Senior EIA Advisor

The Environmental Services Team (EST) is responsible for providing support and advice to applicants, Inspectors and Examining Authorities across all of the Planning Inspectorate’s Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) and Town and Country Planning appeals casework.

We interface with departmental consenting teams at BEIS, DfT and DLUHC as well as stakeholders such as Natural England, Environment Agency, Historic England and Marine Management Organisation to ensure provision of consistent and up to date advice. We are actively supporting the Government’s Project Speed initiative to streamline NSIP examinations. Joining us, you will gain experience working in some of the country’s biggest infrastructure projects and help to deliver decisions relating to the UKs future energy security. 

The Planning Inspectorate has a long and proud history in ensuring a fair planning system for England. The work we do has a significant impact on people’s lives, the communities where they live and the economy.

We want our colleagues to be able to work more flexibly and more collaboratively, exploring new and innovative ways to improve the way we provide services.

For further information on the Planning Inspectorate, please see the information pack attached. 

Job description

We are looking for a Senior EIA Advisor with an environmental planning background, to backfill a recent promotion. We are looking for individuals with experience in EIA and HRA co-ordination or specialists e.g., in ecology, landscape or air quality who are looking for experience in a decision-making organisation. You will gain unparalleled exposure to a breadth and depth of the country’s most significant casework.  

The role will suit a knowledgeable and self-motivated individual with an analytical mindset and an ability to communicate with a range of audiences. You will be able to co-ordinate, review and delegate work effectively. You will have a detailed awareness of environmental assessment and regulation in a project context. You will be able to provide high quality responses to technical questions from applicants, Inspectors and colleagues. You will be working in a team with a strong culture of collaboration. To be successful in the role you will need to contribute to a team culture which encourages everyone to not only do their best work but to take ownership of processes and deliverables. You will gain a wealth of skills and knowledge in planning casework.

For full information on the role and assessment process please refer to the candidate pack attached.

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

All of our office-based roles are contractually located at Temple Quay House in Bristol. Most of our roles are able to work in a hybrid manner and you will be expected to attend Temple Quay House at least 12 days a year. Depending on your role, you may be required to attend more often than 12 days a year either permanently or temporarily to ensure we deliver our services in the most efficient and effective way for our customers. Please do contact us on PINS.Recruitment@PlanningInspectorate.gov.uk if you would like to discuss our Hybrid Working Policy in more detail.

Responsibilities

Essential Criteria

• Graduate in an appropriate environmental or land use discipline (eg environmental science, environmental impact assessment, landscape, ecology, air pollution management or planning). 
• Experienced environmental professional with expert knowledge and experience of leading and managing others in the production and/or review of core EIA deliverables. 
• A detailed and extensive awareness of the wide ranging and complex environmental, social, and economic issues associated with infrastructure projects. 
• A proven track record of leading on and/or responding to major EIA schemes addressing complex environmental issues.  
• Experienced in mentoring, coaching, influencing and leading others. 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to review complex technical documents and write comprehensive but succinct reports to tight timescales. 
• Wide ranging level of awareness of consent processes similar to that under the Planning Act 2008 and the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. 
• Effective communicator able to work collaboratively with a variety of stakeholders. 

Desirable Criteria

• Full Member and/or Chartered status in an appropriate professional institute. 
• Detailed knowledge and experience of the Planning Act 2008 and Town and Country Planning Act 1990 regimes and experience of their operation in practice. 
• Experience of undertaking and/or reviewing HRA and WFD assessments.

Behaviours

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Leadership

Technical skills

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

• A detailed and extensive awareness of the wide ranging and complex environmental, social and economic issues associated with nationally significant infrastructure projects and town and country planning applications.
• An understanding of assessment processes.

Benefits

• Flexible working options, including flexi-time, part-time, compressed hours and home working if suitable for the role.
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity.
• There is a choice of excellent pensions schemes. More information about pensions can be found at https://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk
• 25 days annual leave increasing up to 30 days after 5 years, plus 1 privilege day to mark the Queen’s birthday. In addition to the normal bank holidays.
• Generous family friendly policies.
• Fast and modern IT kit which utilises Microsoft Office 10 and O365, enabling seamless working from home and collaboration across teams.

For full information see our Benefits information pack. 

Things you need to know

Security

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

Application 

Complete the online application form on Civil Service Jobs which requires the following information:

• A CV: The CV section is an opportunity for you to detail your career history. It should outline the jobs you have done, the length of time you were employed within each role and a brief description of your role, responsibilities and duties which demonstrate relevance to the role you are applying for against the essential criteria. You must type, or ‘copy and paste’ into the text box called ‘Employment History’ within the online application. You cannot attach a copy of your CV.
• A Personal Statement (1000 words max): The personal statement allows you to outline your suitability for the role in more depth, expanding on your CV evidence. It is an opportunity for you to provide evidence against the essential criteria listed within the candidate pack on the Person Specification page and link your answers to the listed Success Profile elements we are also assessing against.

We will assess your application on the evidence you have provided against the Essential Criteria and Success Profile elements detailed in the Person Specification in the candidate pack.

All shortlisted candidates will be advised of the outcome shortly afterwards.

Interview 

If you are shortlisted, you will:

• Be asked to attend an interview to have a more in-depth discussion about your experience and suitability for the role
• Interviews will be a blend of behaviour, strength, experience, and technical questions
• Successful candidates will be invited to complete a written test before the interview. The test is designed to assess professional knowledge and writing ability

Candidates who are successful at shortlist stage will be sent full assessment requirements with their interview invitations.

Other Information 

Shortlist Date: 19 – 23 September 2022

Interview Date: w/c 3 October 2022 

Interviews are currently being completed remotely using Microsoft Teams. We would like to reassure candidates that the virtual interview will not be recorded (or retained) within the Planning Inspectorate, other than usual interview protocol and in line with the Civil Service jobs Privacy notice.

We encourage all candidates to make themselves familiar with the role and what we will be assessing you against which is detailed in the Person Specification.

The Planning Inspectorate is committed to finding the right person for the job. We recruit using Success Profiles and consider the criteria you will need to demonstrate to be successful for the role, by doing this we are pushing up performance, diversifying our workforce and creating an inclusive culture.

ID and Documents

If specific qualifications/memberships are essential for the role and you are successful, you will be asked to provide accurate scanned or photographed images of the qualifications/memberships that you listed on your application prior to your start date.

We must check that any successful candidates are allowed to work for the Civil Service before we employ them. If successful, you will be asked to provide documents that show your Right to Work under Civil Service Nationality Rules and we must check the documents are valid with you present (either in person or over a video call).

Disability Confident Interview scheme

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. We run a Disability Confident Interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria for the job.

To be considered for an interview under the scheme you must:

• have a disability defined by the Equality Act 2010
• provide evidence in your application that you meet the minimum criteria in the job description
• meet all of the qualifications, skills or experience defined as essential

While we will endeavour to provide you with all the appropriate information, you are the expert on your specific requirements so if you require any adjustments, you should consider the information provided about the assessment process in the candidate pack and then:

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. The earlier and more clearly you tell us what you need and why you need it, the more likely we are to be able to accommodate you in a timely fashion.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

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

Further information on nationality requirements

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

APPLY HERE.

Job contact :

• Name :Richard Hunt
• Email :PINS.Recruitment@planninginspectorate.gov.uk
• Email :PINS.Recruitment@planninginspectorate.gov.uk

Recruitment team :

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact in the first instance: The Vacancy Manager via the Recruitment Team (PINS.Recruitment@planninginspectorate.gov.uk).

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you should then contact, Head of HR, via the Recruitment Team (PINS.Recruitment@planninginspectorate.gov.uk).

If you are still not satisfied with the response you receive from the Planning Inspectorate, you can contact the Office of the Civil Service Commission.

https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/civilservicerecruitmentcomplaints/