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 
• 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 Team 

This post will sit in the nutrient mitigation project team, in Strategy and Government Advice (SGA). SGA advises government on the development of its environmental policy relevant to our remit; develops and delivers new programmes and pilots for the government to support major strategies such as the 25 Year Plan; leads stakeholder relationships with key national level partners; and develops internal standards and guidance on novel issues. 

The nutrient mitigation scheme is an exciting new and expanding team. The team enables housing developers to buy credits to mitigate their impact on waterways. The payments from developers fund a variety of environmental measures to improve nutrient levels in our waterways.  

The scheme launched in the Tees catchment in March 2023 and the team are now working to expand delivery into catchments across England where the benefits will be the greatest.   

Role description 

We are seeking an ambitious individual with great communication and organisational skills to join our high performing and friendly team. You will play a key role in the delivery of Natural England’s fast-paced and evolving flagship scheme, set within an interesting policy area. 

The role will focus on developing and delivering various types of nutrient reduction projects across England. You will identify and evaluate potential mitigation options in terms of capital cost and their effectiveness in reducing both Nitrogen and Phosphorus pollution. You will support development of strategy, ensuring we deliver the right solution, in the right place with multiple co-benefits. You will be supported by a team of hard-working and committed Lead and Senior Advisers. 

This role provides an opportunity to be part of Natural England’s innovating aims, to learn about strategic working and to be a part of implementing Defra policy. It will allow you to develop transferable skills and expand your knowledge in an exciting new part of the organisation. 

Desired criteria 

• You will be a resourceful and resilient individual, capable of working collaboratively and independently 
• You will be to interpret complex data and communicate it effectively to a range of audiences 
• You will have an aptitude for spotting opportunities for improvement and adapting ways of working 
• You will be able to show creative problem-solving skills and able to propose new solutions or different ways to approach challenges 
• Knowledge of the concept of Nutrient Neutrality and the underpinning legal situation to propose and evaluate effective mitigation measures.  

Essential criteria 

• You will have evidence of planning and prioritising effectively to meet deadlines, delivering robust results even when moving at pace 
• You will have evidence of the ability to manage effective relationships with external stakeholders to ensure the aims of the project are met. 

This role gives you the opportunity to be part of Natural England’s aims, to learn about strategic working and to be a part of implementing Defra policy.  You will be able to learn and grow in an exciting in an exciting new part of the organisation and provide transferable skills and knowledge. 

Key tasks/ principal accountabilities 

• Appraise and propose potential nutrient mitigation schemes using best available evidence, including catchment, protected sites and other key data 
• Cultivate strong internal and external working relationships to facilitate the delivery of nutrient mitigation schemes. 
• Ensure best practice approaches are shared and embedded within the project team 
• Build capability across the organisation, contributing to internal networks to exchange information and ideas  
• Support information requests from Local Planning Authorities, Developers, Natural England Area teams and other external partners 

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.   

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 
• Putting People at the Heart of the Environment 

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. 

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 four 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. 

Competencies

Competence 1   

Professional competency

Detail   

Technical Skills and knowledge **STAR format not required**

Description   

Understanding terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems (beneficial)

Applies scientific knowledge to provide sound, science-based evidence to our internal and external customers. (essential)

Good IT skills, especially Excel, SharePoint and data management systems (essential)

GIS Experience (beneficial)

Demonstrate an ability to proactively and positively contribute within a certain area that supports change, embraces challenge and adapts work practices. (essential)

Competence 2   

Professional competency

Detail   

Personal Effectiveness

Description   

Make and explain objective decisions which combine your professional judgement and evidence (Practitioner)

Be ambitious, identify and adopt ways to make improvements in your team and Natural England and inspire others to act (Practitioner)

Competence 3   

Professional competency

Detail   

Work Delivery

Description   

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 (Practitioner)

Competence 4   

Professional competency

Detail  

Putting people at the heart of the environment

Description   

Nurture trusting partnerships and collaborate to achieve pragmatic outcomes that help deliver Natural England’s vision, mission and aims (Practitioner)

Work proactively and collaboratively with stakeholders and partners to identify and secure opportunities to deliver gains for people and nature (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.