Senior Reserve Manager - Southwest Cumbria - ( Ref : 6521 )

Job summary

This position is based at Ghyll Mount, CA11 9BP, Penrith

Job description

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

Natural England Cumbria Area Team is seeking a Senior Reserve Manager to join the South Cumbria Area Team as part of its National Nature Reserve (NNR) group of staff. 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 outlined in our new 5-year strategy. This role is fundamental to the delivery of the NNR Management plans and the ambitions of NNRs, providing key operational delivery on the reserves, thereby ensuring the NNR series can achieve its role in delivering the Government’s ambitious 25-year plan.

Job description

The principal NNRs to be managed by this role are:

• North Walney
• Duddon Mosses
• Hallsenna Moor

The role will sit within a wider team in South Cumbria who are also responsible for :

• Gait Barrows
• Great Asby Scar
• Roudsea Wood and Mosses

The post will be based at our new NNR base at Earnse Bay, North Walney, within the Earnse Bay Hub. The building will act as the main operational hub for North Walnesy and Southwest Cumbria NNRs and will support operational and strategic partnership work that delivers nature recovery and public health benefits across Morecambe Bay. It will also provide a base for staff, volunteers, visiting schools and participants, and host a wide range of activities delivered by the Cumbria Area Team and partners. The post holder is required to have an active onsite presence and be based at North Walney for a minimum of 3 days per week.

The role may require some weekend, public holiday and evening work.

Key Tasks/Principal Accountabilities

• To provide strategic leadership to deliver Natural England ambitions and drive the NNR / NRN agenda, across south Cumbria’s reserves on a landscape scale.
• To develop and oversee strategic and operational delivery plans for our SW Cumbria NNR group.
• To be responsible for delivering high value and strategically complex work programmes on our SW Cumbria NNR’s, dealing with challenging and complex external issues (e.g. with partners).
• To support the Earnse Project partnership project by developing and supporting long-term volunteer development and access and interpretation improvements at North Walney NNR.
• To support the development of the new North Walney capital build project.
• The capital project is progressing at pace and requires direct SRM input to ensure the building is fully functional, kitted out and fit for purpose, working closely with both the internal and design teams. Once complete, the SRM will act as site supervisor, overseeing facilities management, maintenance, site health and safety, upkeep of the workshop and ensuring the building is fully resourced for NNR operational use.
• To play an integral role pursuing and maintaining external partnerships to achieve and develop our SW Cumbria NNR ambitions.
• To provide functional (and/or) line management to NNR staff and volunteers including responsibility for H&S across the reserves.
• To engage with wider organisation across Programmes and Directorates helping to shape policy and future direction for NNRs.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• Leadership (essential) – ability to line manage and develop others and manage volunteers in a remote setting to achieve good environmental outcomes. Motivate individuals and groups and use coaching and a range of engagement styles.
• H&S (essential) – Including risk assessment and management. Ability to demonstrate good judgement and decision making in complex situations. Experience of the range of tasks required on site and the equipment associated and ability to operate machinery.
• Work delivery (essential) – ability to manage complex, landscape scale or Area Team (AT) - wide NNR projects and programmes. Evaluate and assess priorities between NNR groups and balance NNR resources across their area of responsibility. Working with Reserve Managers, ensure delivery is on time and to budget.
• Collaborating and partnerships (desirable) - demonstrates honesty and integrity, steers, or leads NE’s contribution to existing partnerships, has skills for issue resolution. Understands partners’ objectives and needs; can apply strategic thinking to identify the potential for new partnerships/relationships and negotiating skills to establish them.
• Technical skills (essential) – knowledge of the purposes of NNRs, the principles of site selection and the mechanisms involved in tenure, declaration, and other relevant legal and regulatory processes. An understanding of the diversity of reserve activities and the types of methods, tools and equipment used. Competence in relevant IT. Budget management and planning skills, including external funding. Competence in prioritising and planning programmes of work across multiple sites and years.
• Environmental and organisational outcomes (desirable) – An understanding of (i) local, regional and national environmental issues; (ii) Local Nature Recovery

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.

Pay

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

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:

Early application is encouraged as this vacancy may close once sufficient candidates have been identified.

• Technical Skills
• Creating Resilient Landscapes and Seas
• Putting People at the Heart of the Environment
• Working Safely

Competencies

Competence 1

Professional competency

Detail

Technical Skills and Knowledge

Description

• Strong working knowledge of applied conservation and land management practices. (Essential)
  • Natural history skills, including experience and competency of identifying biodiversity features e.g. plant identification. (Essential)
  • Experience of managing the health and safety of those undertaking practical habitat management. (Essential)
  • Competent IT skills, use of MS Office and social media. Knowledge of GIS mapping will be an advantage. (Desirable)

Competence 2

Professional competency

Detail

Creating Resilient Landscapes and Seas

Description

• Recognise, identify and interpret environmental features on NNRs. (Practitioner)
  • Identify how a site interacts with the surrounding landscape, habitats and local communities. (Practitioner)
  • Understand and apply appropriate management techniques to maintain or enhance the condition of sites. (Practitioner)

Competence 3

Professional competency

Detail

Putting People at the Heart of the Environment

Description

• Understand the importance of people accessing and engaging with the natural environment, and how to balance their needs with nature conservation objectives. (Practitioner)
  • Nurture trusting partnerships and collaborate to achieve pragmatic outcomes that help deliver the organisation’s vision, mission and aims. (Practitioner)
  • Use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage your audience. (Practitioner

Competence 4

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. (Practitioner)
  • Apply the principles of risk management and adopt safe working practices for yourself and the people you work with in everything you do (Practioner)

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Licences

Driving Licence

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,660, Natural England contributes £11,489 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 : Kristel Taylor
• Email : kristel.taylor@naturalengland.org.uk
• Telephone : 07798 694875

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/6521-6521-Senior-Reserve-Manager-Southwest-Cumbria/en-GB

Attachments

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