Job Description

Post Title: Principal Biodiversity Economist

Team: Directors Office

Ref No: 202308

Grade: G7

Type of appointment: Permanent

Location: Peterborough or Aberdeen

Salary: £47,189                                          

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. 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. 

Our vision is thriving nature for a sustainable future. Our strategic priorities from 2023 to 2030 are:

• Use our scientific expertise to facilitate a collective response to the global biodiversity crisis.

• Use our trusted expertise and judgement, advising on the effectiveness of existing policies, and on the design of new policies and action, to underpin progress towards nature recovery

• Lead the discussion to align action for nature and climate change, to deliver outcomes that tackle the climate breakdown and accelerate nature recovery.

• Continue to innovate and advance our learning on nature recovery, so that science, technology, and new digital knowledge is applied to tackle ecological collapse.

• Work collaboratively to support the transition to a sustainable blue/green economy, linking nature recovery to societal prosperity and wellbeing.

• Seek opportunities to integrate the value of nature into decision-making, mainstreaming nature recovery into other policy areas.

• Invest in our people and culture to ensure a motivated, inclusive, and learning organisation, where staff wellbeing is prioritised, and our partners are engaged and respected.

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. 

Short Summary: Post background

Economists in JNCC work in a small, collaborative team, undertaking a variety of cross-cutting, high-profile projects. We work closely with UK government departments, country conservation bodies (such as Natural England and Nature Scot) and advise governments overseas.

To deliver ambitions on nature conservation and recovery and compete with other policy priorities in the UK and abroad - such as resource security (e.g. water, food and energy), economic growth and climate change - it will be essential to integrate the value of nature into policy making. For example, how could optimal land-use decisions incorporate nature positive measures that will result in better outcomes for food production, healthier environment, higher returns to farmers and greater well-being for society. This will require bold economic thinking, incorporating the framework of the Dasgupta Review for Economics for biodiversity, which accounts for humanity’s dependence on nature and sets the parameters for sustainable development that protects and enhances our prosperity and the natural environment.

The key areas of work for the post holder will be:

• Natural Capital Accounting

The post holder will advise on Natural Capital Ecosystem Accounting (NCEA) approaches that help to assess the provision of ecosystem services (ES). He/she will help develop ecological models and other tools assessing the impacts of human activities on the flow of ES services and their values – for example, the universal asset-service matrix we’re working on for the marine NCEA. The post holder will work with JNCC marine and terrestrial natural capital teams in assisting our government partners (UK and abroad) to develop tools for managing, supporting, and implementing NCEA approaches.

• Transitioning to Sustainable blue and green economy

This will encompass advising on a range of policy areas including 1) working with colleagues in UK governments to develop market frameworks aimed at increasing the flow of private investments into restoration and protection of marine/terrestrial habitats, 2) working with land-use policy colleagues to assess demand of land use decisions and identifying solutions that embed value of nature in these decisions 3) investigating emerging approaches to carrying out marine spatial prioritisation in UK seas, where economics, social and environmental dimensions are considered appropriately and 4) analysing sustainable and innovative financing options in the Overseas Territories (OTs), including the preparation of natural capital investment plans and 5) investigate the scale and impact of existing UK subsidies in sectors, such as agriculture and fishing, and advise on options to help incentivise outcomes that mitigates environmental damage and increases overall societal well-being

• Nature-proofing our international policy:

There is the opportunity for UK trade and Official Development Assistance (ODA) spending decisions to integrate biodiversity to influence more nature-positive policies both through global footprint and in direct spend internationally. The post holder will be working with relevant teams in JNCC to help provide evidence on how the value nature can provide for achieving international trade, climate implementation plans, security (including food, water, and energy security) targets abroad.

Job Description: Post Duties

The G7 Economist is a key leadership position within JNCC.  The post will report to the Chief Scientist and will have management responsibility of JNCC’s cross-cutting functions.

The principal responsibilities of the G7 Economist are to:

• Work with the Chief Scientist to build economic and social science capability through the organisation.

• Provide leadership for economic and wider social science functions – interfacing with natural sciences and policy - and ensure a coherent interdisciplinary approach is taken across science functions. For example, review, support and steer the SEO economists’ work on international CBD negotiations (subsidies analysis), blue economy/marine natural capital and in the Overseas Territories (sustainable finance and storm resilience).

• Working with the Director for UK co-ordination and providing thought leadership on blue/green finance – this would include supporting UK governments to create resilient market frameworks that attract investment towards nature recovery. Where required, working with JNCC experts to look at the return on investment for nature recovery measures.

• Working closely with internal JNCC natural capital analysis and land-use modelling teams, where there is ongoing research to improve the valuation evidence base and to develop guidance on the inclusion of natural capital in economic analysis.

• Support mainstreaming nature into the policy agenda, by providing strong economic evidence of the value nature can provide for achieving gains from trade, higher returns from ODA spending, higher food production, achieve resource security (including food, water, and energy security) targets both at home and abroad, emphasising the links between nature, economic resilience and societal wellbeing.

• Drive income generation, identifying and pursuing opportunities to bring funding into JNCC to meet corporate priorities.

• Develop productive working relationships at a senior level with stakeholders in UK and devolved governments, the wider public sector, NGOs and research organisations. Communicate and synthesize complex technical economic information to a non-technical audience.

• Be an effective member of senior management teams and programme boards.

Technical

To be a successful candidate you will be/have:

We also require the following technical skills (GES technical framework):

• GES - Application of knowledge
• GES - Analysis of data
• GES - Effective communication

• You must also possess the following Professional Memberships:

• Applicants must be able to meet the requirements for the Government Economic Service (GES). This includes a degree in economics, specifically a first or upper second class honours degree with at least 50% of the modules in economics, or a masters in economics. Modules must have covered both micro and macroeconomics to qualify.
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions

Behaviours

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 Seeing the Big Picture

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 

Closing date and interview date

The closing date for this post is 23:55 on Sunday, 12 February 2023

The anticipated interview date is week commencing Monday, 06 March 2023

Apply here