Biodiversity Initiatives Officer, Industrial Estates and Business Parks, Pullar House, Perth

Job Description

Biodiversity Initiatives Officer, Industrial Estates and Business Parks (Fixed Term until 31 March 2025) - PKC11569
£30,727 - £33,843
Pullar House, 35 Kinnoull Street, Perth

You will be assisting in the development of a biodiversity and climate action Business Parks and Industrial Estates project across Perth and Kinross. This will involve co-ordinating and facilitating organisations and Businesses within an agreed programme to actively participate in the care of the environment, together with an understanding of environmental issues and biodiversity by exploring and developing best practice.

You will have the opportunity to survey and map each site to create a working framework of potential improvements and enhancements, highlighting habitat and wildlife corridors into the wider countryside or area and checking species databases to discover which species are present.

You will assist each business park or industrial estate in setting up a Volunteer Green Team to raise the staff skill base and active volunteering on each site by way of planning workshops and training days to engage them; then helping to prepare tailored Biodiversity & Climate Action Plans, assisting in the delivery of these plans. There will be a particular focus on enhancing SuDS (sustainable urban drainage) ponds, as well as any need for swales or new raingarden projects.

There will be an opportunity to work with others to widen the project to enable the PKC Climate Change team to advise businesses on sustainability and zero carbon options.

For purposes of connection and collaboration with colleagues and with the community we serve, our full-time employees work on site for a minimum of 2 days per week with the arrangements for part time employees being agreed on a basis which will ensure that they benefit to an equivalent degree.

Our FAQs on hybrid working can be found here Hybrid working FAQs.

We are committed to being a more inclusive employer - to ensure we can consider any reasonable adjustments, please either contact the recruiting manager to discuss any individual circumstances, discuss at interview or, if you prefer, after any conditional offer is made.

Requirements

Your skills, abilities and experience should include:

• Significant, appropriate experience in a work-related discipline with proven experience in the areas relevant to the post.
• Experience in successfully delivering environmental improvement projects/schemes, including an understanding of Health & Safety legislation and preparation of Risk Assessments.
• Experience and understanding of working with the business or voluntary sector, involving a wide range of people in local decision-making.
• Knowledge of biodiversity (especially species and habitats, including nature networks and habitat connections).
• Experience of developing and maintaining positive working relationships with a wide variety of people, from business owners, managers and their staff to local authority staff, from environmental NGOs to individual local community members.
• Experience of developing management plans and/or Action Plans, incorporating feedback from the businesses and staff themselves to ensure workable on-the-ground projects that suit all audiences.
• Experience in organising involvement in national biological surveys and campaigns, together with experience of basic biodiversity data collection, collation and analysis.
• Knowledge and understanding of working with people from a variety of backgrounds and interests.
• Experience of contributing to or running workshops, webinars and conferences.
• Experience in innovative delivery to achieve results.
• Articulate with excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to cope calmly with all situations.
• Experience of preparing copy for different publications including E-News, social media and end-of-project reporting.
• Minimum HND or equivalent in environmental management, ecology or in an environmental subject or related discipline for responsibilities to be undertaken or significant, relevant equivalent experience in a work-related discipline.
• Proven experience in the areas relevant to the post.
• Knowledge of working with the voluntary sector and successfully delivering environmental improvement projects/schemes.
• Knowledge of biodiversity (especially species and habitats, including habitat connections) including experience of basic biodiversity data collection, collation and analysis.
• Excellent organisational and PR skills with the ability to manage a diverse workload, prioritise tasks and meet deadlines.
• Computer literate and proficient in Microsoft Office Word and Excel.
• Experience using GIS/StoryMap (or willingness to undergo training).
• You must have a valid driving licence as this post requires you to travel to a variety of locations across Perth and Kinross.

The Individual

The post will be full time until 31 March 2025.  As funding may continue beyond this date, continuation of the post may be possible subject to confirmation of further funding.

If you would like any more information about this vacancy, please contact Catherine Lloyd at caglloyd@pkc.gov.uk

When completing your application for this post, please ensure that you provide contact details (including e-mail addresses) for two referees.  One should be your current or most recent employer.

Please APPLY ONLINE.  Facilities are available at all public libraries in Perth and Kinross.  If you have a disability and require reasonable adjustments, please call 01738 475555 to discuss.

As part of our safer recruitment measures, any offer of employment will be subject to the successful completion of mandatory checks including eligibility to work in the UK, Disclosure Scotland or PVG, qualifications, references, and fitness to undertake the post.  This may also include an Overseas Criminal Records Check if you have spent time living overseas.

A healthy work life balance is important to Perth & Kinross Council and we provide supportive management and flexible working arrangements to help you achieve a healthy work life balance.  You will have access to training and support for continued professional development.

Some jobs may have been traditionally carried out predominately by one gender, but we would encourage you to apply if you meet the requirements, irrespective of your gender. 

Perth & Kinross Council welcomes applications from former armed forces personnel/reservists.  Many of the skills picked up during your military career could be transferred directly into a role with local government.

At PKC our values and behaviours influence our work and support us in the delivery of the Perth and Kinross Offer.  In your application, and should you be invited to interview, you will be asked to describe situations that support the criteria required in the role and which also demonstrate our values and behaviours.  Find out more about PKC and you could soon be joining our team!

Find out more about working for Perth & Kinross Council and living in one of the most scenic areas of Scotland  Jobs, careers and employment.

What we can do for you

If you are successful in a role with Perth & Kinross Council, you will have access to a range of benefits to help your physical, mental and financial wellbeing.