Area Team Higher Officer - ( Ref : 6771 )

Natural England; Lincoln; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Natural England in England seeks a Higher Officer to work where farming and nature meet, delivering environmental improvements across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. The role involves regular site visits, engagement with farmers and land managers, and collaboration with the Greener Farming team to deliver biodiversity and water quality outcomes.

You will provide high-quality advice, coordinate landscape-scale projects, and ensure compliance with relevant legislation while building

Qualifications

• Good communication skills, both written and verbal (Essential)
• Knowledge of agri-environment grant schemes and habitats/ecology (Essential)
• Experience coordinating delivery at landscape scale (Desirable)
• Ability to build pragmatic relationships with partners and stakeholders (Essential)
• Competence with IT and ability to drive for remote site visits (Essential)

Responsibilities

• Engage with landowners, land managers and stakeholders to deliver habitat improvements and site condition enhancements.
• Support farmers to improve water quality while enabling sustainable agricultural transition.
• Contribute to strategic plans by working with partner agencies and private companies.
• Negotiate Agri-environment schemes to support site improvements and nature recovery.
• Apply legislation and governance frameworks to ensure consistent advice to customers.

Skills

Landowner engagement

Stakeholder collaboration

Water quality improvement

Agricultural transition

Education

Degree in environmental discipline / conservation / agriculture

Job description

This position can be based at Exeter or Truro.

Job Description

Our team covers Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, working across some of England’s most diverse and inspiring landscapes. From the granite uplands of Bodmin Moor and Dartmoor to the dramatic coastlines, estuaries and river valleys of the South West, the area is rich in natural beauty, wildlife, numerous protected landscapes, rivers and cultural heritage.

The region’s natural environment underpins its farming, fishing and tourism industries, making it an exciting place to support sustainable land management. Agriculture is a dominant land use across much of the area, creating unique opportunities to work with farmers and land managers to improve water quality, enhance biodiversity, strengthen climate resilience and support productive farm businesses.

As a Natural England Higher Officer, you will work where farming and nature come together. The role offers the chance to help deliver practical environmental improvements across some of the country’s most valued landscapes, supporting nature recovery while building trusted relationships with farmers and rural communities. This makes the role varied, rewarding and highly visible, with the opportunity to see the impact of your work first-hand.

The team is based at the Met Office in Exeter and Milestone House in Truro. The successful candidate will undertake regular site visits, typically at least two each week, providing plenty of opportunities to spend time on farms and in the landscapes, they help to shape. You will also work closely with colleagues across Natural England and the wider Greener Farming team, sharing expertise and supporting the delivery of environmental outcomes across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

The role reports to a Senior Manager for line management, while technical advice and support is provided by senior officers from the relevant work areas.

Key Tasks/Principal Accountabilities

• Engage with landowners/land managers and stakeholders, including statutory undertakers and agencies, to deliver improvements to the condition of habitats and species on protected sites. When required, this will involve undertaking site visits.
• Support farmers and landowners to improve water quality alongside long-term sustainable food production/agricultural transition and natural flood management.
• Contribute to the production of strategic plans, working closely with partner agencies and private companies.
• Negotiate Agri-environment schemes to help support and deliver improvements in the condition of protected sites and deliver nature recovery in the wider landscape.
• Apply technical knowledge and advice on protected sites casework such as assessing proposals for activities affecting Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
• Apply relevant legislation, policy and governance frameworks to ensure consistent advice and messages are delivered to customers.
• Collaborate with partners and stakeholders to identify and deliver shared objectives.
• Take responsibility for ensuring personal safe working in line with corporate guidance.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• This role demands a good understanding of the relevant work area and ability to give high-quality advice to customers and partners. The role holder must be able to communicate clearly, both verbally and in writing (Essential)
• A good knowledge of agri-environment grant schemes, catchment sensitive farming practices, ecology of priority habitats and species and protected sites regulatory mechanisms. (Essential)
• The role holder will understand key ecological processes and regulatory mechanisms systems as they apply to local landscapes and will have expertise of coordinating delivery at this scale. (Desirable)
• Experience of building pragmatic working relationships with partners and stakeholders (Essential)
• A relevant academic qualification or significant equivalent industry experience and knowledge will be needed alongside the ability to gain additional technical knowledge at pace. (Essential)
• Competence in the use of IT and the ability to drive for remote site visits will also be necessary. (Essential)

Putting People at the Heart of the Environment

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

Work Delivery

• Manage and deliver your work to meet agreed targets and deadlines. (Practitioner)
• Handle data responsibly, understand your role in good governance, and comply with delegations, policies, and procedures (Practitioner)

Personal Effectiveness

• Use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage your audience. (basic)
• Act with integrity, addressing challenging issues and managing conflict through being open and objective (Practitioner)
• Share expertise and knowledge with people and networks so that you can develop together (Practitioner)

Technical skills and knowledge

• Applicants should have a relevant degree in an environmental discipline/ conservation, or agriculture, or significant practical experience of working in the environmental sector.
• Knowledge of ecological principles and the ecology of habitats or species groups, and their management.
• An understanding of protected sites legislation and/or understanding of agricultural and land management practices.
• Experience of analysing data/evidence to inform decision making.