Job Description

Post Title: Science and Policy Liaison – England

Team: Nature Conservation Policy & Advice

Ref No: 202384

Grade: S (SEO)

Type of appointment: Permanent (or 2-year secondment)

Location: Peterborough

Salary: £36,669 (Please note a pay award is pending so this figure is expected to increase)                                        

This post will have a base at JNCC’s office at Quay House, Peterborough, which is shared with Natural England.

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.

This is a permanent position.  However, we would welcome applications from staff currently working for Natural England or Defra who would like to take the post on the basis of a fixed-term secondment.  In this case, the secondment would be for 2-years, and would be subject to agreement with the current employer.  As a permanent position or as a secondment opportunity, the post offers a chance to gain skills in areas such as: building relationships, chairing meetings, organising events and workshops, engaging with senior staff and Executive Leaders. 

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. 290 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.290 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.                  

Short Summary: Post background

In its unique UK role, JNCC works collaboratively with the four countries of the UK to support nature recovery.  This requires a strong understanding of the developing policies and delivery mechanisms in the four countries, as well as internationally, to ensure JNCC’s evidence and advice evolves to meet the needs of each country.

JNCC is looking to appoint a Science and Policy Liaison Officer for England, to help shape and prioritise its activities. The post will provide a focal point, enabling engaging conversations and influencing relevant science and strategic topics.  Specifically, the role is focused on enhancing engagement and building JNCC’s collaborative relationship with Natural England and Defra but will also be involved in supporting joint UK collaborations. 

The post holder will be based in the Nature Conservation Policy and Advice Team at JNCC and will work with teams across the organisation.  Specifically, they will be part of a small and collaborative project team, comprising staff holding similar liaison roles covering Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.  With strong links to the JNCC Executive Leadership Team, their work builds on the networks and working groups that already exist between JNCC and country partners, with the aim of identifying new opportunities and enhancing collaborations where JNCC’s skills and expertise can support the countries in delivering their priorities.  Together they provide a co-ordinated UK overview and a hub for information exchange. 

This is a developing role, and the post holder will have the opportunity to shape it, using the template and approaches already developed by the other country liaison officers, tailoring it to meet the ways of working that best support JNCC’s relationship with Natural England and Defra.

The portfolio of this role is broad, requiring day-to-day engagement across a range of work areas and interacting with staff, from the project level through to strategic-level interactions with senior managers, executive and non-executive leaders.  We are looking for someone to join our team who thrives in a fast paced and often reactive environment, who has a passion for building relationships and engaging with partners, who is confident in posing challenges and asking questions to fully understand requirements and perspectives, who brings good organisation and communication skills and an understanding of how scientific evidence and analysis supports the policy development cycle.

This is a critical time and new opportunities are arising as the Government drives forward its policy and legislative agenda to achieve transformational change to address the inextricably linked emergencies of climate change and biodiversity loss.  Help JNCC’s science and evidence be at the heart of this.

Job Description: Post Duties

The post holder will be at the forefront of promoting JNCC’s capabilities in England and identifying opportunities for collaborative working with Natural England and Defra. They will liaise with individuals to develop a better understanding of their priorities, spotting opportunities and connections, conveying the work of JNCC, ensuring JNCC’s skills, experience and outputs are exploited to maximum effect, and generally building and maintaining relationships.

The main duties of the post are to:

·       Develop and strengthen the working relationships between JNCC and partner bodies in England, especially Natural England. This will involve, but is not limited to, building and managing relationships with key individuals; becoming established as a key and trusted point of contact for developing relationships and helping to establish collaboration where there is no pre-existing JNCC contact point; ensuring communications and information flows between JNCC and Natural England are effective and resilient; representing JNCC in various country and UK-level fora;

·       Provide briefings to senior staff and Executive Leaders and advise on key areas for their consideration in meetings with partners.

·       Maintain Natural England’s and Defra’s awareness of JNCC’s work and its strengths. Increase their understanding of the context of JNCC’s work in terms of the position of the work in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and the benefits it brings or could bring to England. 

·       Maintain an overview of joint working and collaboration between JNCC and England.  Identify where JNCC might add value and make relevant teams in JNCC, Defra and Natural England aware of the opportunity.  Support JNCC teams in tailoring and promoting their work to meet England’s needs. 

·       Maintain an in-depth knowledge and understanding of England’s environmental policy, including implementation, with an emphasis on proposed changes or new developments; show where JNCC’s work contributes to both the Government’s and Natural England’s priorities, identifying where developing policies and plans provide drivers for the provision of JNCC’s evidence and advice. 

·       Communicate effectively within JNCC. Make information on England-related policies available in a clear and simple format, and brief and advise JNCC Executive Leadership Team and team leaders.

·       Support the NCPA Team’s wider work on UK co-ordination and engagement. For example, this may include managing secretariat services for joint UK groups such as the Four Countries Biodiversity Group, supporting implementation across the UK of the Global Biodiversity Framework and helping make links between English bodies and organisations in other parts of the UK on topics of common interest.

·       Play an active part in JNCC’s Engagement, Legislation and Policy (ELP) project, in JNCC’s Nature Conservation Policy and Advice Team, in order to collaborate with colleagues in similar roles in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, to strengthen JNCC’s joint working and information flows within the four countries of the UK.

·       The post holder will be line managed from JNCC’s Nature Conservation Policy and Advice Team and will receive support from Natural England colleagues. You will be expected to work independently as well as part of a team. You will be self-motivated with excellent communication, planning and organisation skills with the ability to manage a busy workload and respond quickly to a range of tasks. From time to time, there may be an opportunity to line manage other staff or interns, although this will not be required initially.

Technical

To be a successful candidate you will have:

·       a relevant degree, or equivalent qualification, in a relevant subject such as natural sciences or natural resource management.

Experience (Responsibilities)

To be a successful candidate you will have:

·       Good knowledge of the role and remit of JNCC in relation to other organisations, in particular the country nature conservation bodies, UK Government departments and Devolved Administrations and good understanding of environmental policy and legislation and an ability to analyse and brief on the content and implications of new and emerging policy.  

·       Good general knowledge of ecology and nature conservation in the UK, with an ability to lead and facilitate technical discussions towards understanding science and evidence needs to support policy development. 

·       Excellent communication skills and demonstrable experience of conveying detailed and complex information to a range of audiences using a range of media. For example, this could include, written briefings, webinars, web content, newsletters and more formal papers for senior management groups. 

·       Experience of managing relationships of engaging with a wide range of stakeholders and partners, determining their priorities and working collaboratively, including experience of organising and facilitating workshops and other engagement events.

Behaviours

•   Communicating and influencing
•   Working Together
•   Seeing the Big Picture
•   Delivering at Pace

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 have the amenities for sponsorship.

Closing date and interview date

The closing date for this post is 23:55 on Sunday, 22 October 2023

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

How to apply: https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/index.cgi