Post Title: Biodiversity Indicators Adviser

Team: Nature Conservation and Policy Advice

Ref No: 202439

Grade: H (HEO)

Type of appointment: Fixed-term – 1 year

Location: Peterborough or Aberdeen

Salary: £30,573                                         

This post will have a base in either Peterborough or Aberdeen.

JNCC has adopted a hybrid working approach, allowing colleagues to benefit from time in the office, with the flexibility also to work from home. Employees are expected to work from one of our office bases for a few days a month as a minimum with attendance expected at regular face to face team meetings. Arrangements will vary by team and the exact balance will depend on the nature of your role. We can provide more details at the interview and offer stages.

Who are JNCC?

Established in 1991, we’re the UK’s statutory advisor on issues affecting the natural environment across the UK and internationally. Our primary role is advising all four Governments of the UK. We also work with private sector organisations to support decision making on the sustainable use of marine waters and natural resources around the UK. JNCC is led by the Joint Committee, which brings together members from the nature conservation bodies for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and independent members appointed by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under an independent Chair. Support is provided to the Committee by approx. 300 people who bring together scientific and technical expertise, extensive knowledge of policy at global, European and national levels, and skills in working with other organisations. Staff are based in two main offices in Peterborough and Aberdeen.

Why JNCC?

We’re small enough (c.300 staff) that your voice is heard by everyone including the CEO, but big enough that we have all the skills, resources and people you’ll need to get the job done. All our staff are passionate about conservation and making a difference to the world we live in. We have a very flexible, inclusive and welcoming organisational culture. Our Executive Management provides employees with the freedom and tools you will need, and our friendly team will assist you in your role. 

JNCC is committed to maintaining employee health and wellbeing, whether it is physically, emotionally, financially or socially, and offers a range of benefits to support employees in this. Such benefits include the option to join the Civil Service Pension Scheme, professional and personal development opportunities as well as an exciting job in a unique environment. 

Hours of work:                     Full-time

Normal minimum hours of attendance for the post are 36 hours per week over a 5-day period, Monday to Friday.

Flexi time is available. This post may also be suitable for job share.

Annual Leave:

The annual leave allowance is 25 days per year, rising to 30 days per year after 5 years’ service. There are also 12 days public and privilege leave. Part-time staff will receive this on a pro rata basis.                  

Post background

The Nature Conservation and Policy Advice (NCPA) Team in JNCC plays a key role in nature conservation in the UK, working with partners in the country nature conservation bodies (CNCBs), the UK and devolved governments and the wider nature conservation community. We maintain an overview of UK nature conservation policy and legislation; facilitate, convene and, where required, co-ordinate joint UK working on key topics; and work with UK countries on areas of priority where JNCC contributes complementary capabilities of evidence and advice, for example our work in land use. Within JNCC, the NCPA Team works collaboratively across the organisation delivering shared solutions, and in developing evidence-based approaches to addressing environmental threats and opportunities.

JNCC and Defra jointly produce and publish the UK Biodiversity Indicators. This is an accredited official statistics compendium, which shows the UK's progress towards meeting biodiversity goals and targets, including those set out through the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

In December 2022, at the 15^th Conference of the Parties of the CBD, a new ambitious Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) was adopted. It contains 4 goals and 23 targets, with a Mission ‘to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030’ towards the vision of “a world living in harmony with nature by 2050”. The GBF is accompanied by a monitoring framework that sets out indicators to track progress, including mandatory headline indicators.

The UK Biodiversity Indicator suite is being adapted to align with the new headline indicators. This will involve the modification of some existing indicators as well as the development of new indicators.  The UK’s headline indicators will be used in the UK’s National Reports to CBD.

The post-holder will work with a JNCC-led project team to develop the methods for the headline indicators for the UK and subsequently produce the indicators for publication at the end of 2025.

This is an exciting opportunity to help the UK measure its progress towards the targets and goals of the GBF and ultimately feed into the CBD’s Global Biodiversity Outlook. 

Post Duties

The main focus of the post will be to develop and produce new indicators based on the methods published by the CBD’s Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Indicators.

The post holder will carry out the functions listed below:

·       Investigate data sources and analytical options for the production of a selection of indicators. 

·       As necessary, consult with experts and the project team, to make recommendations for the preferred options for appropriate data sources and indicator development approaches.

·       Develop the analytical approach for selected indicators. Create a methodological statement guiding the production of the indicator.

·       Contribute to the creation of reproducible analytical pipelines for the automation of indicator production in R Studio.

·       Lead on the production and publication of a selection of indicators. This includes data acquisition from data providers, analysis and interpretation of the data and drafting technical information documents setting out all relevant information about the indicators, including caveats and explanation for approach where appropriate.

·       Throughout all this work the post holder may support the Project Manager and Biodiversity Indicators Manager, or others, with engagement with stakeholders, experts and statisticians, and policy officials in Defra and the Devolved Governments.  This could include organising events such as meetings and workshops for internal or external participants; including planning, logistics, writing papers and presentations, facilitation of groups and note taking.

·       Contribute to other duties of the NCPA team, including activities to further team cohesion and support delivery of other projects as required.

Technical

To be a successful candidate you will have:

·       a relevant degree or equivalent qualification and/or relevant recent work experience that provides the knowledge and experience described below.

·       a knowledge of ecology and nature conservation in the UK.

Experience (Responsibilities)

To be a successful candidate you will have:

·       experience of researching and utilising large environmental datasets, of analysing scientific information and, preferably, some experience of the development, implementation, and publication of indicators.

·       experience in the use of standard office software, databases, and statistical packages (including proficiency in R coding and use of R Studio), to manipulate, interrogate and interpret datasets, and preferably experience of analysing biodiversity/environmental monitoring data or other time-series data.

·       good communication skills with an ability to summarise information to produce succinct briefing papers and to communicate complex concepts to non-technical audiences in simple, concise, and easily accessible terms.

Behaviours

•   Managing a Quality Service
•   Delivering at Pace
•   Working Together
•   Making Effective Decisions

In the event that we receive a large volume of applications we reserve the right to conduct the sift based on the Lead Behaviour of Managing a Quality Service

Please see the CS Behaviours framework for more details at this grade:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/717275/CS_Behaviours_2018.pdf

Nationality requirements 

This job is broadly open to the following groups: 

• UK nationals 
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK 
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland 
• nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the?European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) 
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service 
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service 
• certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals 

JNCC do not provide sponsorship.

Closing date and interview date

The closing date for this post is 23:55 on Sunday, 13 October 2024

The anticipated interview date is week commencing Monday, 28 October 2024

How to apply: https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/index.cgi