Senior Officer - Local Nature Recovery Strategy Spatial Data - ( Ref : 6828 )

This position is based Nationally

Nature Recovery is a key outcome of Natural England’s strategy, and Local Nature Recovery Strategies are a critical and potentially powerful delivery tool.

With almost all Local Nature Recovery Strategies now published, Natural England is moving into a phase of enabling their delivery, both through continued support to Responsible Authorities and through a process of ensuring that our delivery of all NE’s work in a place takes appropriate account of the relevant Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

You will join a small, busy team in National Delivery, which manages the demands and opportunities that LNRS’ provide for NE, and which will have overall responsibility for ensuring that NE’s Operations is able to meet the expectations of Defra, Arm’s Length Bodies (FC and EA) and Responsible Authorities.

You will be expected to use your geospatial data science knowledge and experience to lead the delivery of geospatial services to the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) programme, through the maintenance and development of the ArcGIS Online LNRS map and collation and analysis of the LNRS data submitted by each Responsible Authority, leading engagement with key stakeholders and NE/Defra colleagues as required.

The role requires a strong and visible presence, both virtually and in person. This includes confidently leading and contributing to calls, maintaining engagement, and building strong relationships with stakeholders.

The role description is not exhaustive, and we will expect post holders to work collaboratively across the team and beyond.

Job description

Key Tasks/Principal Accountabilities

• Principally, to act as the project manager and technical lead for the national LNRS map when it has been collated from the individual LNRSs submitted by the Responsible Authorities (RAs).
• Functionally manage the higher officer and provide progress reporting to LNRS colleagues in Natural England, Defra, Environment Agency and Forestry Commission.
• Leading engagement with external stakeholder and data providers such as the Defra LNRS Policy team, Forestry Commission, Environment Agency, Rural Payments Agency, Responsible Authorities and LNRS partnerships to ensure their data and requirements are successfully incorporated into the map, particularly regarding future data requirements for the monitoring of LNRS delivery.
• Lead the LNRS Data & Evidence (D&E) workstream. Arrange regular team calls, write minutes etc for Bi-weekly D&E Workstream calls, and D&E Technical sub group calls.
• Support NE LNRS senior officers with data, licensing and mapping queries from RAs.
• Lead the work to support the development of GIS tools for the sharing and dissemination of LNRS geospatial data within the Defra group and externally to stakeholders and the general public, using ESRI’s ArcGIS suite of products.
• Lead the collation of 48 individual LNRS from Responsible Authorities into a National LNRS dataset.
• Work with the Data Services licensing team to manage project data and data from external stakeholders in accordance with data licensing and data management procedures. Ensure licensing of national LNRS map product into an Open Government Licensing (OGL) Liaise with Ordnance Survey & RAs to enable this.
• Work with the LNRS team / workstreams to assist in the recording of Mapping of Actions Undertaken by RAs to deliver their respective LNRS and the national monitoring of LNRS delivery. To assist the dissemination of government data (e.g. RPA agri-environment data) to RAs to assist with RA reporting.
• Develop GIS expertise through a programme of Continuing Professional Development.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• Advanced level use of ArcGIS Online and associated online tools and apps such as Experience Builder.
• Advanced level use of desktop ESRI ArcGIS products (e.g. ArcMap, ArcGIS Pro, etc.).
• Experienced in transforming data, including integrating different data types (e.g. spatial and non-spatial) and from different data sources. Applying appropriate geospatial techniques to clean and merge multiple datasets.
• Good data presentation skills, such as producing maps and statistics for reports or external publications.
• Good data management skills and experience of working within data licensing and data standards (e.g. metadata standards, Open Data, GDPR, etc.).
• Able to work within a framework of agreed Quality Assurance standards.
• Experience of working with stakeholders and colleagues within Defra and Defra-family organisations.

Competencies

Competence 1

Professional competency

Detail

Personal Effectiveness

Description

• Be ambitious, identify and adopt ways to make improvements in your team and Natural England and inspire others to act. (Practitioner)
• Share expertise and knowledge with people and networks so that you can develop together. (Practitioner)
• Act with integrity, addressing challenging issues and managing conflict through being open and objective. (Practitioner)
• Use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage your audience. (Practitioner)
• Share expertise and knowledge with people and networks so that you can develop together. (Practitioner)

Competence 2

Professional competency

Detail

Work Delivery

Description

• Manage and deliver your work to meet agreed targets and deadlines. (Expert)
• See the big picture so you can set your team’s work within the context of the organisation’s vision, mission and aims, and help them understand how their work relates to and supports this. (Practitioner)
• Handle data responsibly, understand your role in good governance, and comply with delegations, policies and procedures. (Practitioner)

Competence 3

Professional competency

Detail

Putting People at the Heart of the Environment

Description

• Listen to and understand 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 Natural England’s vision, mission and aims. (Practitioner)

Competence 4

Professional competency

Detail

Technical Skills and Knowledge (Please note that STAR format is not required when answering the Technical Skills & Knowledge competency.)

Description

• Advanced practitioner in GIS and geospatial technologies, with significant experience using ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Pro and associated ESRI applications to deliver geospatial products and services. (Essential)
• Experienced in the analysis, transformation and integration of spatial and non-spatial datasets, applying appropriate geospatial techniques to ensure data quality and usability. (Essential)
• Specialist knowledge of geospatial data management, standards and best practice, with the ability to develop and maintain reliable evidence and information products. (Essential)
• Up to date with developments in GIS, digital mapping and spatial data technologies, using innovation to improve delivery and decision-making. (Essential)
• Able to communicate complex spatial information through maps, dashboards, reports and statistical outputs for a range of audiences. (Desirable)
• Good understanding of data governance, licensing, metadata standards, Open Data principles and GDPR requirements. (Desirable)

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Please refer to Job Description

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