Senior Officer - Marine Infrastructure - ( Ref : 6853 )

This position is based Nationally

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 in the marine environment including Linear Infrastructure. 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 these roles 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 area to ensure consistency of advice both within and across sectors, through the development and provision of training, guidance and leading technical networks.

Job description

Key Tasks/Principal Accountabilities

• Act as sector lead for a key marine Infrastructure sector(s) for example linear infrastructure (such as subsea cables and pipelines).
• Provide and co-ordinate technical advice to Defra, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) other government departments to support NE’s response to emerging infrastructure planning policy and guidance including responses to national consultations.
• Build effective relationships with Defra, DESNZ, 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, Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, Marine Licensing and Oil and gas licensing.
• Technical expertise and experience of the application of environmental assessment processes to planning casework (HRA, EIA, MCZ Assessments, 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.

Competencies

Competence 1

Professional competency

Detail

Technical Skills and Knowledge

Description

• 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, Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, Marine Licensing and Oil and gas licensing. (Essential)
• Technical expertise and experience of the application of environmental assessment processes to planning casework (HRA, EIA, MCZ Assessments, 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)

Competence 2

Professional competency

Detail

Putting People at the Heart of the Environment

Description

• 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)

Competence 3

Professional competency

Detail

Creating Resilient Landscapes and Seas

Description

• 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)

Competence 4

Professional competency

Detail

Personal Effectiveness

Description

• Use clear and 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)

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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