard and secure opportunities for England’s designated landscapes whilst balancing this with the need for sustainable development.

The postholder(s) will join a small team of Landscape and Seascape Planning Senior Advisers and will use their technical expertise to contribute to Natural England advice on reforms to the land use and infrastructure planning systems on the implications for landscape (especially protected landscapes) and on Natural England’s planning advice.

Key tasks/ accountabilities.

• Work with the Principal Advisers in SGA Planning and Infrastructure team to provide specialist landscape and seascape advice to government and other stakeholders on reforms to the planning and infrastructure planning systems
• Provide technical leadership on landscape and seascape impacts across NE to ensure high quality, consistent landscape planning advice by
• Ensure effective liaison with other landscape teams in NE and with national stakeholders on landscape planning matters
• Provide specialist advice to NE casework advisers on the landscape and seascape impacts and opportunities of high risk, novel or complex Local Plans, NSIPs or other development management casework and cross-cutting landscape casework issues (as required)

 

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.

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

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  

Skills and Knowledge

 

Description   

• Significant technical expertise and experience in landscape planning including in landscape character, design, landscape assessments and monitoring (Essential)
  • Technical expertise and experience in seascape planning (Desirable)
  • Good understanding and experience of spatial planning and infrastructure planning systems and processes on land and Sea and Environmental Assessment processes and Environmental Impact assessment (SEA and EIA), (Essential)
  • Relevant degree e.g. landscape/ planning/ environmental assessment or equivalent level of applied experience (Essential)
  Member of Landscape Institute (Desirable)

 

Competence 2   

Professional competency

 

Detail   

Creating resilient landscapes and seas

 

Description   

• Identify and apply relevant planning and environmental legislation, policies and processes to deliver effective and proportionate evidence-based solutions and advice (Practitioner).
  • Apply landscape planning and design principles in order to advise on the impacts of development on landscape/seascape character (Practitioner)

 

Competence 3   

Professional competency

 

Detail   

Personal Effectiveness

 

Description   

• Use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage your audience (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 (Practitioner)

 

Competence 4   

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 Natural England ( Expert)
  • Nurture trusting partnerships and collaborate to achieve pragmatic outcomes that help deliver Natural England’s vision, mission and aims ( Expert)

Please refer to Job Description

Alongside your salary of £33,736, Natural England contributes
£9,142 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• 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%

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

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Job contact :

• Name : Alex Southcott
• Email : alex.southcott@naturalengland.org.uk
• Telephone : 07788185648

Recruitment team

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