Sustainable Development Lead Adviser X2

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 Wessex Area Team

The Wessex Area looks after the natural environment in the counties of Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire and the unitary authorities of Swindon, Bournemouth and Poole, Bristol City, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Bath and North-East Somerset. 

Wessex is made up of diverse and rich landscapes, we have upland heaths and mires on Exmoor, wetlands on the Somerset Levels; woodlands and extensive plains on the surrounding hills; the unique Severn Estuary; chalk grasslands and rivers in Wiltshire and Dorset; heaths, harbours, and rich marine habitats off the Dorset coast; all vital for wildlife and much-loved by people.

We work with a wide range of people and organisations to take the action required to rebuild a sustainable environment in support of the Governments 25 Year Environment Plan and net zero commitments.

We have staff based in offices at: Bridgwater, Bristol, and Dorchester.

Role Description

The way we seek to secure better outcomes for nature is changing. The Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan makes clear the importance of working through spatial planning and development frameworks to tackle nature recovery and climate change and using tools like ‘net gain’ to deliver green infrastructure and grow natural capital. We have exciting opportunities to work with partners on that agenda as part of our role on advising on major projects and plans.

We are looking for an innovative person with knowledge of planning and nature conservation who is interested in working with our partners and customers to trial new approaches that secure positive environmental outcomes for the natural environment.

The Sustainable Development Lead Adviser will:

• Respond to local plan and local development consultations using an evidence-based approach to provide clear and pragmatic advice, according to NE’s professional and customer service standards, adding value to achieve the best possible outcomes for Natural England’s objectives.
• Seek and take opportunities for income generation through our Discretionary Advice Service including preparing Customer Contracts and delivering the service specified.
• Build partnerships with customers, partners and stakeholders (primarily LPAs and developers) to resolve complex and often contentious planning issues and to develop collaborative strategic land use approaches to conserving and enhancing the natural environment.
• Contribute to internal business improvement projects, planning, organising, monitoring, and measuring delivery against ambitious outcome-focused targets.
• Participate in relevant internal networks to ensure personal development and the timely exchange of information and best practice and identifying more effective ways of working through collating lessons learned.
• Use knowledge and skills consistently and flexibly to support the team’s work and supports managers by showing leadership, initiative and sharing expertise with others.
• Work with a range of partners, customers, and colleagues to implement changes in work delivery to ensure excellent customer service at all times and to increase efficiency, effectiveness and consistency.

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.

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:

• Personal Effectiveness
• Work Delivery
• Creating Resilient Landscapes and Seas
• Technical Skills & Knowledge

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.

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 4 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.

Competence 1 - Technical Skills and Knowledge

• A relevant degree and/or experience in a related field (essential)
• Knowledge of and experience of working within the marine and/ or terrestrial statutory planning system and how nature is incorporated into our advice (essential)
• Knowledge and experience of applying relevant legislation to ensure protection and environmental gain for designated sites and protected landscapes and species, including Habitats Regulations Assessments and Environmental Impact Assessments.
• Knowledge of implications of the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan (25YEP) and the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) on built development (essential)
• Experience of reviewing planning applications, development plans and environmental assets (essential)

Competence 2 - Personal Effectiveness (practitioner)

• Make and explain objective decisions which combine your professional judgement and evidence
• Be ambitious, identify and adopt ways to make improvements in your team and Natural England and inspire others to act
• Use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage your audience

Competence 3 - Work Delivery (practitioner)

• Manage and deliver your work to meet agreed targets and deadlines
• Handle data responsibly, understand your role in good governance, and comply with delegations, policies, and procedures
• Consider the financial implications of your work and seek income from our products and services

Competence 4 - Creating Resilient Landscapes and Seas (practitioner)

• Identify and apply relevant planning and environmental legislation, policies, and processes to deliver effective and proportionate evidence-based solutions and advice
• Identify appropriate solutions for avoidance, mitigation, compensation of environmental impacts and meeting shared outcomes, and identify opportunities for enhancing the natural environment
• Work proactively and collaboratively with stakeholders and partners to identify and secure opportunities to deliver gains for people and nature