Natural Environment Manager

Hoople Group; Hereford; On-site; GBP 46,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

LGPS enrolment

Market Forces Supplement £6,000 per pa

31 days annual leave (+10 days purchas

Job summary

Herefordshire Council is recruiting a Natural Environment Manager to lead the Ecology and Environment team in Hereford. You will drive biodiversity, landscape, and nature recovery initiatives, guiding strategic environmental programmes and providing expert planning advice.

The role offers permanent, full-time employment with 37 hours per week, a salary in the HC10 band plus a £6,000 market forces supplement, and LGPS membership. Flexible working and extensive leave are included.

Qualifications

• A strategic mindset with the ability to deliver complex environmental programmes.
• Significant experience in ecology, biodiversity net gain, landscape, trees, open space and nature recovery.
• Significant experience of the UK planning systems.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and project management skills.
• A full driving licence and willingness to undertake site visits.
• A degree in ecology, environmental science, or a related field.
• Salary range of £46,142 - £50,269 (HC 10)
• Market Forces Supplement £6,000 per annum
• Enrolment in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Career progression: clear pathways to progress
• Annual Leave: 31 days’ annual leave (pro rata) plus bank holidays. You can also purchase an additional 10 days per annum during the request period
• Flexible working: including the potential for job-sharing, part-time hours and agile working.
• Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 access to support and counselling
• Payment of professional membership fees (based on role requirements)
• Pick your perks – our benefits include access to a range of retail, leisure, holiday and health benefits. This includes savings, cash back and discounts.

Responsibilities

• Lead a multi-award winning team delivering biodiversity and ecological services.
• Lead the implementation of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS).
• Provide expert advice to planning and development teams.
• Oversee the Herefordshire Biological Records Service and Tree Preservation Orders.
• Develop and deliver innovative projects including habitat restoration and species protection.
• Represent the Council in regional and national forums, appeals, and media enquiries.
• Manage budgets and funding bids to support environmental priorities.
• Promote community engagement through volunteering and citizen science.
• Support the Nutrient Management Plan for the River Wye and River Lugg.

Skills

Strategic mindset

Ecology expertise

Planning systems

Stakeholder engagement

Project management

Driving licence

Site visits

Education

Degree in ecology/environmental science

Job description

Job Title: Natural Environment Manager

Hours: 37

Salary: HC10 £46,142 to £50,269 per annum (plus £6,000 Market Forces Supplement per year £52,142 to £56,269)

Contract: Permanent

Location: Hereford

Closing date: 23/08/2026

The Role

Herefordshire Council are seeking a dynamic and experienced manager for the Natural Environment team.

What will you be doing?

Leading a multi-award winning team (LGC Environment 2024 and RTPI Excellence award in 2024) you’ll be the Council’s technical lead on ecology, biodiversity net gain, landscape, trees, open space and nature recovery.

• Manage a team of specialists delivering biodiversity and ecological services.
• Lead the implementation of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS).
• Provide expert advice to planning and development teams.
• Oversee the Herefordshire Biological Records Service and Tree Preservation Orders.
• Develop and deliver innovative projects including habitat restoration and species protection.
• Represent the Council in regional and national forums, appeals, and media enquiries.
• Manage budgets and funding bids to support environmental priorities.
• Promote community engagement through volunteering and citizen science.
• Support the Nutrient Management Plan for the River Wye and River Lugg

About You

You’ll be a confident and collaborative leader with:

• A strategic mindset with the ability to deliver complex environmental programmes.
• Significant experience in one or more of the following; ecology, biodiversity net gain, landscape, trees, open space and nature recovery.
• Significant experience of the UK planning systems.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and project management skills.
• A full driving licence and willingness to undertake site visits.
• A degree in ecology, environmental science, or a related field.
• Salary range of £46,142 - £50,269 (HC 10)
• Market Forces Supplement £6,000 per annum
• Enrolment in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Career progression: clear pathways to progress
• Annual Leave: 31 days’ annual leave (pro rata) plus bank holidays. You can also purchase an additional 10 days per annum during the request period
• Flexible working: including the potential for job-sharing, part-time hours and agile working.
• Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 access to support and counselling
• Payment of professional membership fees (based on role requirements)
• Pick your perks – our benefits include access to a range of retail, leisure, holiday and health benefits. This includes savings, cash back and discounts.

Why Choose Us?

Herefordshire is big hearted, welcoming and friendly. We have strong and independent communities and idyllic countryside, situated in the South West Midlands and bordering Wales. The county sits between Worcestershire and the Malvern Hills to the east, and Bannau Brycheiniog (the Brecon Beacons) in Wales to the west. Historically Herefordshire has been the gateway to the Marches. We embrace partnership working. We are a member of the Marches Forward Partnership, which is a cross border collaboration between Herefordshire, Monmouthshire, Powys and Shropshire who are collectively working to secure funding to invest in the region. People: We will enable residents to realise their potential, to be healthy and to be part of great communities who support each other. We want all children to have the best start in life. Place: We will protect and enhance our environment and ensure that Herefordshire is a great place to live. We will support the right housing in the right place, we will support access to green spaces and we will do everything we can to recover the health of our rivers. Growth: We will create the conditions to deliver sustainable growth across the county; attracting inward investment, building business confidence, creating jobs, enabling housing development along with providing the right infrastructure. Transformation: We will be an efficient council that embraces best practice, delivers innovation through technology and demonstrates value for money.

Don’t meet all parts of the job description?

Herefordshire Council is committed to strengthening a diverse and inclusive work environment which reflects the communities of Herefordshire. If you are looking at the next stage of your career and have a broad base of fieldwork experience, we can provide supportive and welcoming opportunities to help you develop your professional, management & supervisory skills.

Reasonable Adjustments

Our recruitment process runs in partnership with Hoople Resourcing. If you require any reasonable adjustments or alternative methods for the online application process, please contact the resourcing team by email: [email protected].

Creating an inclusive workplace

We encourage our employees to feel empowered and to use their voices to help embrace diversity, promote inclusivity and shape our organisation. We have eight employee network groups, collectives of colleagues who often share identities, life experiences or cultures and offer support and community. They also play an important role in strengthening the voices of employees at Herefordshire Council. Embedded in the Council's values is a commitment to listen to people's views and needs. For more information on our Employee Network Groups please view our dedicated recruitment website: www.spiritofherefordshire.com.

Commitments, Covenants and Statutory Obligations

The following candidates will be interviewed if they meet the essential criteria for the post they are applying for:

• Those who indicate that they have a disability. This is part of our commitment to the “Disability Confident” scheme.
• Those who indicate in their application that they are an Armed Forces Veteran or Reservist. This is part of our pledge to support the Armed Forces Covenant.
• Those who indicate in their application that they are a Herefordshire care leaver. This is part of our commitment to supporting young people leaving our care.

We take our commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults seriously and expect all of our staff, visitors and volunteers to share in this commitment.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children & young people and vulnerable adults. If you are offered this position, it will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check.