Principal Officer – Landscape Casework - ( Ref: 6330 )
7 hours ago
London
East Midlands (England), East of England, London (region), North East England, North West England, South East England, South West England, West Midlands (England), Yorkshire and the Humber Job Summary This position is based Nationally Job Description Join us in shaping a future where nature and people thrive. Whether you're drawn to hands-on conservation or playing a vital part behind the scenes, your work at Natural England will support lasting benefits for the environment and society. Our Role Natural England is the Government’s adviser for the natural environment and the Nature regulator with a wide range of statutory duties and powers. We provide the evidence, expertise and advice to recover Nature and shape better places for people to live. We do this working through and with others. Our Priorities We Will Focus On The Following Priorities: • Drive Nature recovery at a greater scale and faster pace than before by supporting large scale projects and making it easier for landowners to get permissions for Nature positive change. • Tackle the root causes of Nature’s decline working with Defra partners to ensure cleaner air, clean and plentiful water, healthier soils and rich, productive seas., • Partner with planners and developers on “high nature; low carbon” houses, energy and transport infrastructure and introduce strategic solutions so development can also protect and restore Nature., • Support food security and sustainable farming, forestry and fishing through targeted advice and the right mix of public and private finance., • Shape better places for people to work and live by providing clear evidence and advice to our partners, using spatial plans for Nature as a framework for investment and joined up action., • Connect communities with Nature and create Nature close to people’s homes, ensuring everyone gains from the health benefits Nature can bring. Find out more about the work of Natural England at ___. Job Description The Role Natural England has a key role to play in the planning and delivery of major infrastructure. We provide advice to planners and developers on “high nature; low carbon” houses, energy and transport infrastructure, and we introduce strategic solutions so development can also protect and restore Nature. The Major Planning Casework Team is a multi-disciplinary team which works with Area and National teams on complex major developments on land and sea. The team provides advice to maximise environmental outcomes and manage risk from these developments. We work in two ways; we lead Natural England’s inputs to some major planning casework, and we support our Area Teams on major planning casework by providing technical advice and project management expertise. Our team’s major casework activity uses cost recovery mechanisms to bring in income. Our team helps to set up contracts with applicants using Natural England’s Discretionary Advice Service, NSIP statutory charging and Service Level Agreements (SLAs). We are looking for a Principal Officer to join our team, to provide landscape planning advice on casework, in line with Natural England’s Planning Standards and ensuring our statutory remit is upheld. The role will involve reviewing and responding to technical landscape impact documents, advising Natural England Area Teams, and liaising with external applicants on their landscape impact assessments. It will regularly involve attending site visits across England, and quality assuring and presenting evidence at hearings. Key Tasks/Principal Accountabilities The planning, infrastructure planning and environmental assessment systems are in a period of substantial change so specific responsibilities may develop and change over time. We are looking for a Principal Officer who can maintain a flexible and adaptable attitude and approach. Initial broad work areas are likely to comprise those described below: • Providing specialist technical advice on impacts to Protected Landscapes from development. This will include providing your expert analysis on developer led LVIA/SLVIAs to inform NE advice and advising developers on their impact assessments directly., • Providing national oversight of all High Risk High Opportunity cases with potential to harm Protected Landscapes, and proactively engage with Area Teams on the support required., • Ensuring Natural England’s High Risk High Opportunity pipeline of cases records all the cases it needs to via engagement with Area Teams and the Landscape Planning Network., • Using your expert judgement, prioritise your engagement on the cases with most risk to Protected Landscapes., • Managing and Quality Assuring landscape specialist advice commissioned via our planning framework contract., • Being an expert witness for Natural England at NSIP examinations, Local Plan examinations and Public Inquiries for the highest priority cases, ensuring effective delivery and justification of our advice and positions, and ensuring site visits have informed your advice and judgement., • Providing effective escalation of landscape planning matters throughout NE’s Sustainable Development work, working with Area Teams and other technical colleagues to identify lessons learnt and opportunities for reforming and improving our approach to landscape casework., • Understanding Natural England’s role in advising on seascape issues, and triage which cases require this support, providing advice on seascape issues where needed., • Working across directorates to ensure connectivity with the landscape expertise elsewhere in the organisation., • Enabling effective partnership working on casework – driving forward our engagement with landscape partnerships and other key stakeholders - working together on the most complex cases. 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: ___. Pay It is Natural England policy to employ at the entry point of the salary range. You will become an active member of the relevant local leadership community, the group of senior Natural England staff in each of the localities across England who we ask to provide support and co-ordination for the local group of staff. 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, • Creating Resilient Landscapes & Seas, • Personal Effectiveness, • 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. Next Steps 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. As with all roles in NE, these roles require office attendance of a minimum of 20% of the working time – one day per week for those who work full time, subject to any reasonable adjustments and/or existing contractual homeworking. Competencies Competence 1 Professional competency Detail Technical Skills and Knowledge Description • Relevant degree e.g. landscape/ planning/ environmental assessment or equivalent level of applied experience. (Essential), • Expert level Qualification such as chartered landscape architect or Landscape Institute membership. (Essential), • Expert level planning experience (including planning and design principles, ideally for large infrastructure schemes with experience in advising on local plans. (Essential), • Substantial expertise and applied experience of the application of landscape planning and design principles, including an understanding of landscape and visual impact assessment (LVIA). (Essential), • Experience in landscape character assessment or landscape monitoring. (Desirable), • Experience in Sustainability Appraisal (SA), Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA). (Desirable), • Understanding of Natural England’s statutory landscape role and remit, and our landscape planning focus, including the difference between the two. (Essential), • Experience of managing relationships with external partners, representing Natural England at a senior level. (Desirable), • Experience representing effectively at examination/public enquiry/local plan examination. (Desirable), • Excellent working knowledge of planning system, particularly NSIPs, and Environment Act requirements and policy and their application to major infrastructure projects. (Essential), • Functional management experience. (Essential), • The post holder must demonstrate a track record in providing representations and their own expert judgements to public audiences. (Desirable) Competence 2 Professional competency Detail Creating Resilient Landscapes and Seas Description • Identify and apply relevant planning and environmental legislation, policies and processes to deliver effective and proportionate evidence-based solutions and advice. (Expert), • Apply landscape planning and design principles in order to advise on the impacts of development on landscape/seascape character. (Expert) Competence 3 Professional competency Detail Personal Effectiveness Description • Use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage your audience. (Expert), • Make and explain objective decisions which combine your professional judgement and evidence. (Expert), • Share expertise and knowledge with people and networks so that you can develop together. (Expert) 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. (Expert), • Listen to and understand our diverse partners and customers so that you achieve the best outcomes for them and Natural England. (Expert) Join us in shaping a future where nature and people thrive. Whether you're drawn to hands-on conservation or playing a vital part behind the scenes, your work at Natural England will support lasting benefits for the environment and society. Our Role Natural England is the Government’s adviser for the natural environment and the Nature regulator with a wide range of statutory duties and powers. We provide the evidence, expertise and advice to recover Nature and shape better places for people to live. We do this working through and with others. Our Priorities Description • Nurture trusting partnerships and collaborate to achieve pragmatic outcomes that help deliver Natural England’s vision, mission and aims. (Expert), • Listen to and understand our diverse partners and customers so that you achieve the best outcomes for them and Natural England. (Expert) Person specification Please Refer To Job Description Alongside your salary of £51,000, Natural England contributes £14,774 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. ___ • Learning and development tailored to your role, • An environment with flexible working options, • A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity, • A ___ with an employer contribution of 28.97% Artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our ___ for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use. 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 ___ checks. Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete ___ 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 ___, • 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 ___Working for the Civil Service The ___ 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 ___. 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. The ___ 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 ___. 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. Diversity and Inclusion The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the ___ and the ___. The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. ___. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records. Contact point for applicants Job Contact : • Name : Sally Hawkins-Brown, • Telephone : 07471 026610 Recruitment team Further information