Biodiversity Technical Officer - 32286

We are committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We promote equality and diversity in all that we do and particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (B.A.M.E.), disabled, female, and LGBT+ candidates who are under-represented across our workforce.

The Biodiversity and Geomorphology team are looking for an enthusiastic Biodiversity Officer to provide advice, guidance, and technical support within the Hertfordshire and North London area.

This is an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated individual, with proven technical and inter-personal skills, to be part of a friendly and hardworking team. You'll be responsible for covering a wide geographical area, providing high quality biodiversity technical advice.

You will provide input into a range of projects. You will help identify, design, and deliver a programme of mitigation and restoration activities in surface waters to deliver measurable environmental outcomes. Your work with operational staff will ensure we prevent or minimise ecological impacts from our own activities and those we regulate.

You will proactively engage staff throughout the EA, communicating with colleagues internally and externally to successfully build trusted networks and strong partnerships to maximise delivery.

You will keep up to date on changing legislation and best practice in order to inform internal priorities and direction. We’d aim to shape the job in a way that builds on your strengths and interests and reflects the developing needs of the business.

Responding to incidents is a central part of what we do. You will be required to have an incident role and make yourself available to respond to incidents or provide business continuity support during an incident. Full training and alternative working arrangements will be available to support you with your incident role. This may attract an additional payment.

The team has a vast amount of biodiversity expertise, and you’ll be offered mentoring and development opportunities. We cover a diverse range of environments including urban and rural catchments.

The team plays a pivotal role in supporting the organisation to achieve biodiversity and ecological objectives. We screen and advise on internal plans/projects for potential biodiversity and geomorphology impacts, ensuring compliance with legislation. We deliver multiple benefits through river basin management and flood risk management.

You’ll be qualified to degree standard (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline and have the ability and knowledge to:

• Provide guidance to ensure compliance with Environment Agency policy and current legislation.
• Apply influencing skills and knowledge of stakeholder engagement techniques to work with both internal and external teams and partners.
• Provide knowledge of wetland and river conservation and legislation relating to wildlife and designated sites, and an understanding of policies relating to biodiversity.
• Achieve outcomes in line with the objectives of the Water Framework Directive.
• Be a passionate and confident biodiversity champion, understanding it’s importance and being able to communicate this to others.
• Be open to innovative ways of working, especially new opportunities to work with nature.

We seek to develop and influence partnerships and organisations to help meet the objectives of the WFD and 25 Year Environment Plan.

Our office has a hybrid model allowing individuals to work either at home or at our office (a minimum number of days in the office per week will be agreed with your line manager).

For further information please contact Elodie.blanchfield@environment-agency.gov.uk or the WFPG_HNL@environment-agency.gov.uk

Interviews are likely to take place early/mid December and will be held in person at our office in Hertfordshire.

Significant and regular travel across the area and work in the field will be required. This role will require the applicant to have a full UK driving licence.

Listens and questions to understand and engage. Conveys information and ideas clearly, accurately and persuasively through speech and writing.

Question: Please provide an example of where you have had to demonstrate good communication skills to effectively convey potentially complex data, information, or instructions and ensure understanding. What was the situation, what communication methods did you use, why were these suitable, and what was the outcome?

Addresses the needs of internal and external customers, provides rapid and effective responses.

Question: In the Biodiversity Technical Officer role, you are often seen as the face of the Environment Agency, acting as a point of contact for stakeholders and partners. This means you might encounter questions and conversations that can be targeted, challenging, and often where opinions do not align. The role will bring you into contact with a range of people, departments and organisations both internal and external.

Can you give an example of how you have dealt with a customer that had a differing viewpoint to yours, and how you managed this interaction?
Focusing on how you approached the interaction, methods of communication, and the outcome.

Has full awareness of own strengths, weaknesses, impact and approach. Effectively organises self and takes personal responsibility for own role in the Environment Agency.

Question: Please provide an example of a situation when it was important that you were well organised to achieve a successful outcome. What was the situation, and what methods, tools, or systems did you employ to manage yourself?



Please note that your answers to the capability questions will be used for shortlisting purposes. Your examples do not necessarily have to be work related, please use the best example from any area of your life. You may find researching the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) useful when answering the questions. It is highly recommended that you read this and the EA capability framework before answering.

Full UK Driving Licence