Seasonal Warden, Strategic Access Management & Monitoring (SAMM) Project, Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area (TBHSPA) (Ref: 6019)

Job description

The team  

This role is based on site at Heather Farm, Horsell, near Woking.

The Organisation

We are the Government’s statutory advisor for the natural environment, playing a vital role in delivering the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan. This describes an ambitious vision, bringing new opportunities to protect and enhance, and to achieve real outcomes for the environment.

At Natural England, we love what we do. We’re here to make sure people and nature can thrive. A healthy natural environment is fundamental to our wellbeing, prosperity and happiness – that’s why we collaborate with scientists, lawyers, project managers and experts to implement environmental policy and shape decisions.

We work with a wide range of partners, stakeholders and customers on a huge range of projects, from influencing construction, advising farmers and landowners how they can manage their land in a sustainable way for the benefit of the environment, gathering and analysing environmental data, and carrying out vital statutory duties. Across the country, we’re helping nature to support people and our planet.

We are focusing our efforts on six key programmes:

Greener Farming and Fisheries: supporting those who manage land and sea to operate in harmony with the environment
Sustainable Development: creating great places for people to live and work
Connecting People with Nature: promoting health and wellbeing through the great outdoors
Resilient Landscapes and Seas: protecting and restoring wildlife and natural beauty for future generations
Specialist Science and Evidence: an evidence-led organisation that is driven by science
Managing the Organisation: gathering business data to enable decision making

See more about the work of Natural England at: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/natural-england

Natural England staff are inclusive, motivated and ambitious to achieve results for our environment, for everyone. We welcome and encourage applications from all communities and we operate a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants who meet the minimum requirements for the role.

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.
From induction to ongoing learning and development, everyone in Natural England is supported to develop their skills and capabilities. Where appropriate there will be offers of training under our apprenticeship schemes

The Team

Based in the Thames Solent Area Team, you will be working as a warden in our wardening team, providing an on-the-ground wardening service on the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area (TBH SPA).  Working closely with the SPA landowners and managers and other key partners (including local authorities, Wildlife Trusts, the RSPB, Ministry of Defence, Forestry Commission, and The Crown Estate), you will be engaging directly with the public to raise awareness amongst visitors of the importance and sensitivity of this internationally important heathland site.

Job description  

The Role

The Thames Basin Heaths Partnership (TBHP), hosted by Natural England’s Thames Solent Team, is fully funded from developer contributions, and is overseen by the TBH Joint Strategic Partnership Board (JSPB), a body comprising 11 local authorities, and Hampshire and Surrey County Councils.  Working in partnership with Natural England colleagues, the TBH local authorities, SPA land owners and managers, and other stakeholders, you will support the project and enable it to achieve its objective of helping to protect the SPA from recreational pressures arising from new housing development. 

As Warden you will;

• Work as part of the TBHP warden team, providing an on-the-ground wardening service on the TBH SPA. Working closely with the SPA landowners and managers and other key partners, you will be engaging directly with the public to raise awareness amongst visitors of the importance and sensitivity of the SPA.
• Promote the use of Suitable Accessible Natural Greenspace (SANG) sites as an alternative destination to SPA visitors.
• Provide a consistent SPA/ SANG message, including the use of promotional and educational material.
• Assist with educational activities, both on and off the SPA, and contribute to events, workshops, guided walks, etc., as required.
• Encourage responsible dog walking and discourage negative recreational activities where they impact on the SPA and reporting illegal activities to landowners/ managers.
• Work with existing landowner/ land management staff to assess visitor infrastructure and focus on the practical experience of visitors to identify on-the-ground improvements.
• Be willing to learn new ways of working and new technologies.
• Admin tasks where required. E.g keeping important internal admin up to date and entering data accurately and promptly, such as wardening stats, onto system.
• Other activities as required.

How to Apply 

This vacancy uses competency-based assessment. When completing the application form you should present relevant examples using the STAR format. STAR stands for:

• Situation
• Task
• Action
• Result 

We'll assess you against these competencies during the selection process:

• Personal Effectiveness
• Putting People at the Heart of the Environment
• Working Delivery
• Working Safely
• Technical Skills & Knowledge

A maximum of 250 words is allowed for your response to each competency. The Candidate Information Pack contains useful information to help you with the application – read it before you begin. Please note that STAR format is not required for the ‘Technical Skills and Knowledge’ competency.

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.  

APPLY AND FURTHER DETAILS HERE.