Marine Monitoring Manager x2

Job Description

Post Title:           Marine Monitoring Manager x2

Team:   Marine Monitoring

Ref No: 2023116 & 119

Grade:  S (SEO)

Type of appointment: Permanent

Location: Peterborough or Aberdeen

Salary: £38,320                   

This post will have a base in either Peterborough or Aberdeen.

JNCC has adopted a hybrid working approach, allowing colleagues to benefit from time in the office, with the flexibility also to work from home. Employees are expected to work from our office base for 1 – 2 days a month as a minimum, this will vary by team and the exact balance will depend on the nature of your role. We can provide more details at the interview and offer stages.

Who are JNCC?

Established in 1991, we’re the UK’s statutory advisor on issues affecting the natural environment across the UK and internationally. Our primary role is advising all four Governments of the UK. We also work with private sector organisations to support decision making on the sustainable use of marine waters and natural resources around the UK. JNCC is led by the Joint Committee, which brings together members from the nature conservation bodies for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and independent members appointed by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under an independent Chair. Support is provided to the Committee by approx. 300 people who bring together scientific and technical expertise, extensive knowledge of policy at global, European and national levels, and skills in working with other organisations. Staff are based in two main offices in Peterborough and Aberdeen.

Why JNCC?

We’re small enough (c.300 staff) that your voice is heard by everyone including the CEO, but big enough that we have all the skills, resources and people you’ll need to get the job done. All our staff are passionate about conservation and making a difference to the world we live in. We have a very flexible, inclusive and welcoming organisational culture. Our Executive Management provides employees with the freedom and tools you will need, and our friendly team will assist you in your role. 

JNCC is committed to maintaining employee health and wellbeing, whether it is physically, emotionally, financially or socially, and offers a range of benefits to support employees in this. Such benefits include the option to join the Civil Service Pension Scheme, professional and personal development opportunities as well as an exciting job in a unique environment.

Hours of work:                     Full-time

Normal minimum hours of attendance for the post are 36 hours per week over a 5-day period, Monday to Friday.

Flexi time is available. This post may also be suitable for job share.

Annual Leave:

The annual leave allowance is 25 days per year, rising to 30 days per year after 5 years service.  There are also 12 days public and privilege leave.  Part-time staff will receive this on a pro rata basis.The annual leave allowance is 25 days per year, rising to 30 days per year after 5 years’ service. There are also 12 days public and privilege leave. Part-time staff will receive this on a pro rata basis.                   

Post background

JNCC are looking for two Marine Monitoring Managers to join the Marine Monitoring Team and lead on the planning and delivery of our offshore UK marine surveys and associated projects. Using your knowledge of marine biodiversity and offshore benthic surveys, you will help develop, plan and implement surveys and manage delivery of survey data analyses and reports for marine monitoring of offshore UK waters. There will also be a focus on exploring whole ecosystem monitoring by incorporating the use of Natural Capital Approaches (NCA) into future monitoring practices. The posts involve substantial project management, working with partners and stakeholders to ensure complex work programmes are delivered on time and in budget.

You will work under the guidance of JNCC’s Marine Monitoring Team Leaders, with a range of other specialists, both within JNCC and in other organisations, including with colleagues in the country nature conservation bodies (NatureScot, Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Northern Ireland) and other public bodies (e.g. CEFAS, Marine Directorate, MMO, Environment Agency).

Post Duties

• Manage complex marine monitoring projects to ensure all targets are met and budgets are well-managed;
• Ensure offshore MPA monitoring surveys are well planned and fit for purpose through the development of MPA monitoring objectives and survey specifications, organisng survey staffing, identifying the needs of other JNCC marine teams and liaising with external partners to manage survey delivery;
• Ensure the Marine Natural Capital and Ecosystem Approach (mNCEA) benthic work programme led by the JNCC Marine Monitoring Team is well managed, working with delivery teams and external partners to ensure project deliverables and budgets are met and the project delivers its ambitions to better understand the offshore benthic natural capital assets and future monitoring.
• Ensure new and outstanding offshore MPA survey reports and monitoring reports are completed and published;
• Manage sample processing and analysis contracts, including the drafting of specifications and undertaking of procurement;
• Ensure quality assurance of survey deliverables;
• Liaise with other organisations on offshore survey related activities; and
• Line-manage and supervise a small team to deliver the work described above.

Most of the work will be office based, but there may be opportunities to participate in field surveys at sea (for up to several weeks at a time). The post-holder will be required to work with colleagues in JNCC’s Peterborough and Aberdeen offices, and may also be required to attend meetings in UK and overseas, involving overnight stays away from home.

Technical Competencies

To be a successful candidate you will be/have:

• Advanced knowledge and understanding of the marine biodiversity in UK waters, including knowledge of the UK and European marine habitat classifications.
• Experience in planning and undertaking seabed monitoring surveys using a variety of techniques, including seabed imagery, grab and core sampling, and acoustic survey and interpreting the data gathered
• Good understanding of data management principles and practice, including quality assurance and quality control procedures for marine biodiversity data.
• Demonstrable experience of managing complex multi-partner large budget projects to ensure deliverables are met on time and in budget.
• Verifiable experience in the use of standard office software, databases, GIS and statistical packages, to manipulate, interrogate and interpret spatial datasets, including experience of integrating and analysing different types of data from multiple sources.

Additional Technical Competencies

The below competencies will be an advantage but are not an essential requirement.

• An understanding of what is meant by marine natural capital and how natural capital can be surveyed and monitored in the marine environment.

Experience (Responsibilities)

To be a successful candidate you will have:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent qualification in a relevant subject and/or relevant recent practical work experience that provides the required technical skills and behaviours

Behaviours

•    Communicating and influencing
•    Working Together
•    Managing a Quality Service
•    Making Effective Decisions

In the event that we receive a large volume of applications we reserve the right to conduct the sift based on the Lead Behaviour of Communicating and Influencing

Please see the CS Behaviours framework for more details at this grade:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/717275/CS_Behaviours_2018.pdf

Nationality requirements 

This job is broadly open to the following groups: 

• UK nationals 
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
  
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland 
• nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) 
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service 
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service 
• certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals 

JNCC do not provide sponsorship.

Closing date and interview date

The closing date for this post is 23:55 on Wednesday, 03 January 2024

The anticipated interview date is week commencing Monday, 15 January 2024

Apply Here