About the job

Job summary

This position is based nationally

Job description

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, and
• 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

The Environmental Training Advice and Facilitation Framework (ETAFF) is a flexible tool used by NE and other Defra family bodies to buy in farm and land management advice services under contract from vetted and approved advice suppliers.

The ETAFF Team run the operation of the Framework on behalf of Defra, (supported by Defra Group Commercial) and lead on the procurement of the contracted advice program. The team currently contract in advice covering and the ETAFF Framework itself has scope to deliver a broader program of advice.

The team are both National Operations and Area based and is comprised of senior contract managers, contract managers and a claims team, all supported by a senior adviser and operations manager. They work closely with the commissioning team’s key staff and the advice suppliers themselves.

The claims advisers within the ETAFF team process claims in accordance with the framework requirements, including raising purchase orders and providing updates for contract managers and suppliers.

Job description  

Key Tasks

• Process Grant In Aid (GIA) contract information on the Single Operating Platform (SOP)
• Raising requisitions for new ETAFF contracts.
• Processing amendments following any contract changes.
• Update records, including claims trackers and KPI database.
• Ensure claims are processed within service level agreements (30-day turnaround).
• Act as lead on allocated claims, including liaising with suppliers regarding any issues or errors found.
• Monitor SOP for claim payment and confirming with suppliers once payment is made.
• Add claims documentation to sharepoint as necessary.

Additional duties can include:

• Providing general contract management administrative support.
• Providing updates on claim progress during team calls
• Assist with the development of claims elements of future frameworks

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 our staff 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 geographical 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 office while Area Team roles will be linked with an office in the relevant geographic area. 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.

Competencies

 

Competence 1  

Professional competency

 

Detail Instance 1  

Technical Skills and Knowledge (STAR format is not required for this competency)

 

Description Instance 1  

• Good clerical and administrative skills. (Essential)
  • Good communication skills (Essential)
  • Confidence in engaging with colleagues and external customers over the phone and via email. (Essential)
  • Experience of procurement or claims processing. (Desirable)
  • Working knowledge of SharePoint and SOP (Desirable)

 

Competence 2  

Professional competency

 

Detail Instance 2  

Personal Effectiveness

 

Description Instance 2  

• Be ambitious, identify and adopt ways to make improvements in your team and Natural England and inspire others to act. (Practitioner)
  • Make and explain objective decisions which combine your professional judgement and evidence. (Practitioner)

 

Competence 3  

Professional competency

 

Detail Instance 3  

Work Delivery

 

Description Instance 3  

• Manage and deliver your work to meet agreed targets and deadlines. (Practitioner)
  • Handle data responsibly, understand your role in good governance, and comply with delegations, policies, and procedures. (Basic)

 

Competence 4  

Professional competency

 

Detail Instance 4  

Putting People at the Heart of the Environment

 

Description Instance 4  

• Listen to and understand our diverse partners and customers so that you achieve the best outcomes for them and Natural England. (Practitioner)
  • Nurture trusting partnerships and collaborate to achieve pragmatic outcomes that help deliver Natural England’s vision, mission and aims. (Basic)

Person specification

Please refer to job description

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £25,064, Natural England contributes £6,792 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.