About the job

Job summary

This position is based Nationally

Job description

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 charged for advice through our discretionary advice and pre-submission screening services.

Competencies

 

Competence 1   

Professional competency

 

Detail   

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

 

Description   

• A degree in zoology, environmental science, or other relevant scientific subject plus field experience
  Or
  Evidence of equivalent relevant experience in the field and undertaking processing/assessments. (Essential)
  • A sound knowledge of British fauna/flora species together with an area of biological expertise that will contribute to the delivery of this work area. (Desirable)
  • Expertise (survey and mitigation) in European Protected Species (e.g.) bats, great crested newts) (Essential)
  • A working knowledge of the relevant wildlife legislation (e.g.) Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981, Protection of Badgers Act 1992, Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (Essential)
  • Membership of a professional body (Desirable)
  • Membership and/or volunteering experience of naturalist’s groups (Desirable)
  • A knowledge of wildlife management techniques (Desirable)
  • Full driving licence or commitment to obtain a full driving licence quickly.

 

Competence 2   

Professional competency

 

Detail   

Personal Effectiveness

 

Description   

• Make and explain objective decisions which combine your professional judgement and evidence (Practitioner)
  • Act with integrity, addressing challenging issues and managing conflict through being open and objective. (Practitioner)

 

Competence 3   

Professional competency

 

Detail   

Work Delivery

 

Description   

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

 

Competence 4   

Professional competency

 

Detail   

Putting People at the Heart of the Environment

 

Description  

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

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £29,318, Natural England contributes £7,945 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.