Overview

Coventry City Council is seeking to appoint its own in-house ecologist to manage and develop the city’s ecological policy and conservation.

The successful candidate will work as part of the Council’s Planning and Housing Policy team, alongside other specialist disciplines including conservation, archaeology, design and tree protection. As part of a multi-skilled section you will support the delivery of the city’s emerging Local Plan and provide expert support and sound technical input to the countries No1 planning authority for determining its applications in time, a place held since 2010.

The city’s emerging Local Plan looks to balance the city’s growth needs and aspirations with the management of its natural environment. Indeed, the Plan is committed to protecting and enhancing the city’s most sensitive and highest quality green spaces, improving access to green infrastructure and enhancing the city’s ecology and biodiversity assets.

You should be an effective and motivated individual, comfortable working cross-departmentally, with partners, external agencies and with Elected Members. The successful applicant will ideally:

Be commercially-aware with good all round knowledge of practical and legal aspects of ecology;
Have experience at undertaking a range of appropriate ecological surveys to inform the planning process;
take a lead role in the audit of available biodiversity information within Coventry City Council;
Have excellent report-writing skills;
Be comfortable working independently on own initiative as well as part of a team to achieve shared objectives;
Have experience of protected species mitigation schemes and the planning process;
Be qualified to at least degree level in Ecology or Environmental Science and have proven experience at managing ecological projects;
Be an affiliated member of a relevant professional institution (e.g. CIEEM)
The role will be part time for 18.5hours per week with the weekly shift pattern being flexible to suit the successful applicant.

In return, we can offer you flexible working arrangements that will enhance your work-life balance.  These include working from home (subject to project/service area requirements), flexible working hours, generous holiday allowance (starting at 35 days including bank holidays (pro-rata for part time roles)) and a flexitime scheme.  In addition, we offer a range of staff benefits such as membership of the Local Government contributory pension scheme, childcare vouchers, ‘MyCar’ scheme, interest-free loans on annual travel cards, discounts at a number of city centre restaurants, shops and other establishments.

So if you want to be part of this high performing team during this exciting period look no further this role might be just what you’re looking for.  Please apply online at https://www.wmjobs.co.uk/job/20579/ecology-officer/ telling us about your previous experience and where you have used your skills to shine.

If you aren’t sure or have some questions we’d be happy to talk to you, call Mark Andrews on 02476 834295 for an informal conversation.

Closing Date: Monday 28th August 2017
Interview Date: Tuesday 5th September 2017.