Specialist - Woodland Habitats

This role supports the senior specialists in the team in providing national expertise on the ecology, conservation, creation and management of tree and woodland habitats.

The post holder will lead a variety of woodland casework, giving advice to area and operational teams on planning casework, dealing with queries regarding the Ancient Woodland Inventory and Wood Pasture and Parkland Inventory and responding to requests for SSSI woodland management and habitat creation support. The post holder will manage discrete projects for the team, working with stakeholders including national and local team colleagues (e.g. habitat specialists and TAP-D) and organisations such as the Forestry Commission to deliver policy and delivery documents (such as Keepers of Time and national Delivery Practice Guidance).

The post holder will have the skills to be able to contribute to other wooded priority habitat and protected sites work as part of the team’s wider remit. Working not only with others within the team but the wider specialist group within NE, external partners and other government organisations.

We are looking for someone who has a broad range of technical skills and behaviours:

Applicants should have a degree in an environmental or other relevant discipline or be able to demonstrate significant experience of working in the environmental sector or other relative field.

A driving licence is highly desirable as many roles will require travel for site visits or partnership meetings that may not be accessible by public transport.

We are looking for people who can demonstrate their skills and experience in relation to tree and wooded habitats in at least one of the work areas below:

Knowledge of and experience of working within the statutory planning and/ or wildlife licensing process and how nature is accommodated within the system locally or nationally e.g. Ancient woodland inventory casework or NPPF standing adviceEngland’s wider biodiversity commitments including some knowledge of relevant European Directives, associated UK/England Regulations, including the legislation relating to protected species, sites, and forestry, eg. felling licences and EIA forestry regulationsEcological knowledge of trees, open wooded habitats and/or woodland. Experience in field surveying, including species identification and data interpretation. Experience of working with farmers and landowners to advise on how they manage trees and wooded ecosystems in a sustainable way, for the benefit of the natural environment.

How to Apply

We'll assess you against the competencies below during the selection process. When completing the application form you should present relevant examples using the STAR format. STAR stands for:

SituationTaskAction Result

Examples should be given in no more than 250 words for each competency. There is no requirement to use the STAR format in your response to the ‘Technical Skills and Knowledge’ competency. Please ensure you read the Candidate Information Pack before you begin your application.

Next Steps

If we receive a significant number of applications, we may choose to sift applications on the first two competencies of Technical Skills and Knowledge and Personal Effectiveness.

If you are invited to interview you will be asked to give examples for all four competencies.