About the job

Job summary

This position is based Nationally

Job description

The team

Do you have a passion for nature and the environment? Do you want to make a real difference and secure significant environmental gains in the present and the future? Do you enjoy working in a team? Can you see yourself advising communities and customers to maximise gains for the Natural Environment?

If this appeals to you, a career at Natural England offers rewarding opportunities to secure environmental improvements and play your part in creating a better future for people and nature.

The priority work Natural England is delivering includes:

Establishing a Nature Recovery Network to help wildlife thrive

• Monitoring environmental changes to identify and help reduce the effects of climate change
• Working with farmers and landowners to develop greener food production methods
• Advising on plans for new developments to maximise gains for nature
• Providing ways for people to better connect with nature, including green social prescribing

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

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

Job Description

An opportunity has arisen for a new Senior Adviser to join Natural England’s Corporate Governance Team, at a time of exciting change for the team and organisation.

Corporate Governance is all about having the right systems and processes in place to enable confident and effective decision making within the organisation. The team provides organisational support to the NE Board and Executive Committee to enable them to provide clear direction and effective decision making. Working as part of the wider Assurance and Corporate Governance Team, the team also supports assurance activities so that we know that the organisation is spending resources wisely and delivering on its objectives. The aim of NE’s Governance Team is to implement strong, robust frameworks to ensure that NE is run efficiently and effectively to deliver its mission of ‘Building partnerships for Nature’s recovery’.

This is a high-profile role within the organisation, requiring frequent and direct liaison with the Chief Executive, Chief Officers, Board Chair and Board members. As such, a confident communicator, ideally with some governance experience, is sought to drive forward day-to-day delivery in relation to either Executive or non-Executive functions.

In fulfilling their duties, the post holder will work with the Governance Principal Adviser and Team Leader on the implementation of the Governance Team’s new three-year delivery plan. This will include the transition to new processes, structures, and targets.

The post will provide an opportunity for personal development as a governance professional and all necessary training and support will be provided. The Governance Team sits under the remit the Assurance and Corporate Governance Director, within the wider Legal, Governance and External Affairs team.

Key Tasks/Principal Accountabilities

The successful candidate will play a key role in the day-to-day operational delivery of the Governance Team’s varied portfolio. Their key tasks will include:

•  Provide a comprehensive, full-service secretariat function in support of the Board and senior committees that delivers excellent customer service and instils confidence in decision-makers. This includes accurate and well-structured minute taking at Board and/or Executive meetings.
• Support the development and roll out of standardised procedures and templates for governance, ensuring consistency, transparency and accountability across NE.
• Provide expert guidance and advice on governance matters for consideration by the Board and/or Executive.
• Review and updating of the financial and non-financial Schemes of Delegation.
• Foster collaboration and coordination amongst governance groups and functions within NE, promoting information sharing and best practice exchange.
• Implement mechanisms to monitor the effectiveness of the Board and its subcommittees as well as those of the Executive and its sub-committees.
• Support the recruitment and on-boarding of new Board members.

Benefits

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.

Natural England provides excellent opportunities for career progression, training and development tailored to your role. From induction to ongoing learning and development, everyone in Natural England is supported to develop their skills and capabilities. Everyone has 10 days to devote to personal learning and development, as well as an additional 3 days to volunteer.

You will have access to Civil Service Pension and benefits arrangements and generous leave allowances (33 day per year pro rata), as well as flexible working, to help you achieve a work-life balance that works for you and us.

You will have access to a range of benefits including discounts on shopping vouchers, cycle to work scheme, and childcare vouchers. You can also join the Civil Service Sport club which offer discounts on a range of sports and leisure opportunities as well as social events.

Natural England is a fantastic place to work, where difference is celebrated.

We’re committed to fairness and equality for all, so you feel valued for who you are and what you do. Our shared values help us work together to benefit the communities we serve. Our thriving employee-led diversity networks support our inclusive culture and contribute to our Diversity Action Plan. 

Locations

Natural England is adopting hybrid working – which means that our staff will work from a flexible range of locations, encompassing home, offices (ours and our partners) and relevant sites. All new staff will be formally linked to one of our 25 offices across England and the expectation is that all new staff will be able to access their local office to be part of the community of staff in their geographic area. Full time staff are expected to attend their associated office for a minimum of one day a week.
 
Staff members are required to carry out all their duties working in this way and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time. Travel expenses will be paid if work related travel is required but does not apply to travel between home and your associated office.

National team roles can be linked with any Natural England

View a map of our office locations here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/natural-england-office-locations

Pay

It is Natural England policy to employ at the entry point of the salary range.

How to Apply

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.

This vacancy uses competency-based assessment. We'll assess you against the competencies below during the selection process:

• Technical Skills and Knowledge
• Personal Effectiveness
• Work Delivery
• Working Safely

When completing the application form you should present relevant examples using the STAR format. Give us an example of how you have demonstrated the competency (which can be work related or from another area of your life) and tell us about the Situation, the specific Task you had to undertake, the specific Actions you took, and the Result (both immediate and in a wider context) of your doing so.

Please note that STAR format is not required when answering the Technical Skills & Knowledge competency.

Examples should be given in no more than 250 words for each competency.

Next Steps

If you are successful at the shortlisting stage, you will be invited to attend an interview via MS Teams or a suitable alternative, where you will be asked to give examples for all competencies as set out in the Job Description.

Successful candidates will be allocated roles in merit order based on scores achieved at interview and in accordance with location preferences, taking into account the work area to which successful candidates are most suited, wherever possible.

Recruitment Framework

Competencies

Competence 1

Professional competency

Technical Skills and Knowledge [Essential]

Description

The ideal candidate would be able to demonstrate the following skills, experience and knowledge:

• Experience in managing and/or coordinating governance activities, at any level within an organisation’s governance structure (non-executive, executive, committees or programme boards).
• Confidence in standing over meeting logistics, agenda preparation, capturing actions and drafting minutes on a wide range of subjects.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage work effectively under pressure, meet deadlines and efficiently handle multiple priorities.
• High level of integrity, professionalism and discretion in handling confidential information.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365, especially strong Excel and Word skills.

Competence 2

Professional competency

Personal Effectiveness [Practitioner]

Description

• Act with integrity, addressing challenging issues and managing conflict through being open and objective.
• Be ambitious, identify and adopt ways to make improvements in your team and the organisation you represent and inspire others to act.
• Use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage your audience.

Competence 3

Professional competency

Work Delivery [Practitioner]

Description

• Handle data responsibly, understand your role in good governance, and comply with delegations, policies and procedures.
• Manage and deliver your work to meet agreed targets and deadlines.
• Understand the governance arrangements of the organisation; manage the programme of business to meet organisational requirements including drafting agendas, commissioning papers, the minuting of meetings and briefing of members.

Competence 4

Professional competency

Working Safely [Practitioner]

Description

• Apply the principles of risk management and adopt safe working practices for yourself and the people you work with in everything you do
• Understand the duty of care owed to all visitors, contractors or others, and adhere to appropriate legislation, policies and procedures
• Apply relevant legislation and best practise in a meaningful way to support sensible risk management across all teams

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £36,098, Natural England contributes £9,782 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

Please refer to Job Description

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window). 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.