Senior Adviser, Ancient Woodland Inventory – Ref : 5630

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

• The Science Directorate is part of the Chief Scientists Directorate (CSD) in Natural England. CSD is responsible for Natural England’s Science, Evidence and Evaluation Strategy and supports its implementation to ensure Natural England is an evidence-led organisation. The Science Directorate leads on the development and application of natural, economic and social science and evidence to drive and enable the achievement of environmental outcomes both within Natural England and externally.

 

 

 

Job description   

The Ancient Woodland Inventory (AWI) in England identifies, locates, and classifies ancient woodland an irreplaceable resource, in the country. It is compiled and maintained by Natural England. The Inventory was first developed in the 1980s as a paper-based map. The inventory did not however include small woods and the project is capturing ancient woodland down to 0.25ha. To address this and benefiting from up-to-date GIS mapping technology, the AWI update project was set up in 2019. Underpinned by significant financial contributions and support, the project is also enabling ancient woodland pasture parkland sites to be mapped.

Following an agreed methodology, the work is being progressed on a county by county basis by Local Environmental Record Centres. This includes some Wildlife Trusts. The first phase of the project which generates a map showing woodland that is present on both historic and modern day maps has been completed for over half the counties. Natural England has also begun receiving the first complete datasets for some counties. The final inventory will be published on MAGIC and Webmap.

The AWI is used to support work on woodland protection, restoration and enhancement of landscapes, as well as engaging people in the origins of wooded landscapes. It is also increasingly used by planning authorities, developers and others to meet requirements under the National Planning Policy Framework.

This revision will provide a step-change in the accuracy and reliability of the dataset using the latest GIS mapping, aerial imagery and advances in the availability and interpretation of historical map

sources, along with field checking.

We are looking for an enthusiastic individual to lead this important area of work. This is an exciting opportunity to make a real contribution. Whilst the update is due for formal completion in 2025, there will be ongoing work beyond this.

This is an important leadership role and as well as working closely with other woodland experts within Natural England, you will lead relationships with key partners and stakeholders, including the Woodland Trust and Local Environmental Record Centres. You will need to ensure that the programme remains on track which will include taking budget responsibility and reporting to a programme board of external partners and stakeholders including Defra. There will be a need for creativity and innovative as the programme nears it completion, for example incepting new processes with others (for example managing the publication of data), providing improvements (for example around data) and addressing new challenges.  

You will fulfil an important functional role, providing support and direction to two other staff inputting to the update programme including from a technical and quality assurance perspective. One of these staff will keep a detailed project management tracker up to date, monitoring progress, risks and issues in support of the programme.  

A proven technical understanding and experience of ancient woodland/woodland habitats is key – in taking an overview of the programme, the post holder will need to speak with credibility and authority. They will need to have excellent communications skills (verbal and written) with an ability to establish productive ways of working with others both internally and externally to achieve shared outcomes. The role holder will oversee the provision of technical support and quality assurance of data provided by Local Environmental Record Centres. To facilitate this, a good working knowledge of GIS is important. The role holder will have the ability to make decisions and provide advice based on best available science and evidence, ensuring as part of this that proposals and actions are evidence-based.  

Working with colleagues and external partners and stakeholders, the role will make an important contribution to the delivery of the nature recovery agenda for woodlands and wider habitats.  

You will be based within the Woodland, Trees and Urban team, which is one of three teams based within our Habitats Team, a large and varied national team of over forty dispersed staff within the Science Directorate. The team covers terrestrial and coastal habitats. A range of inputs are provided by the Habitats Team:

• Expert advice, support, challenge and quality assurance on high risk or high opportunity casework across habitats, including inputs to help develop strategic solutions
• Influencing the nature recovery agenda for habitats; maintaining and improving the condition of habitats within and outside protected sites including through the design and implementation of mechanisms such as the environmental land management scheme and net gain
• Provision of specialist advice on site designations; and, tackling barriers to nature recovery through inputs and collaboration to major programmes
• We base our inputs on the best available science and evidence and provide our environmental leadership both internally and through our external partnerships

The Habitats team makes an important contribution to Natural England’s Science and Evidence Programme and Natural England’s Science, Evidence and Evaluation Strategy. The team sits within the Science Directorate alongside six other Manager-led teams.

Key tasks and accountabilities  

•  Provide leadership of the AWI update programme, a significant evidence project, ensuring outputs are delivered on budget and on time, with risks and uncertainties accounted for.
• Act as an advocate for the Programme both within and external to Natural England. Compile progress reports, high quality information, briefings and other communications materials as required.
• Lead external partner and stakeholder relations, including partnerships with the Local Environmental Record Centres, Woodland Trust, Wildlife Trusts, Defra.    
• Assess the needs of existing partnerships to ensure full engagement with the Programme, including contributing financial support and/or other resources where appropriate.
• Ensure all interested parties are fully engaged with their respective roles within the Programme.
• Oversee the provision of technical support and quality assurance of data including as provided by Local Environmental Record Centres, making decisions and providing advice based on best available science and evidence.
• Provide functional support and direction to other staff working on the programme. This to include technical inputs, including to ensure the maintenance and adherence of approach against data standards and protocols.
• Work with internal Data Services to ensure deadlines are met for the publication of the AWI. 
• Work with Natural England internal communications and external partners to communicate and notify interested parties when AWI update data is published.

 Skills and knowledge 

• The ideal candidate will be qualified to degree level desirably in an environmental/ geographical discipline or can demonstrate equivalent experience.
• An understanding of issues facing ancient woodlands and knowledge or experience of environmental legislation and protection is essential or can demonstrate commitment and drive to discover more about ancient woodlands and ensure their better protection and management; this will keep you focused on the end goal during the complexity of this challenging role.   
• An understanding and knowledge of the collection, critical analysis, interpretation, and presentation of evidence using quantitative and qualitative means.
• Experience in providing technical support and quality assurance to others and/or of data sets.  
• A good working knowledge of GIS.  
• A good innovation and problem solving ability.
• Some experience of project/management ideally including commissioning, engagement with external contractors and budget management, or can demonstrate an understanding and knowledge of the principles underpinning excellent project management.  
• Excellent communications skills (verbal and written), including ability to build trustworthy  partnerships with others, and to convey technical information to non-specialists.

 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
• 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.

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. 

Additional Information 

If you are successful at the shortlisting stage, you will be invited to attend an interview either face to face or via MS Teams, 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. Flexible working patterns will generally be accommodated unless stated otherwise.

 

 

Competencies

 

Competence 1   

Professional competency

 

Detail   

Technical Skills and Knowledge (250 words)

 

Description   

• An understanding of issues facing ancient woodlands and knowledge or experience of environmental legislation and protection or, can
  demonstrate commitment and drive to discover more about ancient woodlands and ensure their better protection and management
  (Essential)
  • A good working knowledge of GIS (Essential)
  • An understanding and knowledge of the collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of evidence including an ability to make
  decisions and provide advice based on best available science and evidence (Essential)
  • Be effective in communicating (verbally and in written form) to multiple audiences, internal and external, ideally with experience of
  dealing with local authorities, regulators, consultants and developers (Essential)

 

Competence 2   

Professional competency

 

Detail   

Personal Effectiveness (250 words)

 

Description   

• Test and challenge others in a constructive and evidence-based way providing scientific scrutiny, challenge and assurance to casework
  and other delivery that is practical and, where appropriate, cross-disciplinary (Expert)
  • Understand the full context of each case or project you work on and use interpretive, evaluative, analytical and problem-solving skills to
  make informed decisions about it (Expert)

 

Competence 3   

Professional competency

 

Detail   

Putting people at the heart of the environment (250 words)

 

Description   

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

 

Competence 4   

Professional competency

 

Detail   

Work delivery (250 words)

 

Description   

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

Please refer to Job Description

Alongside your salary of £36,098, Natural England contributes
£9,782 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 : Ann Lazenby
• Email : Ann.lazenby@naturalengland.org.uk
• Telephone : 07342 065322

Recruitment team

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