Biodiversity Technical Specialist

1

Yorkshire and the Humber

Leeds

Lateral

Staff Grade 5

Permanent

Full Time

Operational Delivery

£37,462

We are looking for a suitably qualified and experienced ecologist to join our Fisheries, Biodiversity and Geomorphology (FBG) team in South and West Yorkshire as a Biodiversity Technical Specialist.

This is a key role within the team, and you will lead on biodiversity matters for South and West Yorkshire, and at times for Yorkshire Area as a whole. It is a varied area with the challenges and pressures of urban development as well as the more rural areas of the Pennines and the Humber-head levels.

You will lead and co-ordinate biodiversity input into a wide range of Environment Agency activities, including water company planning, FCRM project programmes, environmental permitting, Environment Programme and Water Framework Directive activities.

You will proactively identify and influence opportunities to deliver biodiversity benefits, and will develop and manage projects to realise those benefits. You will provide specialist input to projects managed by others.

You will be a technical mentor and advisor to support others on policies, procedures, practices and techniques. By coaching and encouraging continuing personal development, you will ensure knowledge is shared and capability developed and succession enabled in the team.

As responding to incidents is a central part of what we do, you will be required to have an incident role and make yourself available to respond to incidents or provide business continuity support during an incident. This may attract an additional payment and full training and alternative working arrangements will be available to support you with your incident role.

You will be part of the Fisheries, Biodiversity and Geomorphology (FBG) team covering the Yorkshire area. The FBG team is a multi-disciplinary team that promotes the conservation of water and wetland wildlife, and improvements to the environment for people. We give advice across the business and to our external customers and partners on ecology and geomorphological processes to protect and enhance the water environment.

You will be qualified to at least degree standard in a relevant discipline, have considerable experience of nature conservation work and applying that expertise to deliver projects and to influence decision-makers, operators and partners. We prefer you to have a professional qualification or membership with a relevant professional body.
You will have:

• a thorough understanding of the ecology of riverine, aquatic, and wetland habitats and species, nature conservation management, including river and floodplain restoration;
• good working knowledge of environmental and nature conservation legislation, Government policy and strategy, best practice relating to nature conservation in Town and Country planning;
• leadership, mentoring and coaching skills;
• good planning and organisational skills, a track record of delivering high quality work on time and within budget;
• highly developed project management, problem solving, negotiation and influencing skills;
• excellent written and verbal communication skills and experience of data and information management.

Although this post is office based there will be a requirement to undertake site visits and fieldwork to help resolve specific issues that arise. There will be some travel to other Environment Agency office locations, and attendance at national and area meetings, as necessary.

We welcome applications from candidates seeking flexible working patterns. Please highlight any information regarding preferred flexible working arrangements on your application.

If you have any questions or would like any further information please contact the recruiting managers Katie Harwood on 07901 110602 or Joanne Kay on 07768 122392.