Nature Recovery Policy Senior Adviser – Ref : 5556

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

Please refer to Job Description

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
• 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 Team

Natural England’s mission of ‘Building Partnerships for Nature’s Recovery’ underpins our ambition to create wide reaching impact through four integrated programmes: Greener Farming and Fisheries, Sustainable Development, Connecting People with Nature and Resilient Landscapes and Seas.

 

The Nature Recovery Team sits within the Strategy & Government Advice Directorate. Our aim is for ‘Thriving, resilient, functioning landscapes and seas, rich in plants, wildlife and character, providing wide ranging benefits for nature climate and people.’

 

The Nature Recovery Team works with Defra, other government departments, statutory agencies, and stakeholders to enable Natural England to achieve the ambitions of the Environmental Improvement Plan including Nature Recovery. Working collaboratively across national and area teams, we provide evidence-based advice that informs national policy development and implementation. 

Job description   

We are seeking to recruit three Senior Advisers, working within one of the Biodiversity Policy and/or Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) Teamlets, part of Nature Recovery Team. The roles are an exciting opportunity to use your understanding and enthusiasm for nature to shape how the ambitions of Nature Recovery are achieved.

 

Natural England has been charged by the government to take a leading role supporting the process of producing LNRSs to cover all of England. How do we take legislation and achieve collaborative decision making for nature that reaches out across sectors, business and society? How do we make sure everyone is equipped to engage? Your role as part of the LNRS teamlet will be to help us answer these questions and then help us make them happen.

 

A significant focus for the Biodiversity Policy Teamlet is working with government to help deliver the 30×30 commitment. New international biodiversity targets under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) were agreed as part of the global deal for biodiversity at the Kunming/Montreal COP15. Of these the ‘30×30’ commitment, to put in place effective protection and conservation measures for 30 per cent of our land and seas by 2030, is a key government commitment and central to its Environmental Improvement Plan. Natural England has committed to leading on accreditation and standard setting for England on 30×30. We will be instrumental in working through robust assessment criteria for land and sea to be counted towards the 30% and agreeing this with ministers and Defra as the English interpretation of the international commitment. As an outcome, we will have confidence that land and sea under the 30% criteria is delivering for nature, but is also deliverable so that relevant stakeholders, landowners and land managers can apply them.

 

The Nature Recovery Team works flexibly in response to demands and pressures and team members work across the breadth of the team’s work plan as required. Tasks for the roles include:

 

Key Tasks/Principal Accountabilities

 

DEFRA

 

• Collaborate with Defra and relevant NE leads across existing and emerging policy mechanisms and guidance, to develop advice for Defra and ensure that draft 30×30 assessment criteria are tested and embedded, and that the developing criteria are fit for purpose in practice.
• Collaborate with Defra, EA and FC using your policy knowledge to develop advice notes and other products to help drive the level of ambition and quality in LNRS and 30×30
• Work with Defra and other partner organisations to help to deliver accreditation and standard setting for the 30×30 commitment and support roll out of LNRSs.

 

Project Management

 

• Demonstrate project management skills, working in a timely and productive way within the team to meet key milestones, and contribute to reporting tasks as necessary.
• Working within the project team and drawing support from CSD colleagues, assist in quantifying progress and provide recommendations as to how further progress can be achieved.

 

Communications

 

• Support the development of internal and external communications with the aim of increasing knowledge of Nature Recovery, 30×30 and LNRS, helping others align their work accordingly.
• Plan and deliver engagement with other teams in Natural England, including the operations directorate to help colleagues incorporate and make best use of LNRS in their work.

 

Evidence & Evaluation

 

• Work with Defra team to ensure appropriate an Evaluation Strategy for 30×30 & LNRS is in place and necessary data is being collected.
• Work collaboratively across Defra (including Defra Local Delivery Team), Natural England, JNCC and relevant external stakeholders to ensure 30×30 and LNRS related policies and processes are developed using the best evidence & input.

 

Wider Contribution

 

• Act as a role model for Natural England’s ways of working and lead by example in complying with Natural England’s procedures.
• Support the wider biodiversity policy work of the Nature Recovery Team.
• Work with area teams to ensure their staff have the capacity and skills required to be able to support delivery of Nature Recovery, LNRS and 30×30 assessment in their area. This includes involvement in recruitment and the creation and delivery of a technical and leadership training package for internal and external colleagues, including responsible authorities and key local stakeholders.
• Keep marine colleagues up to date with the work of the 30×30 and LNRS projects so that marine elements can be built in and learning shared where relevant (although primarily covering the terrestrial environment in the first instance).

 

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: 

 

• Personal Effectiveness
• Putting People at the Heart of the Environment
• Work Delivery
• Leading and Managing People
• Technical Skills and 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.  

 

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 five 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

 

Competence 1   

Professional competency

 

Detail   

Personal Effectiveness

 

Description   

• Make and explain objective decisions which combine your professional judgement and evidence. (Expert)
  • Be ambitious, identify and adopt ways to make improvements in your team and the organisation you represent and inspire others to act. (Practitioner)
  • Act with integrity, addressing challenging issues and managing conflict through being open and objective. (Practitioner)
  • Use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage your audience. (Practitioner)
  • Share expertise and knowledge with people and networks so that you can develop together (Practitioner)

 

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 you represent. (Practitioner)
  • Nurture trusting partnerships and collaborate to achieve pragmatic outcomes that help deliver the organisation you represents vision, mission and aims. (Practitioner)

 

Competence 3   

Professional competency

 

Detail  

Work Delivery

 

Description  

• Manage and deliver your work to meet agreed targets and deadlines. (Expert)
  • Identify, monitor and plan how to mitigate or respond to risks and issues and implement the responses (Practitioner)
  • Handle data responsibly, understand your role in good governance, and comply with delegations, policies and procedures. (Practitioner)

 

Competence 4   

Professional competency

 

Detail   

Leading and Managing People

 

Description   

• Encourage, inspire and support people to be ambitious, creative and innovative, and to reflect, celebrate and learn lessons from their work. (Practitioner)

 

Competence 5   

Professional competency

 

Detail   

Technical Skills and Knowledge

 

Description   

• Substantial knowledge of existing biodiversity legislation and policy, including the Environmental Improvement Plan, Environment Act, LNRS, CBD and 30×30. (Essential)
  • Understanding of the management and protection of terrestrial sites for the conservation of biodiversity. (Essential)
  • Understanding of the concept of nature-based solutions. (Essential)
  • Understanding of the land use planning system in England. (Essential)
  • Ability to analyse and synthesise technical material including data and scientific/technical literature. (Essential

This position is based Nationally

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 : Nicole Dennis
• Email : Nicole.dennis@naturalengland.org.uk
• Telephone : 07787 250773

Recruitment team

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