Protected Sites/Farm Advice hybrid role - SSSI Actions on Track Senior Officer - ( Ref : 6769 )

This position can be based at Ashford (Kent) or Worthing.

Job Description

This role sits within our Protected Sites team and is an exciting opportunity to make a real difference for nature recovery. Our primary goal is to achieve and maintain Favourable Condition across Protected Sites.

The team leads on delivering Favourable Condition for Protected Sites. This includes work on Protected Site Strategies, delivering SSSI Actions on Track, SSSI monitoring, consent/assent casework, SSSI designation and enforcement activities. Whilst these work areas support the achievement of favourable condition, our central focus is building strong relationships with land managers, partners, and colleagues across Natural England to secure practical, long term solutions for SSSIs.

The key focus of this role is the Environment Improvement Plan (EIP) commitment that 50% of SSSI features should have actions on track to achieve favourable condition by 2030 (with 32% delivered by March 2027). Favourable condition on SSSIs will be achieved through actions delivered by Natural England, land owners/managers and external partners.

We are looking for someone who has the ecological expertise in the land management required to achieve Favourable Condition, combined with a proven ability to work with farmers and land managers to deliver Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier schemes.

We are seeking someone passionate about nature recovery, who can work collaboratively with colleagues, land managers and partners to find pragmatic solutions and secure positive outcomes for protected sites.

The role involves regular travel across Sussex and Kent and plays a central role in supporting Natural England's work on Protected Sites and landscape-scale nature recovery. You will also be responsible for coaching and developing colleagues to be able to deliver combined Protected Sites and Farm Advice to farmers and land managers.

The role requires strong organisational and communication skills, knowledge of nature recovery, land management, and landscape-scale conservation approaches, as well as experience of working with partners and land managers.

Key Tasks/principal Accountabilities

• Technical expert in delivery of Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier.
• Technical expert in delivery of Favourable Condition of Protected Sites.
• Proven ability to work with landowners and farmers, finding pragmatic solutions to any barriers.
• Technical expert in at least one habitat, with a broad knowledge of a wider range of habitats.
• Ability to share your skills and knowledge with colleagues.

Leading & Managing People

• Encourage, inspire and support people to be ambitious, creative and innovative, and to reflect, celebrate and learn lessons from their work - (Expert)
• Facilitate and support the personal development of people in your team, enabling them to share expertise and continuously learn - (Expert)

Personal Effectiveness

• Act with integrity, addressing challenging issues and managing conflict through being open and objective (Expert)

Putting People at the heart of the environment

• Nurture trusting partnerships and collaborate to achieve pragmatic outcomes that help deliver Natural England's vision, mission and aims. (Expert)

Work Delivery

• Manage and deliver your work to meet agreed targets and deadlines (Expert)
• Identify priority evidence needs and seek ways to meet them (e.g. through funding or partnerships) (Expert)

Technical Skills and knowledge

• Technical expertise in delivery of Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier - Essential
• Technical expertise in land management interventions required to deliver Favourable Condition of Protected Sites - Essential
• Proven skills in creating and building networks/partnerships with Landowners (Essential)
• Technical expertise relevant to managing a range of terrestrial habitats - Essential
• Ability to share your skills and knowledge with colleagues - Essential
• Knowledge of Designated Sites in Sussex and Kent - Essential
• Expert in technical delivery of complex casework - Essential
• Monitoring and condition assessment of SSSI's - Essential
• Excellent understanding of legislation around Protected Sites - Essential
• Must be well organised, methodical and able to coordinate multiple owners/partners towards a common objective - Essential