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

Job description  

Natural England has established a dedicated team to design and operate the Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme (NCPGS).  This will deliver over £60m of capital investment in peat restoration across some 35,000 ha throughout England as part of the Nature for Climate Fund.  This is a unique opportunity to make a significant contribution to the England Peat Action Plan and to play a leading role in delivering Natural England’s ambitions to rebuild sustainable ecosystems in support of the government’s Environment Improvement Plan and Net Zero commitments.

 

The Paludiculture Exploration Fund (PEF) is an offshoot of the NCPGS and aims to explore the potential of wet agriculture to reduce carbon emissions from lowland peat.  This exciting area of work is looking at developing economically viable alternatives to current farming practices on dry peat soil.  The work is underpinned by the Lowland Agricultural peat task force report (Lowland Agricultural Peat Task Force Chair’s report - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lowland-agricultural-peat-task-force-chairs-report-government-response/lowland-agricultural-peat-task-force-chairs-report-government-response) You will work will the Paludiculture (www.paludiculture.org.uk) community delivering events and grants with a variety of objectives contributing to the objective of wetter farming. The work will involve adapting the current grant system, managing a set of financial systems and procedure, and supporting the Senior Adviser with the engagement work.

 

 

Key tasks/principal accountabilities:

 

Generic Paludiculture Exploration Fund management

• SharePoint management
• M/S Lists and Planner management
• Budget tracking
• Attending occasional events in support of PEF
• Supporting internal promotion of PEF and PEF outcomes
• Supporting PEF project administration such as Technical Advisory Group calls, RAID log reviews, delivery schedules and other project management functions

 

Managing the grants 

• Arranging and monitoring quarterly catch ups with grant holders
• Monitoring grant milestones/outputs
• Checking invoices/claims 
• Making payments
• Manging communications with grant holders and NIAB through the PEF mailbox
• Monitoring claims and change requests.

 

Support The Engagement Contract.

• Monitoring budgets
• Support Project Manager with meetings with NIAB
• Support Project Manager with milestone monitoring and change requests.
• Supporting NIAB and www.paludiculture.org.uk

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.. 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  

Personal Effectiveness

 

Description   

• Use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage your audience (basic)
  • Through your networks, offer strategic solutions to financial implications and share best practice to influence informed decision making (practitioner)
  • Identify, share and promote best practice and lessons learned to create a culture of learning that supports continuous improvement (basic)

 

Competence 2  

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)
  • Work proactively and collaboratively with stakeholders and partners to identify and secure opportunities to deliver gains for people and nature (practitioner)
  • Nurture trusting partnerships and collaborate to achieve pragmatic outcomes that help deliver Natural England’s vision, mission and aims (practitioner)

 

Competence 3   

Professional competency

 

Detail   

Work Delivery

 

Description   

• Use systems and reports to ensure they give a true and fair reflection of grantees’ financial position and undertake remedial action when required (practitioner)
  • Review budget performance and maintain accurate forecasts so that your financial submissions and commentaries are complete (basic)
  • Manage and deliver your work to meet agreed targets and deadlines (practitioner)

 

Competence 4   

Professional competency

 

Detail  

Technical Skills and Knowledge

 

Description   

• Experience working on grant schemes or other financial projects and/or project management (desirable)

 

Contact information 

Briony Eastabrook: briony.eastabrook@naturalengland.org.uk; 07771 996312
Jim Milner: jim.milner@naturalengland.org.uk; 07780 339434

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.