Natural England
Area Team Higher Officer - ( Ref : 6771 )
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South West England
Job Summary
This position can be based at Exeter or Truro
Job Description
Our team covers Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, working across some of England’s most diverse and inspiring landscapes. From the granite uplands of Bodmin Moor and Dartmoor to the dramatic coastlines, estuaries and river valleys of the South West, the area is rich in natural beauty, wildlife, numerous protected landscapes, rivers and cultural heritage.
The region’s natural environment underpins its farming, fishing and tourism industries, making it an exciting place to support sustainable land management. Agriculture is a dominant land use across much of the area, creating unique opportunities to work with farmers and land managers to improve water quality, enhance biodiversity, strengthen climate resilience and support productive farm businesses.
As a Natural England Higher Officer, you will work where farming and nature come together. The role offers the chance to help deliver practical environmental improvements across some of the country’s most valued landscapes, supporting nature recovery while building trusted relationships with farmers and rural communities. This makes the role varied, rewarding and highly visible, with the opportunity to see the impact of your work first-hand.
The team is based at the Met Office in Exeter and Milestone House in Truro. The successful candidate will undertake regular site visits, typically at least two each week, providing plenty of opportunities to spend time on farms and in the landscapes, they help to shape. You will also work closely with colleagues across Natural England and the wider Greener Farming team, sharing expertise and supporting the delivery of environmental outcomes across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
The role reports to a Senior Manager for line management, while technical advice and support is provided by senior officers from the relevant work areas.
Key Tasks/Principal Accountabilities
- Engage with landowners/land managers and stakeholders, including statutory undertakers and agencies, to deliver improvements to the condition of habitats and species on protected sites. When required, this will involve undertaking site visits.
- Support farmers and landowners to improve water quality alongside long-term sustainable food production/agricultural transition and natural flood management.
- Contribute to the production of strategic plans, working closely with partner agencies and private companies.
- Negotiate Agri-environment schemes to help support and deliver improvements in the condition of protected sites and deliver nature recovery in the wider landscape.
- Apply technical knowledge and advice on protected sites casework such as assessing proposals for activities affecting Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
- Apply relevant legislation, policy and governance frameworks to ensure consistent advice and messages are delivered to customers.
- Collaborate with partners and stakeholders to identify and deliver shared objectives.
- Take responsibility for ensuring personal safe working in line with corporate guidance.
Knowledge, Skills & Experience
This role demands a good understanding of the relevant work area and ability to give high-quality advice to customers and partners. The role holder must be able to communicate clearly, both verbally and in writing (Essential)
A good knowledge of agri-environment grant schemes, catchment sensitive farming practices, ecology of priority habitats and species and protected sites regulatory mechanisms. (Essential)
The role holder will understand key ecological processes and regulatory mechanisms systems as they apply to local landscapes and will have expertise of coordinating delivery at this scale. (Desirable)
Experience of building pragmatic working relationships with partners and stakeholders (Essential)
A relevant academic qualification or significant equivalent industry experience and knowledge will be needed alongside the ability to gain additional technical knowledge at pace. (Essential)
Competence in the use of IT and the ability to drive for remote site visits will also be necessary. (Essential)
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Competencies
Competence 1
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 (Practitioner)
Nurture trusting partnerships and collaborate to achieve pragmatic outcomes that help deliver the organisation’s vision, mission and aims. (Practitioner)
Competence 2
Professional competency
Detail
Work Delivery
Description
Manage and deliver your work to meet agreed targets and deadlines. (Practitioner)
Handle data responsibly, understand your role in good governance, and comply with delegations, policies, and procedures (Practitioner)
Competence 3
Professional competency
Detail
Personal Effectiveness
Description
Use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage your audience. (basic)
Act with integrity, addressing challenging issues and managing conflict through being open and objective (Practitioner)
Share expertise and knowledge with people and networks so that you can develop together (Practitioner)
Competence 4
Professional competency
Detail Instance 4
Creating Resilient Landscapes and Seas
Description Instance 4
Technical skills and knowledge
Applicants should have a relevant degree in an environmental discipline/ conservation, or agriculture, or significant practical experience of working in the environmental sector.
Knowledge of ecological principles and the ecology of habitats or species groups, and their management.
An understanding of protected sites legislation and/or understanding of agricultural and land management practices.
Experience of analysing data/evidence to inform decision making.
Person specification
Please Refer To Job Description
Alongside your salary of £33,780, Natural England contributes £9,786 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
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 employer contribution of 28.97%
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
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Selection process details
Please Refer To Job Description
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
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 a new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact :
- Name : Owen Standen
- Email : Owen.Standen@naturalengland.org.uk
- Telephone : 07552268056
Recruitment team
Email : defra-recruitment-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
Further information
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