Job Description
Post Title: Senior Marine Mammal Adviser
Team: Marine Management
Ref No: 202380
Grade: S (SEO)
Type of appointment: Permanent
Location: Aberdeen or Peterborough
Salary: £36669
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. 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. As well as operating a hybrid model of working and offering family friendly opportunities, all colleagues at JNCC can work flexibly within the hours of 7am-7pm and have the opportunity to build flexi credit to enable them to work more flexibly. 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. JNCC also offers a generous 12 days public and privilege leave allowance, excellent pension and provides access to an employee’s benefits platform which includes employee assistance 24 hour a day support.
Short Summary:
Post background
JNCC’s Marine Management Team provides evidence-based advice on the environmental impacts of activities taking place in the offshore marine environment to the authorities responsible for their regulation. One such area of advice relates to the protection of marine mammals and their habitats from activities that result in underwater noise. The expansion of offshore wind, added to the continued pressures from other industries, particularly when within or near Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) has highlighted the need for further evidence gathering and guidance to reduce uncertainty in impact assessment processes and develop proportionate and effective management measures.
Key to achieving this is engagement between different stakeholders and JNCC collaborates with government, industry, NGOs and academia in order to aid the sustainable use of the marine environment. JNCC plays a significant role in identifying and reducing evidence gaps, advice provision, as well as in shaping policy and guidance in this area. This post will be required to support this work by managing contract work (e.g. Offshore Wind Environmental Evidence Register (OWEER)) and will therefore require significant project management (including financial and risk management) and stakeholder collaboration skills.
Job Description:
Post Duties
• Deliver technical advice on underwater noise assessment and management for all relevant sectors. This will involve working in collaboration with colleagues in the country conservation agencies, regulators, industry and NGO’s.
• Contribute JNCC technical expertise to external research and policy programmes.
• Provide the full range of project management needs for projects, including planning, risk management, procurement, and contract and financial management.
• Effectively represent JNCC with a wide range of partners and stakeholders
• Strengthen JNCC’s strategic role in evidence gathering and develop existing and new partnerships to seek opportunities for new work
• Work with specialists from other teams within JNCC to support project planning and delivery.
Technical
To be a successful candidate you will be/have:
• Educated to degree level or equivalent qualification in a relevant subject and/or relevant recent practical work experience.
Experience (Responsibilities)
To be a successful candidate you will have:
• Experience in assessing the effects of offshore industries on marine mammal species and their habitats, particularly in relation to underwater noise.
• Detailed knowledge of the main provisions of UK and European policy and legislation on the protection of marine mammal species and their habitats.
• The ability to critically review scientific information, appraise and effectively communicate uncertainty and provide high quality, risk- based, impartial advice.
• Led or played a responsible role in managing the delivery of large, complex projects, including contract establishment, management of finances and quality assurance procedures.
• Experience of developing and managing a wide range of stakeholder relationships.
Behaviours
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
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 Managing a Quality Service
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, 27 August 2023
The anticipated interview date is Monday, 04 September 2023
How to apply: https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/index.cgi
