NEWLS Lead Adviser

A Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Contract type: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time, Job share, Part-time

Location: East Midlands (England), East of England, London (region), North East England, North West England, South East England, South West England, West Midlands (England), Yorkshire and the Humber

About the job

Do you have a background in ecology and/or protected species? Would you like your skills to deliver ecologically sound and pragmatic solutions for both wildlife and humans? 

We have a number of vacancies in our national team delivering our wildlife licensing work. Natural England’s Wildlife Licensing Service has been created to provide effective and efficient protected species licensing in line with our service standards. The team covers Species Management, European Protected Species, and Science and Conservation among other strands of related activity. 

The team focus on providing high quality processing, assessment, and determination of individual and Class licence applications. We also offer chargeable discretionary advice services which can bring considerable benefits to our customers and protected species. All aspects of the licensing life cycle are handled within the team from initial administration/ registration through to compliance. We work closely with other teams in Natural England to secure the best outcomes for our natural environment. 

In parallel to managing our annual caseload we are always striving to improve our service and find smarter ways to protect our wildlife alongside sustainable growth. This includes developing and refining our licensing processes, the range of services and licence types we can offer and improving our ways of working through reform and continuous improvement. 

The successful candidates will play a central role in the delivery of Natural England’s wildlife licensing work. 

Job description

Undertake technical assessments of a wide range of licence applications for science and conservation, damage, development and public health and safety under a range of legislation including: Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981), Conservation of Habitats & Species Regulations (2017) and the Protection of Badgers Act (1992.) 

Delivery of licensing advice under Natural England’s Discretionary Advice Service (DAS). 

Development of bespoke novel licensing approaches through DAS where necessary and backed by evidence and disseminating this learning throughout NEWLS. 

Delivery of draft licence licences under Natural England Wildlife Licensing Service’s Pre-submission Screening Service (PSS). 

This role provides the opportunity to identify win-win solutions for wildlife and people in Natural England Wildlife Licensing Service’s range of pre-application services. Successful candidates will proactively seek positive, large-scale wildlife impacts on some of the most exciting strategic projects across the country, including nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs), major housing schemes, and complex projects through our chargeable services. through the following activities: 

• Delivery of bespoke chargeable activities as supported by senior advisers.
• Outreach and engagement with external customers.
• Proactive engagement, knowledge sharing, and work forecasting with area team colleagues.
• Being a role model for Natural England’s ways of working and leading by example in complying with Natural England’s procedures.
• Proactively encouraging an inclusive atmosphere in the team and providing an open forum to team members to share suggestions, innovations, and improvements to the ways of working.
• Provide effective, clear and pragmatic advice and information to customers on a wide range of wildlife related issues to Natural England’s customers and partners in order to support Natural England’s statutory responsibilities and wider ambition.
• Work with non-governmental organisations NGOs, consultant ecologists, developers, and other customers towards the best outcome for the species.
• Proactively engage to meet the changing nature of licensing work so that our species regulatory advice makes and optimal contribution to species conservation outcomes, fully implementing our Conservation Strategy.
• Provide an efficient, customer focused and responsive service working within statutory and agreed deadlines while maintaining good working relationships with Natural England’s partners and stakeholders.
• Interpret and apply to your work the policies, legislation and guidance on wildlife protection and management.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement in Wildlife Management Advice and Licensing by adopting and helping take forward Batter Regulation principles.
• Identify opportunities around income generation and deliver authoritative and outcome focused charges for advice through our discretionary advice and pre-submission screening services.