Overview

PRINCIPAL ECOLOGIST
Band & Job Title Band A: Principal Ecologist
Location London, Leeds, Manchester, National, Sheffield (regular travel required across the Estate)
Place of work 102 Petty France London, Wellington Place Leeds, Civil Justice Centre Manchester, National, Vulcan House Sheffield
Employee type Permanent Full Time
Job Description
Background The Estate Cluster which manages property and facilities management interests on behalf of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) including Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), Home Office (HO), Crown Prosecution service (CPS), Department for Education (DfE), Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), Department for International Trade (DIT), Department for Exiting the EU (DExEU) and a number of Arm’s Length Bodies (ALBs). It comprises a diverse range of assets that include: prisons, training centres, operational buildings, approved premises and an office estate that supports the wider operational activities.

The Cluster forms one of the biggest of its kind in Whitehall consisting of over 2,000 holdings nationally and is a trail blazer for future clusters and the one Public Estate Agenda

About the team The team is responsible for promoting the delivery of sustainability

projects across the shared estate. It provides advice to Project delivery on technical standards and project mandates, Facilities Management on initiatives to help meet the Greening Government Commitments, and cluster departments on improving and

embedding sustainability. It provides advice on improving ecology and biodiversity within the Estate cluster, including management of its Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

Purpose of the role To manage ecology and biodiversity primarily in HMPPS but also in HMCTS and across the MoJ estate.
Deliverables/        Responsibilities
  • Lead and mange 1 x Ecology Technical support and 1 x Ecology Administration support staff.
  • Managing directly or at length FM and SAA framework Contractors as required.
  • Delivering advice and support on compliance of designated sites, protected species and further advise on Climate Change adaptation, whist reporting against the Governments Transparency Targets and Biodiversity 2020 outcomes across the estates cluster to meet Government targets (GGC, FReM, CRC).
  • Support and advise on relevant legislation including the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, the CROW Act 2000, the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, NERC Act 2006 Section 40 and 41, and all relevant European legislation and Directives.
  • Monitor and report on progress to improve statutory designated sites (SSSIs, NNRs and European sites), maintaining information systems, on SSSI status surveys and validating data for project performance and delivery.
  • Formulating Biodiversity Action Plans, with defined objectives, targets and responsibilities to support delivery of the Cluster’s overall Biodiversity strategy and measure and monitor progress against UK Biodiversity strategies, objectives and performance outcomes.
  • Compile habitat action plans with designated partnerships to maintain and enhance areas of the MoJ estate which are identified as priority habitats and biodiversity significant sites.
  • Compile species action plans with designated partnerships to protect and enhance priority species that have been identified within the MoJ estate.
  • Attend site meetings as required and draft and implement statutory Site Management Agreements at all the MoJ’s designated sites, manage supporting databases on protected species and habitats, and draft Climate Change Adaptation reports (Flooding) and taking action as necessary.
  • Develop and support partnerships with statutory bodies such as Natural England, Defra, the Wildlife Trusts, RSPB, BTCV, other Government Departments and local authorities.
  • Manage and liaise with community partnerships and design and implement statutory training programmes for ecology and biosecurity, including behavioural change, wildlife and countryside law and social issues programmes.
  • Provide professional and technical training to MoJ staff responsible for SSSI and protected species management.
  • Support and advise establishments on training needs and opportunities for prisoners in rural and countryside skills which directly benefit and promote sustainable biodiversity on the MoJ NOMS estate.
  • Provide guidance and management support to support ongoing shared estate projects where ecology has been highlighted, including ongoing maintenance, new build projects together with BREEAM, PETP including support of the estate rationale strategy.
  • Support and advise on all funding bids relating to biodiversity and countryside projects.
  • Embedding ecology and biodiversity, and wider sustainable development initiatives across the operational estate, providing advice, guidance and support to staff and contractors.

Core Competence Profile

 

Core Competence Profile

Essential Civil Service Competency (Level 4, Band A)

 

Essential Civil Service Competency  

Setting Direction
  1. Seeing the Big Picture
Engaging People
  1. Collaborating and Partnering
  1. Building Capability for All
Delivering Results

  1. Managing a Quality Service
GPP Competency’s (Practitioner Level)

  1. Interpretation and analysis of data to inform decision making: Interpreting and presenting clearly to colleagues and stakeholders diverse and detailed information from a wide range of sources and making reasoned recommendations; Identifying options for action, providing an evaluation of options and making reasoned decisions.
  2. Interpretation and analysis of data to inform decision making: Actively participating in external and cross-government professional communities

The Post holder also should have:

 

 

  • At least 5 years practical field work including membership of a recognised body or

 

institute status (e.g. MCIEEM or similar etc).

 

  • Experience in carrying out Phase 1 & 2 habitat surveys linked to NVC.
  • Experience in carrying out data analysis of habitat and species population status, specifically with regards to European Protected Species (EPS).
  • Experience in carrying out EcIAs.
  • Experience in GIS mapping and the new UKHab classification.
  • Hold or have experience of carrying a protected species licence, and understand the mitigation and method statement provision.
  • Demonstrate an ability to understand the planning process with a knowledge of  BREEAM, and biodiversity offsetting.
  • Post Graduate qualification, such as an MSc or a PhD in Ecology or Countryside Management or similar.
  • Membership of UK Environmental Law Association or similar.
  • Diploma in wildlife and countryside Law including EEC Directives and Regulations or similar.

To find out more or apply for this vacancy please visit:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/recruitment, follow the link ‘Apply for a Job’ and search reference 22047.

Closing date for receipt of applications is: 14 December 2018 at 23:55pm