Sustainable Development Principal Adviser (Ref: 5642)

This position can be based at the following locations: 

Cambridge , Norwich

About NE

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

Working for the Norfolk and Suffolk Area Team

The counties of Norfolk and Suffolk have a wonderful and diverse geology and natural environment, rich in history and habitats. Features range from great swathes of wetlands and heathlands to the striking coastal habitats and marine sites, ancient wood pasture and forests, river valleys and estuaries. They are complemented by the deeply rural nature of our agricultural landscapes.

Partnerships for Nature Recovery are at the heart of everything we do. We work with a wide range of partners and stakeholders, including our Designated Landscape partners, Local Authorities, Water Resource East, The Forestry Commission, Environment Agency, Wildlife Trusts, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, major landowners, farmers and our local communities. We want to help support flourishing landscapes that are a source of rich biodiversity, pride, employment, access and enjoyment.

Role Description

Job Summary

The Principal Adviser will provide leadership and oversight of the Norfolk and Suffolk area team major development programmes – encompassing both our Marine and Terrestrial planning work.

This strategic role will have a particular focus on leading our Nationally Significant Infrastructure Work on land and sea and play an important part in shaping Natural England’s response and securing the maximum benefits for nature. Working closely with the Strategic Solutions Manager (Norfolk and Suffolk team), the Marine Development Principal Adviser (National Team) and in co-ordination with national infrastructure teams they will provide leadership and oversight of our team’s highest opportunity cases and will work across the team to ensure that all aspects of casework (with a focus on Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, NSIPs) are well managed, including risks, legal challenges, communications, and stakeholder management.

They will work closely with our Norfolk and Suffolk county managers and place-based teams to drive opportunities in the areas that will have greatest impact for nature and people.

This is an exciting and fast-paced role, providing an opportunity to lead our major development work, securing sustainable growth and use of our natural resources through nature recovery. The role will have a major focus on developing relationships and partnerships with external stakeholders and industry representatives at all levels to achieve this. They will drive continuous improvement with our team colleagues and be in regular contact with senior leaders across Natural England to horizon scan and to develop innovative solutions for developments to contribute to Nature Recovery.  

This role will also work closely with our Connecting People with Nature colleagues in the Norfolk and Suffolk team and external stakeholders to influence investment in development that provides social benefits to communities through access to high quality greenspace.

They will play a key leadership role within the Area Team and will work closely with our excellent team of Senior Advisers to support team development. Always adopting an inclusive approach and ensuring individual wellbeing can be maintained, they will share their skills and experience through coaching and mentoring colleagues.

Key Tasks and Accountabilities

Provide programme management and strategic leadership for the team, with specific accountability for NSIPs.

• Work as part of the Senior Leadership team with Managers and Deputy Director, providing leadership and governance across the Norfolk and Suffolk team and ensuring our Sustainable Development levers are integrated with our other levers for maximum effect.
• Act as SRO for specific issues and cases as required – providing guidance and support to case teams ensuring delivery as set out in NE’s non-financial scheme of delegation.
• Work collaboratively across the organisation to share best practice and learning.
• Work with case teams to support the effective case handling and delivery of timely and evidence-based advice, attending meetings, examinations and public inquiries/hearings as appropriate.
• Develop strategic level relationships with key partners and customers to provide excellent stakeholder handling and co-design nature recovery solutions.
• Work with partners and national staff to continuously improve our delivery.
• Work with Senior Advisers to develop capability and capacity of the development programme teams through mentoring, coaching, and contributing to relevant learning and development opportunities.
• Work with the business manager to support workforce planning and recruitment to work area.
• May provide line management support for relevant programme Senior Advisors
• Support teams to appropriately manage workflow and implement wellbeing and collaborative working initiatives.
• Work proactively with National Operations and Programme teams including attendance at relevant leadership network meetings (shared with High Risk cases Manager).
• Support the Marine and Terrestrial Development teams on contract management including existing Service Level Agreements with wind farm developers, cost recovery programmes and contract management through the PRAPs framework.
• Lead, with 3 other Area Teams, the Marine Development work in Southern North Sea; representing Norfolk & Suffolk interests on Off-shore Wind Delivery Group.

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 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.  

Area Team roles will be linked with an office in the relevant geographic area of Norfolk and Suffolk.  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.

You will become an active member of the relevant local leadership community, the group of senior Natural England staff in each of the localities across England who we ask to provide support and co-ordination for the local group of staff.

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 & Knowledge
• Leading and managing people
• Putting People at the Heart of the Environment
• Personal Effectiveness

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.

Please note that STAR format is not required when answering the Technical Skills & Knowledge competency.

Next Steps

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.

Additional Information

• A Driving Licence is desirable but not essential for the role.
• Flexible working patterns will generally be accommodated unless stated otherwise.
• Candidates with disabilities will automatically be put forward to the interview stage provided that they satisfy the minimum criteria for the role.

Competencies

Competence 1 

Professional competency

Detail 

Technical Skills and Knowledge

Description 

• Experience of managing senior-level relationships with internal and external partners. (Essential)
  
• Expertise and experience of delivering solutions to address environmental impacts for high- risk planning casework (Essential)
  
• Expertise and experience of applying the Habitats Regulations in complex planning casework to achieve positive environmental outcomes. (Essential)
  
• Knowledge of how strategic plans can contribute to enhancing natural capital through a range of mechanisms such as net gain and green infrastructure. (Essential)
  
• Experience of leading input into Nationally Significant Infrastructure projects (Desirable)

Competence 2 

Professional competency

Detail 

Leading and Managing People

Description

• Develop an inclusive and trusting team environment that positively safeguards team members’ physical and mental wellbeing (Expert)
  
• Set clear plans and expectations for your team, explain reasons behind decisions, be clear on the outcomes to be achieved, and make things happen by sharing and delegating work to the right people (Expert)
  
• Facilitate and support the personal development of people in your team, enabling them to share expertise and continuously learn (Expert)

Competence 3 

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

Competence 4 

Professional competency

Detail 

Personal Effectiveness

Description

• Be ambitious, identify and adopt ways to make improvements in your team and Natural England the organisation you represent and inspire others to act. (Expert)
  
• Use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage your audience. (Expert)
  
• Share expertise and knowledge with people and networks so that you can develop together. (Expert)

• 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 : Hannah Thacker
• Email : Hannah.Thacker@naturalengland.org.uk
• Telephone : 07766133294

Recruitment team

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