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 Knowledge into Practice (KiP) Unit is part of the Chief Scientist Directorate in Natural England. This Directorate is responsible for Natural England’s Science, Evidence and Evaluation Strategy and supports its implementation to ensure Natural England is an evidence-led organisation and a leader in applied environmental science.  

The KiP Unit leads on developing, synthesising, evaluating and sharing robust, accessible, and timely evidence on the implementation, impact and cost effectiveness of environmental policy and operations. Our aim is to enable the achievement of environmental, social and economic outcomes both within Natural England and externally.

Job description   

We’re looking to appoint two enthusiastic Senior Specialists, to work alongside our Specialists, Senior Specialists and Principal Specialist and other Natural England colleagues to develop and implement a programme of synthesis commissions which address the needs of the organisation and our partners (like Defra policy makers).  

You will help develop and establish the organisational standards and protocols for evidence synthesis. You will be working with our knowledge exchange specialists to ensure that NE’s understanding of what works for people and the natural environment is accessible and usable.  

You will lead on activities which will include engagement with customers, prioritisation of commissions, completing syntheses yourself and commissioning external providers to complete syntheses.   

These roles will improve our learning from evidence so that policy and operational decisions are evidence-led. This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing team in Natural England, and to work at the forefront of the implementation of our Science, Evidence and Evaluation (SEE) Strategy, and help shape its further evolution. 

These two new roles will help ensure that the decisions of our Board, Executive leadership and policy advisers, as well as nature recovery delivery by front line staff and colleagues in central government are evidence-led. You must be able to engage with, and understand, what our colleagues and stakeholders need to do their jobs more effectively and efficiently. You will also help shape evidence processes and products to meet their needs. You will draw on and add to the evidence base of what works at the interface of science, policy and practice.  

As part of the KiP unit you’ll work closely with specialists in Evaluation, Targets & Indicators, Metrics and Impact and Knowledge Exchange, ensuring their key messages get heard and used.  You will be expected to work across the Chief Scientist Directorate, engaging with topic specialists, the SEE workstream leads, Data Science Services and Evidence colleagues, as well as engaging with colleagues in other parts of Natural England, Defra and external networks.   

There is significant scope to lead on specific aspects of this work, finding opportunities and prioritising improvement to drive evidence-led decision making across policy and practice to deliver nature’s recovery. Your proactive, inclusive, and collaborative working with others will be vital to the success of our synthesis and learning activities.  

To be successful in the role you will demonstrate the following skills and knowledge 

• Experience of working at the interface of science and policy and/or delivery. 
• A strong track record of interpreting, analysing and synthesising evidence from a range of different sources and in variable formats. 

• Experience of communicating scientific outcomes, tailored to different settings and users, to improve use of and understanding of evidence. 
• Experience of specifying evidence synthesis requirements to meet customer needs. 

 

 

Key Tasks/ Principal Accountabilities  

• Build and maintain strong connections and relationships with key internal and external stakeholders to understand their evidence needs to design and implement a multi-year programme of synthesis activities. 
• Use your experience in interpretation, analysis and synthesis of evidence to take the lead on various priority syntheses.  
• Specify syntheses for completion by NE and/or to be commissioned from external providers. 
• Communicate findings, and levels of confidence in outputs, from syntheses to a range of different audiences to support Natural England’s transformation to being an evidence-led organisation.  
• Be innovative – help with the establishment of new and effective tools, standards and guidance to help NE staff robustly synthesise evidence themselves. 

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. As a specialist, in Natural England you have 20 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.

On approval, staff members may also work overseas for a maximum period of four weeks per year. 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 & Knowledge 
• Personal Effectiveness 
• Putting people at the heat of the environment  
• Work Delivery  

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. 

 

Competence 1 - Professional competency  
Detail: Technical Skills and Knowledge  
(You do not need to answer in the STAR format)  
Description:  

• Experience of working at the interface of science and policy and/or delivery (essential). 
• A strong track record of interpreting, analysing and synthesising evidence from a range of different sources and in variable formats (essential). 
• Experience of communicating scientific outcomes, tailored to different settings and users, to improve use of and understanding of evidence (essential). 
• Experience of specifying evidence synthesis requirements to meet customer needs (essential) 
• Experience of experimental design (desirable) 
• Programme and project leadership and management experience (desirable). 
• External commissioning experience (desirable) 
• A science background is desirable.   

 
Competence 2 - Professional competency  
Detail: Personal effectiveness  

(Please answer using the STAR format) 
Description: 

• Make and explain objective decisions which combine your professional judgement and evidence (Expert) 
• Use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage your audience (Practitioner) 
• Progress your personal development and take responsibility for keeping your knowledge and expertise current (Practitioner). 

 

Competence 3 - Professional competency  
Detail: Putting People at the Heart of the Environment 

(Please answer using the STAR format) 
 
Description: 

• Listen to and understand our diverse partners and customers so that you achieve the best outcomes for them and Natural England (Practitioner) 
• Build relationships and effective networks both externally and internally to bring in fresh perspectives, approaches and evidence to raise the profile of both your individual specialist work and that of Natural England (Expert). 
• Nurture trusting partnerships and collaborate to achieve pragmatic outcomes that help deliver Natural England’s vision, mission and aims (Practitioner) 

 

Competence 4 - Professional competency  
Detail: Work delivery 

(Please answer using the STAR format) 
 
Description:  

• Handle data responsibly, understand your role in good governance, and comply with delegations, policies and procedures (Practitioner) 
• See the big picture so you can set your team’s work within the context of the organisation’s vision, mission and aims, and help them understand how their work relates to and supports this (practitioner) 
• Manage and deliver your work to meet agreed targets and deadlines (Expert). 

 

Competencies

 

Competence 1   

Professional competency

 

Detail   

Technical Skills and Knowledge

 

Description   

Experience of working at the interface of science and policy and/or delivery (essential).

A strong track record of interpreting, analysing and synthesising evidence from a range of different sources and in variable formats (essential).

Experience of communicating scientific outcomes, tailored to different settings and users, to improve use of and understanding of evidence (essential).

Experience of specifying evidence synthesis requirements to meet customer needs (essential)

Experience of experimental design (desirable)

Programme and project leadership and management experience (desirable).

External commissioning experience (desirable)

A science background is desirable.

 

Competence 2   

Professional competency

 

Detail   

Personal effectiveness

 

Description   

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

Use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage your audience (Practitioner)

Progress your personal development and take responsibility for keeping your knowledge and expertise current (Practitioner).

 

Competence 3   

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 Natural England (Practitioner)

Build relationships and effective networks both externally and internally to bring in fresh perspectives, approaches and evidence to raise the profile of both your individual specialist work and that of Natural England (Expert).

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

 

Competence 4   

Professional competency

 

Detail   

Work delivery

 

Description   

Handle data responsibly, understand your role in good governance, and comply with delegations, policies and procedures (Practitioner)

See the big picture so you can set your team’s work within the context of the organisation’s vision, mission and aims, and help them understand how their work relates to and supports this (practitioner)

Manage and deliver your work to meet agreed targets and deadlines (Expert).

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.