Principal Officer - Major Casework Risk Management - ( Ref : 6410 )

Job summary

This position is based Nationally

Job description

Natural England are yet to finalise the details of the 2025 Pay Review. This will be backdated to July 2025, and this could involve a review of our current terms and conditions alongside increases to the advertised pay ranges. If there are any changes to what has been advertised the vacancy manager will be able to provide further details ahead of any offers being accepted.

Join us in shaping a future where nature and people thrive. Whether you're drawn to hands-on conservation or playing a vital part behind the scenes, your work at Natural England will support lasting benefits for the environment and society.

Our Role

Natural England is the Government’s 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 England’s Strategy: Recovering Nature for Growth, Health and Security - GOV.UK.

Job description

The Role

This is an exciting opportunity to lead on the oversight of casework risk management in operational delivery, providing the leadership and technical expertise needed to support the effective handling of our highest priority cases.

The role will be based in the Major Planning Casework Team (MPCT) in National Delivery. This multi-disciplinary team works on significant, large-scale, complex casework and strategic programmes, providing expert support and technical leadership to Area Teams and coordinating major infrastructure programmes. Its current portfolio of projects includes High Speed 2 (HS2), Sizewell C, East West Rail and RAPID and other HR/HO casework across England.

In this role, you will play a critical part in leading a consistent and strategic approach to risk management on major casework. You will have a clear understanding of the strategic and political context within which Natural England is operating and provide a focal point for organisational understanding of our highest priority cases. Your oversight of risk will enable you to supportand challenge where the risk bar is set and how it is interpreted, promoting consistency and positive environmental outcomes.

You will provide the Operations input to the Defra Infrastructure Board, engaging with DEFRA and our Strategy and Area Teams. This includes identification of cases to bring to the Board, providing effective briefings for the Chief Officer in Operations. You will work with other statutory bodies, Natural England Area Teams and Defra to unlock progress on priority infrastructure projects, working flexibly to support different priority projects as they arise.

You will bring expertise across a range of disciplines and provide thought and functional leadership to the team members working with you. Working closely with MPCT’s Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects Manager This will include overseeing the team’s role in producing the monthly high risk casework report to Natural England’s Executive Committee (NExCo) and Board, and the secretariat for the High Risk Casework Panel (HRCP).

You will take periodic reviews to consider:

• Consistency of risk evaluation.
• Common threads (thematic and/or geographic).
• Prioritisation of risk, recognising that categories are broad.
• Gauging confidence that the right actions are in place.

You will work closely with multiple teams to track and actively support complex cases across the organisation. This will include supporting engagement with case team leads to assess and manage risk; identifying and bringing together the right people from across the organisation to coordinate their input at key decision stages such as legal challenges and examinations.

You will support the team in facilitating case conferences, convening cross-organisational working groups, securing timely legal and technical advice on priority casework, and developing effective stakeholder engagement/handling and communication plans.

Key Tasks/Principal Accountabilities

• Provide a focal point for organisational understanding of our highest priority cases to support reporting to NExCo, inform further prioritisation of the HR/HO pipeline, and ensure read across to Defra Infrastructure Board and other priority cases.
• Oversee the process of escalating risks of High Risk/High Opportunity (HR/HO), wildlife licensing and protected sites cases to NExCo. Understand the risks and mitigation proposed and clearly communicate this. Deliver the monthly NExCo report on these highest risk cases, commissioning requests for information, and writing and presenting the report.
• Ensure coordination with Defra Infrastructure Board, working with the NSIPs Manager and Strategy colleagues to secure the effective flow of cases through HRCP, and supporting Project Teams in implementing actions required by the Board.
• Build and maintain effective links with Legal, External Affairs, Regional and National Directors and Operations Deputy Directors to ensure the most complex cases are referred to NExCo and Board.
• Provide summaries of risks and themes for senior leadership in Operations to support understanding of how NE's risk appetite is applied and the contribution complex cases make to delivering NE's Strategy.
• Take the lead, coordinating and driving forward delivery of the recommendations on improvements to risk identification, tracking, management and reporting of high-risk planning and species licensing casework.
• Oversight of the weekly High Risk Casework Panel (HRCP), providing advice to casework teams and reviewing Panel requests, draft papers and problem-solving issues as needed.
• Provide functional management to the Lead Advisers who manage the High-Risk Casework Panel (HRCP), supporting them in an annual review of HRCP tools and processes and the dissemination of casework lessons that can be shared across the organisation.

Provide oversight and functional management of the Senior and Higher Officers project managing a number of complex protected sites and planning casework.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• Strong understanding of casework management, risk and escalation, ideally including protected sites, protected species and planning (essential).
• Highly organised, with strong analytical skills with a proven track record of delivering complex work projects and/ or programmes to deadlines managing risks and dependencies, benefits realisation, resources & budget (essential).
• Strong people leadership skills, with the ability to functionally lead a multi-disciplinary & dispersed project team to deliver programme outcomes (essential).
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills - able to communicate complex concepts and analysis in a simple, straightforward, and honest way (essential).

Excellent track record of partnership working, especially with other Government departments (essential).

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.

You’ll receive a generous leave allowance of 33 days per year (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:

• Technical Skills
• Creating Resilient Landscapes & Seas
• 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 a 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 out in the Job Description.

Please note: 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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Competencies

Competence 1

Professional competency

Detail

Technical Skills & Knowledge

Description

• Relevant degree e.g. marine/planning/environmental assessment or equivalent level of applied experience (Essential).
  • Understanding of Natural England’s statutory remit and our role in planning, licensing and protected and landscapes (Essential).
  • Experience of risk identification and management and working with senior leaders to achieve natural environment outcomes (Essential).
  • Good working knowledge of planning system, and Environment Act requirements and policy and their application to major casework (Desirable).
  • Experience of managing relationships with external partners and internal multi-disciplinary teams (Essential).
  • Functional management experience (Desirable).

Competence 2

Professional competency

Detail

Creating Resilient Landscapes and Seas

Description

• Identify and apply relevant planning and environmental legislation, policies and processes to deliver effective and proportionate evidence-based solutions and advice (Expert).
  • Identify appropriate solutions for avoidance, mitigation, compensation of environmental impacts and meeting shared outcomes; and identify opportunities for enhancing the natural environment (Expert).

Competence 3

Professional competency

Detail

Personal Effectiveness

Description

• Use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage your audience (Expert).
  • Make and explain objective decisions which combine your professional judgement and evidence (Expert).
  • Share expertise and knowledge with people and networks so that you can develop together (Expert).

Competence 4

Professional competency

Detail

Putting People at the Heart of the Environment

Description

• Nurture trusting partnerships and collaborate to achieve pragmatic outcomes that help deliver Natural England’s vision, mission and aims (Expert).
  • Listen to and understand our diverse partners and customers so that you achieve the best outcomes for them and Natural England (Expert).

Competence 5

Professional competency

Detail

Work Delivery

Description

• Manage and deliver your work to meet agreed targets and deadlines (Expert).

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £51,000, Natural England contributes £14,774 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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

Please refer to Job Description

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.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.

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

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).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 : Kathleen Covill
• Email : kathleen.covill@naturalengland.org.uk
• Telephone : 07900 608194

Recruitment team

• Email : defra-recruitment-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Further information

https://networkrecruitment.tal.net/vx/appcentre-7/brand-4/spa-1/candidate/so/pm/1/pl/8/opp/6410-6410-Principal-Officer-Major-Casework-Risk-Management/en-GB

Attachments

DEF-001h - Candidate Pack Natural England v2.3 Opens in new window (docx, 1325kB)