Overview

If you are a passionate ecologist and care about saving the environment, then we need you!

This is a really exciting opportunity to progress your career in Ecology in a truly unique team at a pivotal moment with Biodiversity Net Gain, Local Nature Recovery Strategy, Sustainability, Climate Change and Placemaking at the heart of the growth agenda in Local Government. This is also an opportunity to express yourself as an ecologist, unhindered by external pressures.

The role will help to ensure that the natural environment lies at the heart of these core objectives as you respond to planning applications on individual developments, contribute to strategic long-term plans for the county and help shape the long-term future for the natural environment in Hertfordshire.

The role is a highly sought after position, which comes with a high level of respect, influence and responsibility. Your remit will be to provide dedicated, expert ecology advice, focused exclusively on the needs to the natural environment. You will have the opportunity to ensure applications and developers comply with your advice through practical on-site visits.

Your work will help us:

  • Enhance buildings and infrastructure in planning, making new developments more nature-friendly and improving existing buildings and surfaces;
  • Helping to halt and reverse fragmentation of habitat in the built environment in order to better connect urban areas to rural areas.
  • Enhance urban habitats through utilising nature-based solutions to provide wider environmental benefits.

You will also be a part of a truly uniquely dedicated cross-sector team (LEADS – Landscape, Ecology, Archaeology and Design Sustainability) of environment specialists, giving you the opportunity to learn new skills, observe shared problems and find common solutions. This approach takes local authority environmental work in a new and exciting direction in order to meet 21st century priorities and challenges and as such has already received many plaudits. Through working with other teams across the council, you can help make our natural environment more resilient, help nature recover and improve the lives of residents through make Hertfordshire a greener and healthier place to live.

Our objective is to halt and reverse fragmentation of habitat in the built environment in order to better connect urban areas to rural areas.

The work involves the critical interpretation and assessment of ecological reports and records.  You would be a person who thrives in an information rich environment combining an eye for detail with an ability to prioritise and make critical assessments of likely ecological impacts. You will enjoy tackling complex problems in a methodical manner using your own initiative but will also be able to show case your ability to work positively within a team. The work requires a degree of flexibility and pragmatism in dealing with multiple planning authorities and a wide range of planning and development scenarios. The post would suit a well organised and solution focused individual.

You will be given the opportunity to have a platform that allows you to communicate the values of the natural environment to planners, elected officials, developers and the public, and the challenges of ensuring this message is delivered, acknowledged and embraced.

About You

  • Educated to degree level (or equivalent) in ecology, environmental science, or a related natural science discipline.
  • Relevant professional experience within local government ecology, ecological consultancy, or a comparable applied ecological role.
  • Good understanding of the planning system, including the role of ecological advice in development management.
  • Working knowledge of UK protected species legislation, with the ability to apply this to influence decision making by providing appropriate ecological advice.
  • Demonstrable experience of biodiversity net gain (BNG), including the ability to review and interpret the statutory metric and understand how BNG is secured and delivered through the planning process.
  • Experience of advising on ecological mitigation, compensation, and enhancement measures, including securing outcomes through planning conditions.

You’ll need to have the ability to drive and/or travel around Hertfordshire, either using your own mode of transport or a company car to travel to other locations.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

To hear more about this opportunity please contact simon.richards1@hertfordshire.gov.uk for an informal discussion about the role.

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