Senior Landscape Adviser – Ref : 5540

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

Natural England is the government’s adviser for the natural environment in England with a responsibility to help to protect and restore our natural world. Natural England is the Government’s Statutory Adviser on landscapes in England, with wide ranging landscape duties and powers including for conserving and enhancing landscape, monitoring and research, and landscape designation.

 

Natural England’s Strategy and Government Advice Team advises the Government on the development of its environmental policy, develops and delivers new programmes and pilots to support major strategies, leads stakeholder relationships with key national-level partners and develops internal standards and guidance on key issues. 

 

Sitting within Strategy and Government Advice, and working alongside the Protected Sites Team, the Landscape, Heritage and Geodiversity team provides strong, strategic leadership for England’s landscapes, with the objective of embedding landscape considerations into key projects. The team are pivotal in building relationships and engaging with key stakeholders and partners to ensure that Landscape, Heritage and Geodiversity is a core consideration in all our place-based projects within and outside the organisation. 

 

We are working on an ambitious programme of landscape designations, and developing alternative landscape approaches, working in collaboration with partners to ensure England’s landscapes contribute to the challenges of climate change, nature recovery and people’s connection with nature. We deliver landscape-related internal and external communications and facilitate cross-organisational learning opportunities and networks, providing supporting tools as necessary. 

Job description  

About Natural England

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

 

 

Do you have a passion for England’s landscapes?  Would you enjoy working on high profile landscape projects such as the designation of future protected landscapes, the development of Protected Landscape Management Plan Guidance and Natural England’s response to the legislation changes resulting from the Glover Landscapes Review?  Would you welcome the opportunity to share your landscape expertise with colleagues and work closely with partners and communities to secure significant landscape enhancements and nature recovery?

An exciting opportunity has arisen to work in Natural England’s Strategy and Government Advice Team as a Senior Landscape Adviser.  We are seeking three senior advisers (two full time and one part time) for individuals with Landscape expertise, project management, partnership working and great communication skills to join our team.

Job Description 

 

We are seeking three Senior Landscape Advisers (two full time, one part time) to work across the organisation and beyond to focus on embedding Landscape as a key consideration within all Natural England’s initiatives and strategies.  The post-holder would also be required to advocate NE’s Landscape priorities with our key partners in Government, and to drive forward key projects including our exciting and ambitious Landscape Programme.

 

This role will have a strong understanding of strategic direction and play a key role delivering the organisation’s aims through project delivery. You will manage partnership and contractual relations, along with technical support and advice, to key partners and stakeholders, including internally to Natural England’s Area Teams. The nurturing of internal and external relations will be important as will taking an integrated perspective on what is needed to make places more resilient, drawing out Natural England’s distinct role and contribution to this.  

 

You will be an organised, collaborative, good communicator and creative thinker. It is desirable you have chartered membership of a relevant professional landscape/ environmental organisation (e.g. Landscape Institute) though this is not essential.

 

You’ll show change leadership for your work area and help embed this change and bring people with you. You will work closely with the team’s Principal Advisers as well as other Senior and Lead Advisers to deliver an exciting and ambitious programme of work.  
 
Specific work projects will be finalised collaboratively on appointment and based on team priorities but may include: 
 

• Develop and roll out guidance for statutory Protected Landscape Management Plans – working collaboratively with NE colleagues, stakeholders and partners.

 

• Support Natural England Area Team colleagues working with individual Protected Landscapes on their Management Plan Reviews.

 

• Deliver new AONB Partnership Guidance taking into account recommendations from the Glover Landscapes Review.

 

• Work with others across Natural England and externally to development the Outcomes Framework for Protected Landscapes, which links to government targets and priorities including the Environment Act and Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP).

 

• Manage specific aspects of the delivery of the Landscape Designations Programme announced in April 2021 including:

 

• Taking a lead for or providing support for one of the following projects: the proposed extensions to the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) or Chilterns AONB, the potential new AONB designations in the Cheshire Sandstone Ridge or Yorkshire Wolds. 
• This will involve building an understanding of the landscape designation process including the assessment of natural beauty, project and risk management, leading consultancy contracts, stakeholder engagement and clear communications.

Note: Experience relating to the assessment of natural beauty and the designation process for landscape designation is desirable but not essential as training can be provided; likewise, MS Project experience is desirable but not essential as training will be provided.
 

• Contribute to the delivery of wider landscape programmes/ initiatives such as strengthening the National Character Area profiles, developing progress around local landscape designations, and considering alternative approaches to landscape designation.

 

• Support for NE’s internal Area Teams by providing specialist technical advice on landscape, both within and outside designated landscapes.

 

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.

 

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
• 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.

 

If you are successful at the shortlisting stage, you will be invited to attend an interview via MS Teams or a suitable alternative, where you will be asked to give examples for all four competencies as set out in the Job Description.

 

Successful candidates will be allocated roles in merit order based on scores achieved at interview and in accordance with location preferences, taking into account the work area to which successful candidates are most suited, wherever possible.

 

Competencies 
 
Technical Skills and Knowledge

 

• Have a strong understanding of our statutory responsibilities and processes including legislation and governance frameworks and have experience of working within these. (Essential)
• Knowledge and understanding of England’s landscape including landscape character assessment and other tools. (Essential)
• Understanding and experience of the purposes and governance of National Parks and AONBs, and how they contribute to NE’s remit. (Essential)
• Practical experience of delivering outcomes with protected landscapes. (Essential)
• Understanding of schemes and programmes delivered by NE including shaping Defra-led agricultural policy, Connecting People with Nature and Nature Recovery. (Essential)

 

Putting People at the Heart of the Environment

 

• Nurture trusting partnerships and collaborate to achieve pragmatic outcomes that help deliver the vision, mission and aims of the organisation you represent. (Practitioner)
• Listen to and understand our diverse partners and customers so that you achieve the best outcomes for them and the organisation you represent. (Practitioner)
• Work proactively and collaboratively with stakeholders and partners to identify and secure opportunities to deliver gains for people and nature. (Practitioner)

 

 

 

 

Personal Effectiveness

 

• Be ambitious, identify and adopt ways to make improvements in your team and the organisation you represent and inspire others to act. (Practitioner)
• Share expertise and knowledge with people and networks so that you can develop together. (Practitioner)

 

Work Delivery

• Manage and deliver your work to meet agreed targets and deadlines. (Expert)
• Understand and apply relevant policy, legislation, governance frameworks and strategies to your work. (Practitioner) 

Additional Information

This is a nationally dispersed team, so location is flexible.

 

Competencies

 

Competence 1   

Professional competency

 

Detail   

Technical Skills and Knowledge

 

Description   

• Have a strong understanding of our statutory responsibilities and processes including legislation and governance frameworks and have experience of working within these. (Essential)
  · Knowledge and understanding of England’s landscape including landscape character assessment and other tools. (Essential)
  · Understanding and experience of the purposes and governance of National Parks and AONBs, and how they contribute to NE’s remit. (Essential)
  · Practical experience of delivering outcomes with protected landscapes. (Essential)
  · Understanding of schemes and programmes delivered by NE including shaping Defra-led agricultural policy, Connecting People with Nature and Nature Recovery. (Essential)

 

Competence 2   

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 you represent. (Practitioner)
  • Listen to and understand our diverse partners and customers so that you achieve the best outcomes for them and the organisation you represent. (Practitioner)
  • Work proactively and collaboratively with stakeholders and partners to identify and secure opportunities to deliver gains for people and nature. (Practitioner)

 

Competence 3   

Professional competency

 

Detail  

Personal Effectiveness

 

Description   

• Be ambitious, identify and adopt ways to make improvements in your team and the organisation you represent and inspire others to act. (Practitioner)
  • Share expertise and knowledge with people and networks so that you can develop together. (Practitioner)

 

Competence 4   

Professional competency

 

Detail  

Work Delivery

 

Description   

• Manage and deliver your work to meet agreed targets and deadlines. (Expert)
  • Understand and apply relevant policy, legislation, governance frameworks and strategies to your work. (Practitioner)

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 : Kay Bradbury
• Email : kay.bradbury@naturalengland.org.uk
• Telephone : 07586 704716

Recruitment team

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