Assistant Database Officer

How to apply: Send your CV and a covering letter to careers@naturespaceuk.com by 9am on Monday 27th May 2024. Please include the job title that you are applying for in the subject line in the email and let us know if you require any assistance in the application process, so that we can make any reasonable adjustments.

Duration: Full time (32hrs, 4-day week*)

*We are conducting a gold standard 4 day week trial until 31st December 2024, with possibility to become a permanent change. Full time hours outside of the trial are 40hrs per week, Monday to Friday.

Location: Flexible within the UK, home-based

The role 

As our new Assistant Database Officer, you will be supporting the maintenance of data standards and quality assuring our company’s varied data sets. You will play a pivotal role in maintaining data quality within the company’s newly launched CRM system. You will work across the company, supporting smooth data integration across teams and supporting effective information flow across the company.

You will be part of the Strategy Team, whose wider work supports both the company’s current operations as well as having an eye on the future. Within this team you be working closely with a small group who are focused on data management and analytics. You will be based in the data management work stream working closely with the Senior Data Manager.

You will have the opportunity to work with data across every aspect of the business. A key part of this role will be to support the development and implementation of new data management procedures and best practice guidance. Outside of your key responsibilities there will be scope to broaden your experience in your areas of personal interest.

The role would suit an ambitious early-career graduate or someone seeking a career transition into a data-based role. The ideal candidate will be highly numeric with excellent attention to detail and with some experience of data cleaning/processing.

Key responsibilities: 

• Work closely with the Senior Data Manager to support the maintenance of high-quality data across the company.
• To quality assure data within the CRM system, running standardised checks to minimise common data errors.
• To support and feed back to the wider team on the current data requirements and standards.
• To standardise and quality assure data in other areas of the company, primarily stored in MS Access and MS Excel.
• Assist the wider team in developing and implementing improvements in data management across the organisation.
• Assist in writing data management policies and supporting documentation.
• Assist with the production of accurate reports to project partners, the company board, the regulator, and other stakeholders in a timely manner as required.
• Respond efficiently to data requests from other departments.

Essential skills, knowledge, and experience: 

• A relevant degree level qualification in an environmental or data science sector, or other related discipline, with a demonstrable numeric focus. The ability to demonstrate equivalent work-related experience would also be considered.
• Experience of working with data sets (experience of processing or cleaning data would be an advantage).
• Knowledge of what good data quality is.
• Competent in the use of Microsoft packages such as Excel and Word.
• Demonstrable traits in attention to detail and conscientiousness.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, particularly when explaining numerical data.
• Self-motivated and independent – able to work flexibly with minimal supervision.

Desirable skills, knowledge, and experience:  

• Enthusiasm for wildlife conservation in the UK. Conservation is at the heart of what we do.
• Experience in the use of databases or basic understanding of relational database principles (Zoho One, Zoho CRM or another CRM system is not essential but would be an advantage).
• Experience of working in deadline-driven work environments.
• Familiarity with a coding language such as R, Python or SQL would be beneficial but not essential.
• Experience using QGIS or ArcGIS would be beneficial but not essential.

Company background

Great crested newts have declined dramatically in the UK over the last 50 years and although still widespread across lowland England they are no longer common. Despite protection under UK and European wildlife law, numbers are still declining, and habitat loss is their biggest threat.

In 2018 the NatureSpace District Licensing Scheme was launched – set up in partnership with national freshwater and amphibian Non-Governmental Organisations NGOs as well as seven local planning authorities across the South Midlands. Since then, the scheme has expanded nationally and now covers over 60 local planning authorities across Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Milton Keynes, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Staffordshire, Surrey and West Sussex.

 The scheme allows planning authorities to authorise (under strictly defined terms) activities which affect great crested newts at the same time as they grant planning permission. The District Licensing Scheme has significant advantages for newt conservation and wider biodiversity benefits through a fully funded region-wide conservation strategy that creates high-quality habitat at a landscape scale and delivers long-term management and monitoring for newts, which is delivered via our partners at the Newt Conservation Partnership. The scheme benefits developers because the licensing process for great crested newts is simplified and streamlined.

 NatureSpace also work with national infrastructure providers, such as Network Rail, to help them secure and deliver 'Organisational Licences' for protected species with the same conservation deliverables. The schemes are administered by NatureSpace, are regulated, and approved by Natural England and are supported by the country’s leading amphibian and freshwater NGOs – the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust and Freshwater Habitats Trust.

Company culture, employment benefits and location

NatureSpace Partnership is a small (c.50 staff) but busy and rapidly growing company. Being a small organisation, everyone has a big say in what we do and how we do it. Our agility and size mean that your voice will be heard, and you will have the opportunity to directly see the results of your work.

Work/life balance is important to us. We actively support flexible working arrangement so that our work fits in with our lives and we are open to exploring how this role could best work for you.

The successful candidate/s will be joining a friendly, close-working team of home-workers and will have responsibility for managing their workload and working independently as part of a dispersed national team. The post requires high levels of motivation and high standards of self-management. Location is entirely flexible within the UK - this post will be mainly desk-based but some travelling to meetings in central England may be required.

NatureSpace embraces equal opportunities, diversity and inclusion and we welcome applications from all suitable qualified and experienced individuals. To build a team of the most talented employees, NatureSpace is committed to being a flexible employer and we place considerable emphasis on wellbeing and job satisfaction.

We offer a significant benefits package for all staff including flexible working with an extended 4-day working week trial during 2024, time off-in-lieu (TOIL) or overtime pay (in agreement with your line manager), 20 annual leave days (which equates to 5-weeks off per year in light of the 4-day working week, plus bank holidays, weekday birthdays and additional holiday over the Christmas period), an annual performance bonus of up to 20% of your pay, company pension contributions, company private health and life insurance, plus the option to join our electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme.

Applicants must have the legal right to live and work in the UK.

Closing date for applications: 9am on Monday 27th May 2024.

Interview dates: You will be notified by Wednesday 5th June 2024 if you have been selected for interview; with interviews being held virtually (via Microsoft Teams) week commencing Monday 10th June 2024.

Expected start date: 1st August 2024.