6326 - Avalon Marshes Business Manager & Engagement

Natural England; Glastonbury; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An environmental agency in Glastonbury is seeking a Senior Officer for Business Management & Engagement. This role is crucial for leading daily operations at the Avalon Marshes Centre, ensuring Health & Safety compliance, and fostering stakeholder relationships. Candidates should have strong leadership skills, and experience in public engagement and project management. This position involves occasional weekend work and requires a valid driving license. Join us in making a difference for the natural environment.

Qualifications

• Experience managing operations and compliance with Health & Safety regulations.
• Strong leadership skills in managing teams and coordinating with stakeholders.
• Ability to engage the public and promote environmental initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily operations and strategic development at the Avalon Marshes Centre.
• Manage Health & Safety compliance and operational tasks.
• Coordinate stakeholder engagement and public events.
• Seek funding and manage financial planning for operational delivery.

Skills

Leadership in Health & Safety

Stakeholder engagement

Project management

Public engagement

Job description

Overview

The team

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 working in a team? Can you see yourself advising communities and customers to maximise gains for the Natural Environment?

If this appeals to you, a career at Natural England offers rewarding opportunities to secure environmental improvements and play your part in creating a better future for people and nature.

The priority work Natural England is delivering includes:

• Establishing a Nature Recovery Network to help wildlife thrive;
• Monitoring environmental changes to identify and help reduce the effects of climate change;
• Working with farmers and landowners to develop greener food production methods;
• Advising on plans for new developments to maximise gains for nature, and
• Providing ways for people to better connect with nature, including green social prescribing.

We are the Government’s Adviser for the natural environment, playing a vital role in delivering the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan, an ambitious vision which brings new opportunities to protect and enhance and to achieve real outcomes for the environment.

Find out more about the work of Natural England at www.gov.uk/government/organisations/natural-england

Job description

This role is based at the Avalon Marshes Centre in Glastonbury, Somerset, with some homeworking and flexible arrangements. The candidate will be required to be located within Somerset or able to travel to the office at least 4 days a week, given the partner and public-facing aspects of the role. Due to the location of the centre a driving licence is desirable. The role will also involve occasional weekend / out of hours working.

Role and team

The Avalon Marshes Business Manager & Engagement role will be part of the Somerset National Nature Reserves (NNR) team based at the Shapwick Heath NNR Office. The NNR office is based at the Avalon Marshes Centre which is owned by Natural England and shared with a number of our partner bodies and sits at the heart of the Somerset Wetlands National Nature Reserve.

The Somerset NNR team is part of Natural England’s Somerset Team and in turn the Wessex Area Team which covers the counties: Somerset, Avon, Wiltshire and Dorset. The Area Team delivers environmental outcomes, primarily through the protection and enhancement of biodiversity and landscapes, using a range of mechanisms including direct management of our own land, advice on land management and planning, and engagement with stakeholders and connecting people and nature. The NNR team works closely with the wider Somerset and other Wessex teams, including SSSI officers, farming advisors, and licensing and planning colleagues.

Natural England Wessex Area Team is seeking a NNR Business Manager & Engagement Senior Officer to lead on the daily operations and strategic development of the Avalon Marshes Centre, being the first point of contact for all users of the site.

Key responsibilities

• Managing operational tasks, Health & Safety compliance, coordinating with and overseeing Facilities Management providers and tenant and stakeholder engagement.
• The role ensures a safe, accessible environment for staff, tenants, businesses, volunteers and the public, while meeting legal obligations.
• The role will also contribute towards NE’s ‘Connecting People with Nature’ portfolio by collaborating with partners like the NHS to facilitate public engagement events and promote social prescribing, enhancing mental and physical health and overall wellbeing.
• Implementation of Health & Safety (H&S) Frameworks and Legislation

Specific duties

• Provide leadership of a safe working practice culture to all staff across one or more NNR Groups, including implementation and cascading key H&S information, ensuring local systems and ways of working are in place that support the implementation of H&S policies and procedures.
• Provide feedback on risks and issues to H&S team and national operations colleagues, and support development and implementation of new guidance and procedures where required.

Financial Management & Monitoring

• Assist in identifying needs and works towards securing longer term investments (capital investment, external funding etc) to support futureNNR operational delivery. Provide support with planning and coordinating major capital projects.
• Research and produce a strategic plan for alternative Facilities Management provision for NNR work bases, resulting in substantial cost and efficiency savings.

Partnerships Management

• Manage stakeholder relationships with our tenants, contractors and visitors. Be the first point of contact, respond proactively to emerging challenges, and ensure that NE are meeting legal requirements.
• Develop opportunities for local and regional networks and partnerships across NNR delivery, including with Approved Body partners and other potential NNR managing partners.

Connecting People with Nature

• Looking for opportunity to link into wider partnership ambitions and promote inclusion with diverse audiences.
• Work with Area Team and national comms and engagement leads to promote our NNRs, and their role in delivering both our Connecting People with Nature and Nature Recovery Network (NRN) strategies.
• Work with national NNR teams to seek innovative opportunities for NNRs to demonstrate organisational goals for inclusion, outreach, and visitor experience.