U.K./E.E.A. nationals: Lead Adviser (Freshwater x5)

The five roles are located in 4 Area Teams in Natural England. The Area Teams concerned are Sussex and Kent, Thames Solent, Norfolk and Suffolk and Wessex. We are looking for 5 applicants to work flexibly with our partners in the Water industry. The partners are the Environment Agency and Water Companies who will have regions and offices that do not match our own. The plan is to work across the South and so there will be some travel and attendance at meetings across the South of England. We have a wide range of flexible working arrangements and technology to help keep a work life balance.

Please note that you can be located in any of our Southern offices in Norfolk and Suffolk, Sussex and Kent, Thames Solent or Wessex, we have an office at Eastleigh that is not listed as a location on option for selection on the recruitment system but is available. There is not operational reason for the applicants to be located in London so that currently is not an option unless this changes.

Job description

As the freshwater agenda continues to grow within Natural England we are looking for five Lead Advisers to further develop freshwater delivery; in various locations covering the South East, East Anglia and Wessex. The roles will be supporting our Senior Specialist/ Senior Advisers in these areas whilst working closely with advisers across the teams, the Environment Agency and the Water Companies. It is expected that candidates will need a good understanding of freshwater issues, however it’s recognised that expertise will be developed as part of the role. The person should be knowledgeable on water quality and/or resources and how the protected sites system works to be confident to support casework across the teams.

The successful applicants will be based in specific area teams and will be expected to travel to work with key customers across the areas.

Key Tasks:

• Work across the area teams to ensure that freshwater delivery is fully embedded and supported across the relevant focus areas.
• Deliver technical advice / input on water quality in focus areas with specific emphasis transitional and coastal waters.
• Provide technical advice on water related casework, including basic hydrogeological advice on abstraction licences, water quality and water level issues arising on casework (planning, land management or environment Agency consultations).
• Complete, where relevant, production of Diffuse Water Pollution Plans with the Environment Agency and embed the roll-out of their actions.
• Increase our income, by leading on /supporting Discretionary Advice Service (DAS) work related to statutory water company plans (drought plan, water resource management plan and business plan) in particular Drought plan Environmental Assessment Reports (EARS).
• Contribute to DAS casework emerging from Water Company and Environment Agency plans
• Coordinate evaluation of water elements (condition geomorphology and flow/level as appropriate to habitat) of current condition assessments and Common standards monitoring
• Help coordinate the input into the development and delivery of the relevant River Basin Management Plans in line with programme area objectives.
• Help develop and focus skills of catchment groups in water quality monitoring, delivery of integrated biodiversity outcomes and integrated approach, attending where necessary.
• Support the delivery of water company account management. Help manage and develop identified water company investment within our priority areas by liaising with local advisers.
• Lead the liaison with the EA on the joint planning. Work with the EA on the development of their habitat creation programme, Flood risk Management plan second cycle development of plan and support of Natural Flood Management approaches in the relevant region.
• Where relevant manage WEG projects including dealing with scheme queries, assessing and processing claims and variations.

Competencies

Professional competency 1

Technical/specialist knowledge/qualifications – Essential

• Understand and apply the relevant environmental legislation to your work
• Ability to identify how land interacts with the surrounding landscape and habitats e.g. through hydrological linkages
• Ability to identify how proposals can impact protected features for example through source, receptor, pathway approaches
• Ability to identify how proposals can contribute to environmental opportunities to enhance natural capital and deliver biodiversity net gain
• Ability to manage Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and International site casework in line with statutory duty and published service standards
• Recognise, identify and interpret environmental features such as priority habitats and SSSI features
• Understand and advise on appropriate management techniques to maintain or enhance the condition of an SSSI or international site (remedies, condition threats)
• Understand and apply relevant water legislation, policy and governance frameworks to your work, this includes an understanding of how it links to the aims, outcomes and priority actions in the focus areas.

Professional competency 2

Building Partnerships

• Collaborate, negotiate and influence in a well-informed way to achieve pragmatic outcomes – practitioner
• Develop an understanding of the objectives and needs of our partners and customers – practitioner

Professional competency 3

Communicating Effectively

• Listen well, be open minded, and take time to understand the other person’s point of view – practitioner
• Use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage your audience – practitioner

Professional competency 4

Personal Effectively

• Act positively to safeguard the physical and mental wellbeing of yourself and others – Basic
• Consider the diverse needs of other people in everything you do – Basic
• Suggest innovations and reforms to improve the way your team and Natural England operates – Practitioner

Professional competency 5

Work delivery

• Consider the value for money and return on investment of activity, and when to seek income from our products and services – Basic
• Identify, understand and follow the instructions, policies, procedures and standards relevant to your work – practitioner
• Manage and deliver your workload to meet agreed targets and deadlines practitioner

Professional competency 6

Customer Service

• Take personal responsibility for your interaction with customers by engaging early, being transparent and staying practical, helpful, trustworthy and impartial – practitioner

Responsibilities

Please refer to Job Description