Reserve Ranger, Derbyshire Dales NNR - ( Ref : 6541 )

Job summary

This position is based at Bakewell

Job description

Do you have a passion for nature and the environment? Do you want to make a real difference and secure significant environmental gains in the present and the future? Do you enjoy being outdoors and working in a team?

Our National Nature Reserves (NNRs) are at the forefront of nature recovery and people engagement and are at the heart of achieving Natural England’s ambitions (such as Local Nature Recovery, Biodiversity Net Gain etc.) and new Strategy. This role is fundamental to the delivery of the NNR Management Plans and ambitions, providing key operational delivery on the Reserve and helping to deliver the Government’s ambitious 25-year plan.

The team at Derbyshire Dales NNR are seeking a highly motivated and professional individual with a real passion for nature conservation, to join established colleagues within a small team managing over 400 hectares on the NNR. Comprising a mosaic of woodland, scrub, grassland and freshwater habitats within five different dales, much of the NNR is designated as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and is home to a wide range of rare species.

Reporting to the Senior Reserve Manager and Reserve Manager, you’ll help deliver the day-to-day practical conservation and estate management of these internationally-important sites. Working both within a small team and by yourself, you’ll demonstrate practical aptitude and initiative alongside excellent teamwork and communication skills. You’ll be proficient in the safe use of a variety of vehicles, tools and machinery associated with countryside conservation estate work; you’ll also need to be physically fit and able to operate safely and effectively in remote locations, as day-to-day tasks are often conducted on steep, challenging terrain and require working outside in all weather conditions.

Job description

Key Tasks/Principal Accountabilities

Helping to deliver the aims of the NNR Management Plan, you’ll undertake a wide range of practical land management across the site. Demonstrating initiative and safe working practises, you’ll work alongside and supervise others (volunteers, contractors, apprentices etc.), in addition to operating effectively as a lone worker. Key skills will include:

Collaborating and partnerships – as part of a strong team, you’ll contribute positively to collaborative working, demonstrating honesty and integrity

Decision making – demonstrating flexibility, you’ll use the best available evidence and pragmatism to get things done

Work delivery – prioritising day-to-day work and helping to organise work programmes for the wider Reserve team and volunteers, you’ll manage projects and deliver tasks on time and to budget, recording work undertaken and resources used

Communication – you’ll use great speaking and listening skills and written and non-verbal communication to tell compelling stories, tailoring them to suit internal and external audiences

Environmental and organisational outcomes – demonstrating an awareness of local environmental issues, you’ll quickly build a clear understanding of local delivery plans, the Local Nature Recovery Strategy and Natural England’s vision, mission and objectives

Technical skills – with a working knowledge of the techniques and practice of the management of habitats, species, access and/or community engagement, you’ll be competent in the use of tools and machinery as required, certificated where appropriate, and will undertake all necessary training once in the role. Knowledge of the biodiversity and other features relevant to the Reserve and local area will be vital.

The main tasks associated with this role will be:

Implementation of Health & Safety (H&S) Frameworks and Legislation – taking responsibility for your own H&S, you’ll follow Natural England’s H&S policies at all times. You’ll understand risk control methods and comply with local risk assessments, controls, safe working standards and associated legislation. You’ll create, review and update risk assessments as your knowledge develops

You’ll also contribute towards H&S management of the site through checks and record keeping (including conducting site safety audits of mineshafts, site infrastructure and hazardous trees), and support audit and review processes. Where working alongside or supervising others, you’ll share risk assessments and controls with them, and ensure they follow safe working practices. You’ll observe and challenge unsafe behaviours or practices, escalating appropriately. You’ll report H&S near hits and incidents, and support investigations as required

Emergency response – under direction/supervision, you’ll provide practical support to unforeseen emergencies such as windblown trees, wildfires, animal health, pollution incidents etc.

Site management tasks: you’ll support the team in carrying outsitemanagement taskswhich support the Reserve’s conservation objectives, including:

• Day-to-day practical habitat management: habitat/species/environmental monitoring as set out in the NNR Management Plan, maintaining records as required
• General estate work and maintenance of site infrastructure including fences, dry-stone walling, cattle handling facilities, mine shafts, paths/trackways, estate furniture (stiles, bridges etc.) and interpretation signs
• Operation of a wide range of estate machinery, tools and equipment in addition to carrying out their associated maintenance, repairs, checks and record keeping
• Woodland management on very steep terrain, including tree felling with chainsaws, tree planting which includes the logistical challenge of accessing the work site with materials. Other woodland work includes tractor and winch work, woodchipper and pesticide spraying
• Scrub management on steep terrain, with chainsaw, brush cutter and applying pesticides
• Installation and upkeep of stock fencing, on steep, rocky sites
• Tractor operation using a wide range of machinery, including front end loader and attachments, trailers, post driver, timber winch, mowers, baler and hay making machinery
• Stock management of the NNR’s herd of cattle, used for conservation grazing. You’ll contribute towards livestock checking, handling and herd management

Reserve Base/Office Management – you’ll monitor and carry out maintenance of tools, machinery, vehicles and other equipment, keeping up-to-date maintenance records as NE requires. You’ll support office management for the smooth running of the Reserve base

You’ll use IT and other associated technology where required to support and deliver your work

Financial management and monitoring - you’ll develop your knowledge of procurement and other internal processes, including requisitioning and managing contracts. You’ll promptly process invoices and expenses, and ensure any budget and financial risks, losses or additional requirements are reported promptly

Project and resource planning – you’ll support the team in project and resource planning, helping to review and refine projects to ensure infrastructure effectively supports site management priorities and contributes to the delivery of NNR Management Plans

Connecting People with Nature – you’ll meet, greet and advise members of the public visiting the NNR. You’ll be involved in planning and delivering events and inclusive engagement activities on the NNR, including guided walks; group visits and volunteering, and accessible visitor experiences that tackle barriers to access to nature. You’ll support responsible recreation through monitoring and managing visitor behaviours and patterns of use, and promote and recruit volunteering opportunities to build volunteer capacity to support operational delivery

Partnerships Management – you’ll build and maintain strong working relations with a range of stakeholders engaged in the day-to-day management of the Reserve, including land management stakeholders, neighbours, local partners and community groups. You’ll contribute to developing projects and areas of delivery where partnership working can add mutual benefit

People Leadership (functional) – you’ll oversee and direct volunteers, students and contractors across the NNR in the completion of practical tasks, survey and monitoring etc., ensuring that highest standards of H&S are followed. You’ll apply your knowledge, skills and experience in supporting others in their learning and development as appropriate.

Competencies

Competence 1

Professional competency

Detail

Technical Skills and Knowledge

Description

Essential
• Understanding of nature conservation, ecology, and habitat management for wildlife
• Experience delivering practical estate work and land management, ideally within the nature conservation sector, with associated hand tools and/or machinery
• Chainsaw qualification for small tree felling (e.g. NPTC CS30 & CS31 or equivalent) with consolidated experience
• Experience in tractor operation including implements and attachments (ideally with NPTC or LANTRA qualification)
• Experience of working around livestock and a willingness to work with them
• Good understanding of health and safety, and of conducting and implementing risk assessments in relation to site management
• Full UK Driving Licence
• First Aid at Work qualification OR the willingness to undertake this once in post
• Experience driving, reversing and manoeuvring with trailers.

Desirable

• Level 2 (or higher) qualification in countryside management/a similarly relevant subject
• Natural history identification skills, survey and monitoring habitat/species management
• Competent and experienced in animal husbandry, including handling and moving livestock
• First Aid at Work qualification, ideally with +F
• Off-road driving qualification
• ATV driving qualification (e.g. NPTC or LANTRA or equivalent)
• Pesticide certificate PA1a and PA6
• Experience in post and wire stock fencing and dry-stone walling
• Brush cutter operation qualification (e.g. NPTC or LANTRA)
• Advanced chainsaw operations NPTC qualifications (e.g. felling medium/large trees, wind blow, climbing & aerial rescue etc.)
• Good understanding of legislation relating to land management, e.g. nature conservation/ SSSI regulations, protected species and other relevant regulations.

Competence 2

Professional competency

Detail

Personal Effectiveness

Description

• Be ambitious, identify and adopt ways to make improvements in your team and Natural England and inspire others to act (practitioner)
  • Progress your personal development and take responsibility for keeping your knowledge and expertise current (basic)

Competence 3

Professional competency

Detail

Working Safely

Description

• Understand the duty of care owed to all visitors, contractors or others on our NNRs, and adhere to appropriate legislation and Natural England policies and procedures (basic)
  • Apply the principles of risk management and adopt safe working practices for yourself and the people you work with in everything you do (basic)

Competence 4

Professional competency

Detail

Creating Resilient Landscapes and Seas

Description

• Understand and apply appropriate management techniques to maintain or enhance the condition of sites (practitioner)
  • Recognise environmental features and designations within their environmental context, including understanding terminology and context when working with data and information (Advanced)

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Licences

Driving Licence

Qualifications

•Chainsaw qualification for small tree felling (e.g. NPTC CS30 & CS31 or equivalent) with consolidated experience
•Experience in tractor operation including implements and attachments (ideally with NPTC or LANTRA qualification)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £27,590, Natural England contributes £7,992 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

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 : Siân Hammerton-Fraser
• Email : Sian.Hammerton-Fraser@naturalengland.org.uk
• Telephone : 07823 391418

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/6541-6541-Reserve-Ranger-Derbyshire-Dales-NNR/en-GB

Attachments

DEF-001h - Candidate Pack Natural England v2.8 Opens in new window (docx, 666kB)