Marine Natural Capital Evidence Specialist – 2022-108

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. 270 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.270 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.

Short Summary:        
 
An exciting opportunity for an evidence specialist to work on the Marine Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment (mNCEA) programme, an ambitious and pioneering programme of work for Defra, that looks to accelerate nature recovery, growth and delivery of nature’s benefits by transforming marine monitoring, evidence and decision-making.  

You will work with a range of experts, such as policy advisors, ecologists, analysts, mappers and environmental economists, to successfully develop and deliver projects towards JNCC’s and the mNCEA’s strategic priorities. 

JNCC’s strategy aims to incorporate the contribution that nature makes to wellbeing and prosperity into our evidence and advice, so that decisions take the value of nature into account and deliver optimal benefits as part of a sustainable Blue Economy.  To achieve these aims we need to make best use of all available evidence and develop trusted products, examples and narratives to promote more sustainable management.

The Marine Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment (mNCEA) programme is an ambitious and pioneering programme of work, across Defra and its arm’s-length bodies, including JNCC, that looks to lead the way in integrating natural capital approaches into decision making for the marine environment.  Following a successful pilot year in 2021-22, it is now delivering a portfolio of projects and is planning for a further three years’ work.
The programme supports Government ambitions to incorporate nature into national accounts and decision-making processes.

Vision: A thriving marine environment where nature is at the heart of decision-making.

Mission: To accelerate nature recovery, growth and delivery of nature’s benefits by transforming marine evidence and decision making. 

This post will support JNCC’s strategic ambitions, with a primary focus on designing and delivering evidence products and tools for the mNCEA.  It will lead the development of our evidence base, including asset and risk registers, models and spatial outputs, to suit the growing needs of policy and society across the UK and abroad. The role will work closely across the mNCEA teams to build strategic relationships, projects, opportunities and awareness to promote Natural Capital in policy, governance, funding and action.  

The post-holder will also be required to promote and support the development of models to support decision-making in marine environments, following on from work already done.  Collaborative working with other specialists from JNCC and our partners, including ecologists, analysts and economists, makes this a dynamic and exciting job.

JNCC’s remits covers terrestrial, coastal and offshore habitats; the focus of this role is coastal and marine.  The majority of the work is in the UK, but there is scope to contribute expertise as JNCC’s portfolio of international projects grows.

Post Duties

• Lead to maintain and develop our evidence base on marine ecosystem assets, flows, services, benefits and beneficiaries, including finding, importing and updating relevant data and models where gaps need to be filled
• Support the marine natural capital team to develop and deliver proposals, ideas and narratives towards our strategic aims
• Deliver outputs from the evidence-base, including case studies, proofs of concept, and existing projects, working collaboratively with various project teams
• Develop working relationships with other technical experts, within and outside JNCC
• Contribute to bids for external income to maintain or expand our work
• Manage projects and contracts for work commissioned to support the programme, as required

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent in marine ecology, ecosystems and/or nature conservation
• Experience of compiling, curating and publishing datasets which integrate spatial and non-spatial data on ecology and environmental parameters, ideally including human activities, pressures and uses of the environment
• Good understanding of the relationship between biodiversity, ecosystems, services, sustainable development and benefits to society
• Experience of using, interpreting and delivering scientific and technical outputs to a high standard
• Willingness to adapt and learn, to achieve broad understanding of environmental and socio-economic evidence, as applicable in ecological/environmental analysis based on ecosystem services and natural capital
• Excellent analytical and writing skills, including experience of statistical analysis, synthesis of complex information, identification of key messages, and graphic presentation, communicating complex concepts to technical and non-technical audiences
• Experience working in interdisciplinary teams
• Broad understanding of sustainable marine management, policy and implementation in the UK, Europe and/or internationally and of marine industries and the pressures affecting marine ecosystems

Job contact :

• Name :Recruitment Team
• Email :recruitment@jncc.gov.uk

Recruitment team :

• Email :recruitment@jncc.gov.uk