Sustainable Development Higher Officer – (Ref: 6580)

Overview

The purpose of this role is to work with a range of partners and stakeholders including statutory undertakers, government agencies, developers, consultants, landowners, and members of the public to drive forward nature recovery through the planning system. The role operates to uphold Natural England’s statutory duties and to create benefits for nature and people within the land, freshwater and marine environment.

The role uses a range of specific tools such as statutory advice to decision makers; regulatory mechanisms that avoid and reduce environmental harm through the planning system; and technical guidance to planners and developers to secure environmental improvements through individual schemes.

This Higher Officer role sits in Area Teams and provides the main interface between Natural England (NE) and the key local stakeholders who NE wish to engage with and influence through the planning system. It is a key role in balancing both our regulatory responsibilities and our delivery of nature recovery through the green growth agenda. Roles may be primarily based within NE’s role in the terrestrial planning system, the management of water quality/resources, or shaping the design of major infrastructure and delivery projects in the marine ecosystem.

The role reports to a Senior Manager for line management, while functional management is provided by a Senior Officer from the relevant work area (Sustainable Development Casework Manager)

Key responsibilities

Deliver timely, high quality, pragmatic and legally sound advice to authorities and developers in the Area Team geography. Especially focussing on provision of advice on Strategic Planning, Habitats Regulations Assessments and Environmental Impact Assessments for major casework.

• Take ownership for helping delivery our remit regarding High Risk and High Opportunity plans and casework, coordinating the provision of advice from across Natural England, building expertise to deliver quality-assured and robust advice on major plans and projects in terrestrial, freshwater and/or marine settings.
• Building partnerships with customers and stakeholders to resolve complex planning issues in order to support nature recovery, often through use of chargeable services that support better environmental outcomes.
• Proactively work with partners on strategic solutions and projects that take forward NE nature recovery goals including use of net gain, nutrient mitigation plans, provision of high quality green and blue infrastructure, and creating opportunities for better connections between people and nature.
• Contribute to efforts to improve our effectiveness in engaging with planning and development.
• Responding to post-consent consultations on discharge of Development Consent Orders, planning permission and licence conditions

Apply highest standards of record keeping and decision making to demonstrate that legislation, policy and governance frameworks are followed, and consistent advice is delivered to customers.

Key performance measures

The role focuses on time critical statutory work, which is complex and often contentious and requires completing in short timescales. This role must analyse an array of evidence to make informed, objective decisions; negotiate requirements for improvements to plans, or seek additional information to reduce risks and maximise environmental gains; manage potentially contentious relationships with external parties (who may not have any background or interest in nature recovery); work as a team player to make best use of networks across the organisation to both deliver work and find pragmatic solutions to accommodate the needs of both people and nature.

The role has important customer facing function to deliver within a high priority work area, that carries significant reputational risk (and opportunity) to both NE and the environment agenda. It also represents an area where NE has significant statutory role that is quite different to that of campaigning and advisory environmental non-government organisations (eNGOs). The role is critical to the effective functioning of all Area Teams, both in terms of administering both our statutory regulatory functions, as well as our driving nature recovery ambition.

This Higher Officer role will typically lead one or more work areas within a defined geographical area. The role will have considerable autonomy with regard to work planning within that area in support of national programs and in response to local requirements. The role will lead on developing relationships with customers and identifying and developing new stakeholder partnerships.

There are no line management responsibilities associated with this role although it often includes direct supervision of Officers and support or training for peers within the Area Team.

Knowledge, skills and experience

This role demands a comprehensive understanding of the relevant work area and ability to provide high quality advice to customers and partners.

A comprehensive knowledge of the planning system, environmental legislation relating to the natural environment and protected sites and regulatory mechanisms will be required. The post holder will understand key ecological processes and systems as they apply to local landscapes and will have significant expertise in providing coherent evidence-based advice to shape delivery of quality schemes that contribute to nature recovery.

The role holder must be able to communicate clearly, both verbally and in writing, and experience of building pragmatic working relationships with partners and stakeholders is essential. A relevant academic qualification or significant equivalent will be required alongside the ability to gain additional technical knowledge at pace. Competence in the use of IT, the ability to be organised and work at pace on complex cases will also be necessary.