Senior Natural Resources Officer - Exmoor National Park Authority

Devon County Council; England; On-site; GBP 39,000 - 43,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary range £38,510-£43,149 p.a.

Annual leave + bank holidays

Local Government Pension Scheme

Sick/Parental/Compassionate leave

Time off for dependants

Mental health support

Job summary

Exmoor National Park Authority is seeking a Senior Natural Resources Officer on a fixed-term two-year contract. The role is full-time, with part-time arrangements possible, to lead projects improving rivers, soils and air quality.

You will work with farmers and partners to deliver practical solutions, manage procurement, prepare bids, and monitor outcomes under the National Park Management Plan. Driving innovation and resilience is core.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering practical natural resource projects, including natural flood management, surveys and environmental monitoring.
• Experience of partnership working, project development, monitoring and reporting.
• Proven project management experience.
• Experience appointing, evaluating and managing contractors, including challenging work that falls below required standards.
• Good working knowledge of sustainable approaches to improving rivers, streams, soils, air quality and other natural resources.
• An understanding of upland farming, land management, agri-environment schemes, pollution reduction, natural flood management and climate resilience in protected landscapes.
• A relevant degree, professional qualification or equivalent experience in environmental science, ecology, geography, land management, agriculture, hydrology, catchment management or a related field.
• A full, valid driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Oversee project planning, procurement and contractor management.
• Contribute to bids and grant reports.
• Provide technical advice on environmental funding applications.
• Co-ordinate natural resources partnership meetings.
• Monitor project progress, budgets and environmental outcomes.

Skills

Natural resource projects

Project management

Partnership working

Contract management

Environmental funding

Water quality

Flood management

Climate resilience

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Relevant environmental degree

Job description

About Us
Exmoor National Park is a unique and beautiful part of the country. Our vision is that Exmoor remains a beautiful landscape, leading the response to climate change and nature recovery, a welcoming place for all, as well as a great place to live, work and do business.
We are now looking for a Senior Natural Resources Officer to join us on a fixed-term contract for two years. This is a full-time role, although part-time working will also be considered.

The Benefits

• Salary of £38,510 - £43,149 per annum (pro rata for part-time).
• Generous annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata for part-time).
• Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Paid sickness, parental and compassionate leave, plus time off for dependants.
• Time off to attend medical appointments.
• Access to trained Mental Health First Aiders and a 24/7 confidential helpline.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced environmental professional with strong project management skills and expertise in natural resource management to join our dedicated National Park Authority.
You’ll have the chance to build on your existing expertise, forge meaningful connections and contribute to high-impact environmental projects, gaining invaluable experience that will serve you well throughout your career.
What’s more, you’ll play a vital role in protecting and restoring one of the country’s most treasured landscapes, helping to create healthier rivers, more resilient ecosystems and a sustainable future for Exmoor’s wildlife and communities.
So, if you’re ready to take your environmental career further while making a lasting difference to Exmoor’s natural landscape,

The Role
As a Senior Natural Resources Officer, you will oversee projects and partnerships to improve the health of Exmoor’s rivers, streams, soils, air and water resources.
Specifically, you will co-ordinate the Healthy Natural Resources programme within the National Park Management Plan, identifying priorities and delivering practical projects to restore river habitats, improve water quality, reduce pollution and strengthen resilience to flooding and climate change.
Working with farmers, land managers and partner organisations, you will provide specialist advice and practical support to help them adopt sustainable land management practices and make the most of agri-environment schemes and funding opportunities.
Additionally, you will:

• Oversee project planning, procurement and contractor management.
• Contribute to bids and grant reports.
• Provide technical advice on environmental funding applications.
• Co-ordinate natural resources partnership meetings.
• Monitor project progress, budgets and environmental outcomes.

About You
To be considered as a Senior Natural Resources Officer, you will need:

• Experience delivering practical natural resource projects, including natural flood management, surveys and environmental monitoring.
• Experience of partnership working, project development, monitoring and reporting.
• Proven project management experience.
• Experience appointing, evaluating and managing contractors, including challenging work that falls below required standards.
• Good working knowledge of sustainable approaches to improving rivers, streams, soils, air quality and other natural resources.
• An understanding of upland farming, land management, agri-environment schemes, pollution reduction, natural flood management and climate resilience in protected landscapes.
• A relevant degree, professional qualification or equivalent experience in environmental science, ecology, geography, land management, agriculture, hydrology, catchment management or a related field.
• A full, valid driving licence.

Other organisations may call this role Catchment Management Officer, Catchment Project Officer, River Restoration Officer, River Restoration Project Manager, Environmental Project Officer, Environmental Project Manager, Conservation Project Officer, Land Management Officer or Natural Flood Management Officer.

Webrecruit and Exmoor National Park Authority are equal opportunities employers, value diversity and are strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and all applicants for employment. Equal opportunities are the only acceptable way to conduct business and we believe that the more inclusive our environments are, the better our work will be.

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