Peatland Support Officer

Durham County Council; Bishop Auckland; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in the UK is seeking a Peatland Support Officer to assist in the North Pennines National Landscape’s peatland work. The role includes negotiating restoration access, surveying projects, and managing contractors. Candidates should hold a degree in a related field with relevant experience. A competitive salary and significant benefits, including hybrid working options, are offered.

Benefits

Generous annual leave

Local Government Pension Scheme

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Educational background in nature conservation or a related field is essential.
• Experience working with landowners, farmers, or gamekeepers must be demonstrated.
• Proven capability in negotiating access for restoration work.

Responsibilities

• Support the Peatland Programme team in restoration efforts.
• Negotiate access with landowners for restoration projects.
• Manage peatland restoration contractors and develop specifications.

Skills

Negotiation with landowners

Surveying skills

Experience in nature conservation

Organising volunteer events

Education

Degree in nature conservation or related field

Job description

Overview

We are seeking to fill a Peatland Support Officer position to support the North Pennines National Landscape’s peatland work. This opportunity is ideal for candidates looking to make meaningful impact on peatlands in the North Pennines National Landscape until 31 March 2027.

What is involved?

• You will work on the North Pennines National Landscape's Peatland Programme team in a supportive role to the Field Officer.
• You will be able negotiate with landowners, keepers and agents access for restoration work.
• You will survey and develop specifications for peatland restoration contracts and supervise and manage peatland restoration contractors.

What will I need?

• You should be educated to degree level in a nature conservation or a related field or equivalent.
• You will have experience of working with landowners, farmers and/or gamekeepers together with experience of organising volunteer events.
• Please refer to the attached Person Specification for the full criteria.

Interviews

Interviews will be held on Thursday 4 December 2025 at the North Pennines National Landscape office at 1 Martin Street, Stanhope, DL13 2UY.

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that can show they meet all the essential criteria and have indicated they have a disability, are a looked after young person, care leaver or a veteran.

Our offer to you

We offer a competitive rewards package that includes attractive salaries, a generous annual leave entitlement of 27 days (rising to 32 after five years’ continuous local government service), membership of the excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme, and a range of flexible working arrangements including hybrid working (home and office) where applicable. Rewards and benefits are subject to individual terms and conditions.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

We are a proud equal opportunities employer and believe a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and drives service improvement. We welcome applications from everyone and make employment decisions based on skills and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled people and offer support throughout the recruitment process.

How to apply

Please note, we do not accept CVs. All applications must be submitted online via the Northeast Jobs portal. Use the ‘Person Specification’ section of the form to clearly demonstrate how you meet the essential (and where possible, desirable) criteria. Applications that do not evidence the essential requirements will not be shortlisted. For guidance on completing your application, visit our website.

If you require assistance when applying for this role, please contact our Recruitment Helpdesk on 03000 26 27 27, or via email [e-mail]

All correspondence relating to your application will be sent from [e-mail]. Kindly check your spam/junk folder regularly to ensure you don’t miss any updates.

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