Navy Climate Resilience and Environmental Management (CREM) Protection Lead

Job summary

At Navy Command, we lead, support, and sustain the Royal Navy, Royal Marines and Royal Fleet Auxiliary at home and overseas where we operate in the air, on the land as well as on and under the sea. We coordinate the people, platforms and missions that keep our front-line units ready for today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities. Together, we uphold centuries of naval tradition but also drive innovation that ensures the Navy’s readiness to protect our nation and secure our future.

You'll be based at HMS Excellent, home to the Naval Headquarters and front-line training units. From here, the Royal Navy directs operations, develops strategy, and delivers training that keeps the Fleet ready for any challenge. It is a hub of leadership, coordination, and expertise at the heart of naval command.

The Climate Resilience and Environmental Management team is a small group dedicated to advising on and supporting Navy’s drive to be more operationally resilient in the face of changing global conditions. We seek out opportunities to enhance fighting advantage whilst delivering on Navy’s legal and policy obligations to protect and enhance the natural environment.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

Are you an environmental professional with the experience and dedication to enhance Navy’s fighting effectiveness by leading on a range of environmental protection issues? If so, Navy Command has an exciting opportunity for you to join our team.

In this role, you would be at the forefront of safeguarding our environment, ensuring compliance with environmental legislation and promoting a culture of continuous improvement for environmental management across naval activities. You’ll play a key part in reducing environmental impact, supporting climate resilience and helping shape responsible effective operational practices across the Royal Navy.

From the outset, you will be involved in diverse initiatives that support the Navy, giving you the chance to broaden your knowledge and build confidence in your abilities. Because this is a varied, often reactive and evolving role, relevant training will be provided but your existing experience should enable you to deliver robust advice to Navy operators, planners, acquisition programmes and senior officers across most of your portfolio. the job training will be provided, ensuring you’re fully supported as you develop.

This role is primarily based at HMS Excellent in Portsmouth, offering a strong home base within one of the Royal Navy’s key establishments. You’ll be required to travel to other defence and government locations across the UK, supporting a wide range of environmental work and engaging with diverse teams and projects. This national reach requires collaboration with other Government Departments and to represent MOD for specific topic areas. Occasional overseas travel is envisaged to fulfil this role.

What you can expect to be doing

• Advising on the potential impact of current and proposed legislation, policy and emerging science on Navy capabilities.
• Acting as the Navy EP Focal Point, representing CREM at EP related meetings, liaising with other government departments and external organisations as appropriate.
• Providing the MOD lead for EP policy advice related to marine protected areas and management of underwater sound created by MOD maritime activity. Be the single MOD point of contact for cetacean strandings in the UK.
• Influencing proposed legislation or policy through internal consultation to ensure NC interests are considered with the aim of minimising impact on Navy capability.
• Identifying “best practice” for environmental management and seek continuing improvement in performance in the interests of the Navy’s operational and business activities.
• Providing a “help desk” for marine conservation and maritime pollution control policy and strategy initiatives in support of operational activity.

Person specification

To be successful with your application, you'll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:

• Degree level qualification in marine environmental science, biology or ecology or maritime environmental related subject, or have the equivalent relevant experience, and
• Experience in delivering compliance advice and support to an operational organisation based on your knowledge of environmental science, legislation, regulation and Government policy.

Qualifications

Degree level qualification in marine environmental science, biology or ecology or maritime environmental related subject, or have the equivalent relevant experience.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £46,040, Ministry of Defence contributes £13,337 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• Personal & professional development
• An environment with flexible working options
• Learning and development tailored to your role
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave
• Special paid leave to volunteer (up to 6 days a year)
• Access to a confidential, professional support service
• Discount schemes
• Bicycle / season-ticket loans
• Our headquarters in Portsmouth offers an impressive range of on-site facilities including a gymnasium, tennis courts, and other sporting facilities, a children’s nursery, a bistro restaurant, a shop and plenty of car parking spaces.

In Navy Command we believe that everyone has the potential to make a difference and you’ll be supported through your learning journey and your career. This will include working towards membership of a relevant professional body as part of your role.

You’ll have access to a variety of qualifications pathways ranging from GCSE/A-Level equivalent all the way up to master’s degree, depending on your role, your previous skills and your experience.

Please Note

Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

The post does not offer relocation expenses. External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

At sift, you’ll be assessed against the following;

Experience:

• Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history, qualification details and previous skills and experience.
• Candidates will be required to provide a personal statement. This should be a maximum of 500 words that sets out your motivation for applying and shows how your skills and experience meet the essential requirements for the role.

Behaviours:

• Seeing the big picture
• Changing and improving
• Making effective decisions
• Communicating and influencing

In the event of a high volume of applications, only the lead Success Profile will be assessed at sift. The Lead Success Profile for this campaign is Experience.

At Interview, you’ll be assessed against the following;

Experience:

• This will be assessed at interview through experience based questions designed to explore the relevance, depth, and application of your experience to the role.

Behaviours:

• Seeing the big picture
• Changing and improving
• Making effective decisions
• Communicating and influencing

Further information:

All interviews will be conducted in person at HMS Excellent.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system.

Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Rod Jones, Assistant Head Environmental Management
• Email : roderick.jones888@mod.gov.uk
• Telephone : 030 0160 2935

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: info@csc.gov.uk.

Attachments

22_0656 Navy Applicant guide A4 - Digital Opens in new window (pdf, 2922kB)Candidate Information Opens in new window (docx, 32kB)Defence Civil Service Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)