Natural England is the government’s advisor on the natural environment. We provide practical advice, grounded in science, on how to best safeguard England’s natural wealth for the benefit of everyone. Our remit is to ensure sustainable stewardship of the land and sea, so that people and nature can thrive. We work to ensure that England’s rich natural environment can adapt and survive for future generations to enjoy.
The Norfolk and Suffolk Area Team, works with local partners to deliver Natural England's agenda in a locally appropriate way. We have around 85 people based in offices in Norwich, Cambridge and at 4 NNR bases. We offer advice to farmers, landowners and developers on how to avoid, minimise and mitigate environmental harm and to maximise land for priority plants and animals. In addition to our advisory roles we are leading on the delivery of the England Coast path in Norfolk and Suffolk and directly manage 15 National Nature Reserves for the benefit of wildlife and people.
There are four geographically-based Focus Area teams, this role is based in the Brecks Team. Breckland is at the heart of East-Anglia, occupying much of south-western Norfolk and north-western Suffolk, together with a small part of north-eastern Cambridgeshire. The area has a distinctive landscape and wildlife history and is home to 60% of the UK’s nesting stone curlew population.
Job description
As a Lead Advisor you will work alongside regulators and stakeholders to integrate the needs of biodiversity, geo-diversity and landscape into local planning practice. You will provide early, effective advice, based in evidence, to our customers (Local Planning Authorities (LPAs), developers and their consultants), enabling plans to be agreed and implemented, which deliver sustainable growth.
Your work may include, but is not limited to:
• Responding to consultations on planning applications, local plans, neighbourhood plans and associated documents according to NE’s professional and customer service standards, adding value to achieve the best outcomes for Natural England’s objectives
• Operating our Discretionary Advice Service, including initiating customer contracts and delivering the service, to maximise early engagement opportunities to achieve net gain for the natural environment.
• Building partnerships with customers, (primarily LPAs) and stakeholders, to resolve complex or contentious planning issues and to develop collaborative strategic land use approaches to conserving and enhancing the natural environment.
• Proactively identifying and developing strategic approaches to challenges. In the Brecks role this will include managing the Stone Curlew Strategic Solution Project; this exciting approach aims to develop a shared, transparent approach to the assessment and addressing of risk to stone curlews in the Breckland SPA, as a result of development. The project should provide clearer requirements for developers and landowners and ensure better joined up outcomes for stone curlew and other Brecks species.
• Contributing to internal business improvement projects, planning, organising, monitoring and measuring delivery against ambitious local Focus Area-based objectives.
• Using knowledge and skills consistently and flexibly to support the team’s work and support managers by showing leadership, initiative and sharing expertise with others.
• Working with a range of partners, customers and colleagues to implement changes in the delivery of sustainable development work consistent with the Natural England Conservation Strategy (C21) and the Government 25 Year Environment Strategy, including biodiversity net gain. Ensure excellent customer service at all times and to increase efficiency, effectiveness and consistency.
• Engaging with stakeholder forums to represent the organisation as a whole and to influence key partners and build delivery partnerships to help achieve our objectives.
Competencies
Competence 1
Professional competency
Detail
Creating resilient landscapes and seas - Practitioner
Description
• Identify and apply relevant planning and environmental legislation, policies and processes to deliver effective and proportionate evidence-based solutions and advice;
• Assess environmental impacts and opportunities of spatial plans and developments to provide outcomes-focused strategic solutions and advice;
• Identify appropriate avoidance, mitigation and/ or compensation measures of environmental impacts and opportunities for enhancing the natural environment
• Understand and be able to apply net gain principles and approaches when giving advice.
Competence 2
Professional competency
Detail
Putting people at the heart of the environment - Practitioner
Description
• Work proactively and collaboratively with stakeholders and partners to identify and secure opportunities to deliver gains for people and nature;
• Identify opportunities for delivering green infrastructure and apply green infrastructure principles and approaches when giving advice;
• Collaborate, influence and build trusting relationships to achieve our outcomes.
Competence 3
Professional competency
Detail
Personal effectiveness - Practitioner
Description
• Use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage and influence your audience. Experience of presenting in public would be advantageous;
• Identify, suggest and adopt ways to make improvements in your team and Natural England;
• Progress your personal development and take responsibility for keeping your knowledge and expertise current.
Competence 4
Professional competency
Detail
Work delivery - Practitioner
Description
• Be decisive, combine your professional judgement with evidence to inform your decision making.
• Manage and deliver your work to meet agreed targets and deadlines.
Competence 5
Professional competency
Detail
Technical/specialist knowledge/qualifications
Description
• A broad understanding of the planning system and its processes and experience of providing consultation responses on planning issues.
• Experience of relevant legislation and policy affecting protected sites/areas and species e.g. NPPF, Habitats Directive, Wildlife and Countryside Act, and Town and Country Planning Act.
• Experience of evaluating Habitats Regulations Assessments, Sustainability Appraisals and Environmental Impact Assessments.
• Understanding of the Development Plan and NSIP process and familiarity with associated documentation
• A broad understanding of Natural England’s objectives, including our Conservation Strategy.
• A demonstrable ability to learn new areas of expertise in order to fulfil the tasks relevant to the post.
• As a member of the Norfolk and Suffolk local delivery team, an understanding and experience of local issues and major casework, processes, and policy, would be advantageous.
Responsibilities
Please refer to Job Description
