Overview

The post holder will pro-actively lead, alongside the existing Senior Specialist, and provide national expertise on the conservation management of mammals. Based in the Specialist Services and Programmes team, working closely with others, they will interpret evidence to provide expert, practical advice across Natural England. While also working with external partners to enhance the evidence base and achieve environmental outcomes. They will be responsible for setting standards for mammal conservation work and will be required to provide expert advice on a wide range of mammal related issues.

This role will require national travel.

Key tasks

• Provide clear, timely and appropriate evidenced based advice on protected sites, domestic (e.g., SSSIs) and European (SACs), for example through FCT revision, site designation and monitoring.

•Provide clear, timely and appropriate evidence based advice to Area team staff on the ecology of mammals to enable delivery of successful environmental outcomes, especially in topics such as licensing, planning and protected sites casework.

•Provide evidence based advice to external customers on a wide range of issues relating to mammal conservation, including ecology, land management, licensing, planning, wildlife disease and non-native species.

•Provide support and advice to Strategy teams around the Protected Species licensing reform agenda for mammals.

•Provide Natural England national and area teams with clear, appropriate and timely advice on complex high risk Protected Species casework, with a current focus on bat issues and mitigation.

•Provide protected species advice on HS2 and other Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs).

•Assist in the development of guidelines, with other specialists and sister agencies, where new technologies, land management or infrastructure development may affect mammals.

•Ensure that Natural England maintains up-to-date knowledge of the conservation status of and threats faced by mammals in England, including through the collection and collation of data from external sources and networks, and through research as required.

•Build and maintain a network of internal and external partners and experts (e.g. industry bodies, sister agencies, NGOs and research institutes). Work closely with specialists, internally, externally and with sister agencies to fully embed effective mammal conservation into the UK biodiversity landscape.

•Provide training and coaching to staff across Natural England, especially to area team staff, in order to build capability and play a lead role in internal networks to exchange information and ideas.

•Provide support and advice to habitat specialists to integrate the needs of mammals in the delivery of habitat management and conservation (e.g. integrated advice project).

•Where required input into Species Recovery Projects or externally funded projects such as ‘Back from the Brink HLF’.

•Work on the defining Favourable Condition Status project for mammal species.

•Working on Natural England’s reporting for mammals e.g. Article 17.

Competencies
We’ll assess you against these competencies during the selection process:

Technical/specialist knowledge/qualifications

• Qualified to at least BSc level in an ecological discipline, with proven knowledge of and experience in mammal ecology. Preference will be given to those who can demonstrate a clear external profile in the field of mammal ecology.
• Be able to apply a sound knowledge of the ecology of mammals, find evidenced based yet pragmatic solutions to species conservation challenges, and understand the broader context within which this specialism sits within Natural England.
• Be able to demonstrate knowledge of the current pressures and threats to protected mammal species.
• Demonstrate a sound understanding of the planning system/policies and the protection it affords towards mammals, with a specific focus on Protected Species, particularly bats.
• Demonstrate a good understanding and experience of applying the general protection afforded to mammals resulting from the main national and EU-level legislation and accompanying regulations/statutory instruments (e.g. licensing).
• Be able to critically appraise the evidence base presented by third parties and provide clear advice regarding the sufficiency of that evidence, its strengths and weaknesses and the validity of conclusions which can be drawn from it.
• Be effective in communicating (verbally and in written form) to multiple audiences, internal and external, ideally with experience of dealing with local authorities, regulators, consultants and developers.

Building partnerships – Expert

• Contribute effectively to cross-team thought leadership through leading or participating in specialist networks and more informal methods.
• Share knowledge and information, building your networks and increasing your understanding while doing so.

Collecting, monitoring and analysing data and evidence – Expert/Practitioner

• Interpret, evaluate and use evidence to inform your decision-making. E
• Identify priority evidence needs and seek ways to meet them (e.g. through funding or partnerships). P
• Keep up to date with current evidence and research and integrate this into your work. E

Providing leadership – Expert

• Display thought leadership on Natural England’s behalf through external collaboration within the DEFRA family and with other partners and academics.
• Identify new issues and new developments through awareness and horizon-scanning and share these with relevant people.
• Train, coach and mentor others in Natural England and key players externally.

Personal effectiveness – Expert/Practitioner

• Develop and display interpretive, analytical and problem-solving skills. E
• Develop and display independence and initiative, including the ability to test and challenge others in a constructive and evidence-based way. P
Communicating effectively – Practitioner

• Use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage your audience.