6879 - Catchment Sensitive Farming Higher Officer - Reading

Natural England; Reading; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Natural England is seeking a Catchment Sensitive Farming Higher Officer to work with farmers and land managers in Reading, delivering practical on-the-ground advice to improve water quality, air quality and soil health. You will collaborate with DEFRA partners to ensure environmental improvements across catchments in Berkshire, Surrey and Hampshire.

The role requires a degree in agriculture or conservation and a Full UK Driving Licence, with strong communication and IT skills to support targeted

Qualifications

• Good communication skills (verbal and written) with the ability to adapt language to the audience.
• Good IT Skills including Word, Outlook, Excel, Teams and SharePoint.
• Good knowledge of farming practices related to water and air pollution.
• Full UK Driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Provide on-the-ground advice to farmers and land managers to protect water and air quality and soil health.
• Collaborate with partner organisations to deliver catchment-based environmental improvements.
• Engage farmers to adopt best practices and support agricultural transition and sustainable land management.
• Deliver advice campaigns, training, and information to priority areas and track engagement.
• Assist with procurement, record-keeping and monitoring outcomes of interventions.

Skills

Communication skills

IT skills

Agricultural knowledge

Driving licence

Education

Degree in agriculture or conservation

Tools

ArcGIS

Job description

6879 - Catchment Sensitive Farming Higher Officer - Reading

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

The Team

Catchment Sensitise Farming is a part of NE’s farm advice service and a partnership with DEFRA, the Environment Agency and Forestry Commission. CSF operates through a network of locally based farm advisers and partner organisations to deliver DEFRA’s EIP ambitious for Water Quality, air quality (ammonia) and sustainable water management through nature – based solutions. In additional, CSF works with farmers to help them make decision through the Agricultural Transition. We make a significant contribution to nature recovery through helping farmers to take environmental action.

The purpose of this role is to work with and provide on the ground advice to farmers and Land managers. The Adviser acts a local contact for Catchment Sensitive Farming, building relationships with farmers, land managers and partner organisations to influence and support environmental improvements at a catchment scale.

The Catchment Sensitive Farming Adviser works within the area team, providing advice to farmers and land managers to support practices that protect and improve water quality, air quality and Soil health.

These vacancies cover catchments across Surrey, Berkshire and Hampshire. The post holder will be required to visit farms regularly during their day-to-day work.

The Post holder will be required to hold a full UK driving license and some national travel may be required, which might involve overnight stays.

The Role

The primary focus of this role is to work directly with farmers and land managers, providing practical, on-the-ground advice and support to encourage the adoption of practices that protect and enhance water quality, air quality, and soil health.

The role holder will also collaborate with partner organisations, the agricultural industry, farmers, land managers, and other government agencies to secure environmental improvements. This is achieved by a range of tools, including technical advice, guidance, and the promotion of sustainable land management practices.

The Catchment Sensitive Farming Adviser role sits within Area Teams and serves as the main interface between Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF), Natural England (NE), and key local stakeholders who wish to engage with and influence CSF activity. The role covers the full range of protected habitats and the wider farmed environment, encompassing a diverse range of agricultural sectors and land management practices.

The post holder reports to a Senior Manager for line management purposes. Functional management is provided by a Senior Officer within the relevant work area, unless the line manager is operating in a player-manager capacity with functional responsibility for that area. Catchment Sensitive Farming Advisers also work closely with the Catchment Sensitive Farming National Team.

Key Tasks/Principal Accountabilities

Support farmers and landowners to improve water quality alongside long-term sustainable food production/agricultural transition and natural flood management.

Work in priority areas to develop and lead specific CSF training, information and advice campaigns for farmers and landowners. Give bespoke advice on farm to farmers and organise and deliver, with the aid of specialists, further advice, group events and workshops.

Deliver targeted CSF training, information, and advice campaigns for farmers and landowners in priority areas.

Provide bespoke on-farm advice focused on reducing pollution through the principles of Source, Pathway, Receptor and other catchment-specific priorities.

Secure farmer and landowner engagement, ownership, and commitment to addressing key pollution and environmental issues.

Influence behavioural change and support the adoption of improved land management practices to reduce diffuse water pollution and other environmental impacts.

Promote and advocate CSF activity internally across Natural England and partner organisations, and externally with farmers, land managers, and stakeholders.

Collaborate with partners including the Environment Agency, Forestry Commission, water companies, catchment partnerships, and Defra programmes to deliver a coordinated catchment-based approach.

Maximise delivery through specialist advice, training, contractors, grants, and incentives such as Countryside Stewardship, SFI, FETF, Capital Grants, and the Slurry Infrastructure Grant.

Provide guidance on suitable management options, capital items, and wider environmental opportunities, including signposting to additional sources of support.

Contribute to procurement and contract management processes for advisory services and events, ensuring quality assurance and delivery to agreed standards.

Maintain accurate records of farmer engagement and advice provided, monitoring the effectiveness and outcomes of interventions.

Understand and apply relevant Diffuse Water Pollution Plans, Shared Nitrogen Action Plans, and other catchment priorities within CSF delivery plans.

Take responsibility for ensuring personal safe working in line with corporate guidance.

Knowledge, Skills & ExperienceA degree in agriculture, conservation, or equivalent degree and/or relevant experience in agriculture, nature conservation.Good level of agricultural knowledge and farming systems in the United Kingdom, and Agri-environment schemes in the United Kingdom, such as SFI, capital schemes.Good communication skills (verbal and written) with the ability to use clear and appropriate language adapted to the audience.Good IT Skills including, Word, Outlook, Excel, Teams and SharePoint.Good knowledge of and farm advice experience relating to agricultural water and air pollution and being able to recognise and identify farming practices which can cause water and air pollution.Basic knowledge of ArcGIS or similar GIS software.Full UK Driving licence.