Senior Specialist - Terrestrial Ornithology - ( Ref : 6595 )

Natural England is the Governments adviser for the natural environment and the Nature regulator with a wide range of statutory duties and powers. We provide the evidence, expertise and advice to recover Nature and shape better places for people to live. We do this working through and with others.

Strategic Outcomes for Nature

Our strategy is framed through four strategic outcomes. Each of these outcomes reinforces and amplifies the others, and together they address environmental, social and economic actions critical to thriving nature.

• Recovering Nature Increased scale and quality of places where nature thrives.
• Building Better Places Greener homes and infrastructure create healthier, more investable places, recognising we live better where nature thrives around us.
• Improving Health and Wellbeing Build nature into everyday life so people can support, access and benefit from nature, wherever they live.
• Delivering Security through Nature Nature helps us adapt to the threats of a changing climate and improves our national security, supporting more resilient food production, healthy soils, clean and plentiful water and clean air.

Find out more about the work of Natural England at:

Natural Englands Strategy: Recovering Nature for Growth, Health and Security - GOV.UK

The Team

The Science team is part of the Chief Scientists Directorate in Natural England. This Directorate is responsible for Natural Englands Science, Evidence and Evaluation Strategy and supports its implementation to ensure Natural England is an evidence-led organisation.

The Science team leads on the development and application of natural, economic and social science and evidence to drive and enable the achievement of environmental outcomes both within Natural England and externally.

Job description

As a Senior Specialist with the Birds team you will proactively lead and provide national expertise on the conservation and management of birds in England. We work across the organisation and with external partners and government departments. We are looking for an experienced communicator with an understanding of how evidence is best developed and applied for positive outcomes for nature and for people.

Key Tasks/Principal Accountabilities

Work across the ornithological team which the post holder may also contribute to includes:

• Building, analysing and applying the avian evidence base to inform support and advice, identifying any risks associated with the evidence. Including identifying emerging issues and opportunities.
• Engaging and contributing to the teams work around the species recovery and reintroduction agenda.
• Prioritising monitoring and research for birds; secure funding, design and manage projects (both internally and with partners/contractors) and follow procurement procedures.
• Building ornithological capability within the organisation and team, including playing a role in internal networks.
• Representing Natural England as an expert and build relationships with key experts, stakeholders and academic institutions.
• Taking commissions from across the organisation for specialist ornithological advice, ensuring the needs of birds are fully considered and that evidence is quality assured. This will include planning casework/NSIPs and protected site work

The ideal candidate will preferably be qualified to at least BSc level in an ecological discipline or can demonstrate equivalent experience.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• An excellent knowledge of bird species and ecology. Including conservation status, drivers of population change, survey techniques and relevant data analysis.
• A clear understanding of the ornithological science and evidence base. Experience in analysing and interpreting data relating to birds and how to apply the evidence to provide ornithological advice and identify evidence gaps
• Knowledge of policies, legislative frameworks, and drivers for the terrestrial environment, combined with an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders in ornithological field.

Benefits

At Natural England, we support a healthy work-life balance by offering full-time, part-time, and flexible working arrangements.

We provide excellent opportunities for career progression, training, and development tailored to your role. This includes ten days annually for personal learning and development, plus three additional days for volunteering.

Youll receive a generous leave allowance of 25 days per year (pro rata), increasing by one day for each year of service up to 30 days (pro-rata), access to the Civil Service Pension scheme with a 28.97% employer contribution, and a range of benefits such as shopping discounts and a cycle-to-work scheme. Staff can also join the Civil Service Sport club for discounts on sports, leisure activities, and social events.

We are committed to fairness, equality, and inclusivity. Our employee-led diversity networks help foster a welcoming environment where everyone feels valued and supported.

Locations

Natural England has adopted hybrid working which means our staff work from a flexible range of locations, encompassing home, offices (ours and our partners) and relevant sites. All new staff will be formally linked to one of our 25 offices across England, and the expectation is that all new staff will be able to access their local office to be part of the community of staff in their geographical area. Staff are expected to attend their associated office for 20% of their contractual hours.

Staff members are required to carry out all their duties working in this way and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time. Travel expenses will be paid if work-related travel is required but does not apply to travel between home and your associated office.

National team roles can be linked with any Natural England office while Area Team roles will be linked with an office in the relevant geographic area.

View a map of our office locations here: online map of Natural England office locations

Pay

It is Natural England policy to employ at the entry point of the salary range.

You will become an active member of the relevant local leadership community, the group of senior Natural England staff in each of the localities across England who we ask to provide support and co-ordination for the local group of staff.

How to Apply .

We welcome and encourage applications from all communities. Natural England is accredited to the Disability Confident Scheme, which denotes organisations which have a positive attitude towards disabled people. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum requirements for the role at the shortlisting stage are guaranteed an invitation to interview.

If you require a reasonable adjustment at interview, or there is anything else you would like the panel to take into consideration, you should notify us of this at application stage where possible, or well in advance of your interview. We now provide primary interview questions in advance for all formal recruitments.

This vacancy uses competency-based assessment. We'll assess you against the competencies below during the selection process. Please be aware that we reserve the right for roles that receive a high volume of applications to initially sift applications for one competence only .

• Technical Skills & Knowledge
• Personal Effectiveness
• Putting People at the Heart of the Environment
• Work Delivery

When completing the application form you should present relevant examples using the STAR format. Give us an example of how you have demonstrated the competency (which can be work related or from another area of your life) and tell us about the Situation, the specific Task you had to undertake, the specific Actions you took, and the Result (both immediate and in a wider context) of your Action.

Please note that STAR format is not required when answering the Technical Skills & Knowledge competency.

Examples should be given in no more than 250 words for each competency.

If you are successful at the shortlisting stage, you will be invited to attend an interview via MS Teams or a suitable alternative, where you will be asked to give examples for all competencies as set ...