Senior Officer - Infrastructure - ( Ref : 6856 )

Natural England; Greater London; Presencial; GBP 50.000 - 70.000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

Natural England invites a Senior Officer to shape planning and major infrastructure strategy within the Strategy Directorate. You will lead national policy input, coordinate technical guidance, and build relationships with Defra, DESNZ, MHCLG and partner bodies to influence infrastructure planning and environmental outcomes.

You will provide national leadership on core topic areas, develop guidance and training, and ensure consistent advice across sectors, supporting sustainable development and

Formación

• A relevant degree and/or extensive experience in a related field.
• Technical expertise and applied experience of the planning system, legislation, national policy and guidance, the Town and Country Planning System, and Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects.
• Technical expertise and experience of the application of environmental assessment processes to planning casework (HRA, EIA, SEA).
• Experience of working with key national external partners and stakeholders that have been directly engaged with the infrastructure/planning system systems.
• Understanding of the legislative/policy/strategic context of infrastructure and planning work.

Responsabilidades

• Act as sector lead for a key terrestrial Infrastructure sector(s) and or key topic areas.
• Provide and co-ordinate technical advice to Defra, DESNZ, MHCLG to support NE’s response to emerging infrastructure planning policy and guidance including responses to national consultations.
• Build effective relationships with Defra, DESNZ, MHCLG, and other Government Department colleagues alongside key infrastructure delivery bodies, developers and industry groups.
• Provide technical infrastructure planning advice to operations teams on casework and environmental assessment processes, particularly around novel/precedent setting issues or where strategic approaches are required.
• Lead/contribute to technical guidance, standing advice, briefings and, training on infrastructure and planning.
• Horizon scan, understand future development proposals and policy changes relevant to the sector, identify opportunities and share this intelligence with delivery teams to able them to anticipate future workloads.
• Progress opportunities to increase the evidence base around environmental impacts associated with the sector(s), with a focus on addressing key evidence gaps, working collaboratively and with partners.

Conocimientos

Degree in related field

Technical planning knowledge

Environmental assessment knowledge

Stakeholder engagement

Regulatory liaison

Educación

Degree in planning/environmental field

Descripción del empleo

The Planning and Infrastructure Team sits within the Strategy Directorate of Natural England.

The Team works across the terrestrial and marine environment to:

• Advise Government on national policy issues, contributing to the development of planning policy, guidance and process changes and responding to national consultations.
• Provide strategic technical advice and leadership to our programme and operations teams and develop new approaches to planning and infrastructure work.
• Develop and maintain relationships with key national partners including Government, other regulators and agencies, NGOs and the commercial sector.

This presents a unique opportunity to influence government policy to secure greater outcomes for the natural environment, whilst also playing a key role in both supporting and shaping Natural England’s Planning and Infrastructure work.

We are looking for a Senior Officer to join our team to lead strategic work on planning and major infrastructure. Working alongside the Principal Officer and wider team, the role will play an important part in shaping Natural England's approach to infrastructure development, influencing policy, guidance and practice to secure better outcomes for nature whilst supporting sustainable development.

The Government's ambitions for economic growth, infrastructure delivery, clean energy and nature recovery are driving significant change across the planning and infrastructure landscape. Major investment is anticipated across sectors including energy, transport, water, housing and coastal infrastructure, creating both challenges and opportunities for the natural environment. Natural England has a key role in providing strategic advice to government, regulators, industry and partners, helping to shape planning policy, improve environmental outcomes and develop effective approaches to infrastructure delivery.

In this role you will play a key role in shaping Natural England’s response at a critical time with fundamental changes proposed to the planning, infrastructure planning and environmental assessment regimes. You will work alongside our Infrastructure Principal Officers and the wider Planning and Infrastructure Team to provide the leadership and technical focus to drive forward Natural England’s ambitions for the natural environment. This will be delivered through our policy advice and by helping to shape the way in which we deliver our statutory advice on major infrastructure work.

A key element of this role will be interacting with key regulators, delivery bodies, industry bodies and partner organisations within the major infrastructure sector. You will work proactively to build an understanding of the aims, objectives and challenges of industry and partners and provide strategic support to decision-makers dealing with complex or novel impacts.

Collaborative work both internally and externally will be required to identify and maximise opportunities to improve our evidence base and knowledge, identifying consenting challenges and driving forwards solutions to those which help further the ambitions of the government’s Environmental Improvement Plan.

Internally, you will provide national leadership and technical advice for your core topic areas to ensure consistency of advice both within and across sectors, through the development and provision of training, guidance and leading technical networks.

Key Tasks/Principal Accountabilities

• Act as sector lead for a key terrestrial Infrastructure sector(s) and or key topic areas.
• Provide and co-ordinate technical advice to Defra, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to support NE’s response to emerging infrastructure planning policy and guidance including responses to national consultations.
• Build effective relationships with Defra, DESNZ, MHCLG, and other Government Department colleagues alongside key infrastructure delivery bodies, developers and industry groups. Act as relationship manager as required.
• Provide technical infrastructure planning advice to operations teams on casework and environmental assessment processes, particularly around novel/precedent setting issues or where strategic approaches are required.
• Lead/contribute to technical guidance, standing advice, briefings and, training on infrastructure and planning. Work with industry and regulators to develop best practice guidance and approaches where possible.
• Horizon scan, understand future development proposals and policy changes relevant to the sector, identify opportunities and share this intelligence with delivery teams to able them to anticipate future workloads.
• Progress opportunities to increase the evidence base around environmental impacts associated with the sector(s), with a focus on addressing key evidence gaps, working collaboratively and with partners.

It should be noted that we are working in evolving policy environment with novel technologies and new industry sectors emerging. The successful candidate(s) will therefore need to be willing to adapt in response to changing demands on the team.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• A relevant degree and/or extensive experience in a related field.
• Technical expertise and applied experience of the planning system, legislation, national policy and guidance, the Town and Country Planning System, and Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects.
• Technical expertise and experience of the application of environmental assessment processes to planning casework (HRA, EIA, SEA).
• Experience of working with key national external partners and stakeholders that have been directly engaged with the infrastructure/planning system systems.
• Understanding of the legislative/policy/strategic context of infrastructure and planning work.

Technical Skills and Knowledge

• A relevant degree and/or extensive experience in a related field. (Essential)
• Technical expertise and applied experience of the planning system, legislation, national policy and guidance, the Town and Country Planning System, and Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects. (Essential)
• Technical expertise and experience of the application of environmental assessment processes to planning casework (HRA, EIA, SEA). (Essential)
• Experience of working with key national external partners and stakeholders that have been directly engaged with the infrastructure/planning system systems. (Desirable)
• Understanding of the legislative/policy/strategic context of infrastructure and planning work. (Desirable)

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 the organisation. (Practitioner)
• Nurture trusting partnerships and collaborate to achieve pragmatic outcomes that help deliver the organisation’s vision, mission and aims. (Practitioner)

Creating Resilient Landscapes and Seas

• Identify and apply relevant planning and environmental legislation, policies and processes to deliver effective and proportionate evidence-based solutions and advice. (Practitioner)
• Identify appropriate solutions for avoidance, mitigation, compensation of environmental impacts and meeting shared outcomes; and identify opportunities for enhancing the natural environment. (Practitioner)

Personal Effectiveness

Use appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage your audience. (Practitioner)

• Make and explain objective decisions which combine your professional judgement and evidence. (Expert)
• Share expertise and knowledge with people and networks so that you can develop together. (Practitioner)