Job Type: 3 year fixed term contractHours: Full time; 35 hours per week About Us: The Cairngorms National Park is an incredible place to live and work. The UK’s largest national park is a place of sheer abundance, having more high mountain ground than anywhere else in the UK, the largest Caledonian forest, some of Scotland’s purest rivers and finest livestock rearing farmland. It is also home to 25 percent of the UK’s rare and endangered species. It is a truly unique place to work, with our dedicated and passionate planning and place team who are committed to delivering a high quality planning service, every day. Furthermore, there is access to some of the most beautiful countryside straight from our Headquarters office door. The Cairngorms National Park Authority is a fantastic place to work and offers great opportunities to grow your career. The Park Authority is listed in the UK’s top 100 best not- for-profit companies to work for. We’re dedicated to both this amazing place and our employees. We now have an exciting opportunity for an Ecological Advice Officer (Planning) to join the CNPA, supporting the delivery of the National Park Authority’s Planning Service through the provision of ecological and natural heritage advice across the service. Equalities: CNPA is an inclusive organisation and we welcome applications from everyone irrespective of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, religion and belief, pregnancy and maternity, relationship status, disability, age and social class. We particularly welcome applications from individuals from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, disabled and LGBTQ communities, as they are under-represented in the environment sector. We are Disability Confident committed employer, if you are an applicant with disabilities who meets the essential requirements of the post, we will interview you. In all circumstances CNPA appoints on merit-based evidence the applicant supplies in meeting the essential criteria for the post. The Role: As our Ecological Advice Officer (Planning), you will provide ecological and natural heritage advice to development management colleagues for planning application casework, including Habitats Regulations Appraisals (HRAs). You will contribute to the preparation and implementation of an effective Local Development Plan and National Park Partnership Plan. You will also assist with Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) and HRAs of Park Authority plans, strategies and programmes. For further information regarding the role, please view the job description. So, if you are keen to be our Ecological Advice Officer (Planning) and you can display the skills and experience listed here, this is the role you’ve been waiting for. CNPA Benefits: Civil service pension scheme – some of the benefits include: member contribution rates among the lowest in the public sector tax relief on your contributions generous employer contributions a secure, inflation-proof pension for life, with no investment uncertainty the option of tax-free lump sum on retirement potential access to ill health and injury benefits if you become too ill to work life assurance cover benefits for loved ones and dependants options to increase your pension keeping all your pensions in one place by transferring in a pension you have built up elsewhere support from our trusted charity partners 25 days annual leave, increasing to 30 days with service, plus Public Holidays Professional development Flexible working Cycle to work scheme Use of pool cars About You: To be considered as our Ecological Advice Officer (Planning), you’ll need: A recognised qualification to degree level in ecology, environmental science or related discipline. Up-to-date knowledge of relevant planning legislation and current practice, environmental legislation and regulations and their interaction with the planning system. Experience and knowledge of protected species legislation and survey guidance. Practical experience of working on planning and related ecological casework. Ability to take a proportionate view on ecology matters and a balanced view on competing interests in a planning context, as well as an awareness of development viability issues. Demonstrable skills in accurate collection, analysis, interpretation and presentation of data and information. Understanding of the relationship between land use planning and wider rural issues. Excellent communication skills – verbal, written and presentational. IT skills – word processing, spreadsheets, databases, design. Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work both independently and in a team to achieve collective goals. Self-motivated, proven ability to identify, prioritise and carry out workload to deliver the required outputs. Full UK driving licence, or access to driver if disability prevents driving. Permission to work in the UK. Closing Date: 23:59pm, Tuesday 11 March 2025Interview Date: Thursday 27 March 2025