This is an exciting opportunity to join Natural England’s National Nature Reserves (NNR) team in West Sussex at Kingley Vale NNR. NNRs play an increasingly important role as places where people can connect with nature and contribute to the recovery of nature in the surrounding landscape.
This post will be based at Kingley Vale NNR in West Sussex, one of the first NNRs to be designated in England. It is a truly remarkable site, famous for its ancient Yews, but also host to a diverse mix of species thanks to the woodland, grassland and transitional scrub habitats found here. The reserve is situated within the South Downs National Park, with a fantastic vista of nearby Chichester and the surrounding coast – helping to make it a popular destination for an enormous number of visitors annually.
The successful candidate will be a self-motivated, flexible, organised individual with a genuine interest and experience in:
Practical conservation management experience is essential, it is desirable that certificated training in chainsaw/brushcutter/first aid has been completed, but may otherwise be provided.
Providing a welcoming and rich visitor experience
Using evidence to inform nature conservation management
Maintaining the highest health and safety standards
Team and partnership working
Good governance, record management and information handling
Role Description
The successful candidate will contribute to the work of our team through covering tasks in the following areas:
Deliver day-to-day site conservation management including practical habitat management and species/habitat monitoring. Engage in the on call out of hours rota.
Build and maintain working relations with a range of stakeholders engaged in the day-to-day management of the reserve, including graziers, neighbours, and partner organisations.
Contribute to NNR management planning and maintain management records.
Promote volunteering opportunities and build volunteer capacity to support NNR priorities.
Monitor and manage visitor behaviour and patterns of use to support sustainable recreation.
Implement Health & Safety standards fully for yourself and others, including visitors, volunteers and contractors.
Support wider team ambitions for NNRs to be at the heart of the Nature Recovery Network in the surrounding landscape.
Benefits
Wherever possible Natural England accommodates requests for both full-time and part-time hours and other flexible working patterns to help employees achieve a good work/life balance and maintain their health and wellbeing.
Natural England provides excellent opportunities for career progression, training and development tailored to your role. From induction to ongoing learning and development, everyone in Natural England is supported to develop their skills and capabilities. Everyone has 10 days to devote to personal learning and development, as well as an additional 3 days to volunteer.
You will have access to Civil Service Pension and benefits arrangements and generous leave allowances (33 day per year pro rata), as well as flexible working, to help you achieve a work-life balance that works for you and us.
You will have access to a range of benefits including discounts on shopping vouchers, cycle to work scheme, and childcare vouchers. You can also join the Civil Service Sport club which offer discounts on a range of sports and leisure opportunities as well as social events.
Natural England is a fantastic place to work, where difference is celebrated.
We’re committed to fairness and equality for all, so you feel valued for who you are and what you do. Our shared values help us work together to benefit the communities we serve. Our thriving employee-led diversity networks support our inclusive culture and contribute to our Diversity Action Plan.
Location
Candidates must live within reasonable travelling distance of our Kingley Vale National Nature Reserve base at West Dean, Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 0RU. Close proximity is essential as there is an ‘on call’ element of the role.
Pay
It is Natural England policy to employ at the entry point of the salary range.
How to Apply
We welcome and encourage applications from all communities. Natural England is accredited to the Disability Confident Scheme, which denotes organisations which have a positive attitude towards disabled people. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum requirements for the role at the shortlisting stage are guaranteed an invitation to interview.
If you require a reasonable adjustment at interview, or there is anything else you would like the panel to take into consideration, you should notify us of this at application stage where possible, or well in advance of your interview.
This vacancy uses competency-based assessment. We'll assess you against the competencies below during the selection process:
Technical Skills & Knowledge
Creating Resilient Landscapes & Seas
Putting People at the Heart of the Environment
Working Safely
When completing the application form you should present relevant examples using the STAR format. Give us an example of how you have demonstrated the competency (which can be work related or from another area of your life) and tell us about the Situation, the specific Task you had to undertake, the specific Actions you took, and the Result (both immediate and in a wider context) of your doing so.
Please note that STAR format is not required when answering the Technical Skills & Knowledge competency.
Examples should be given in no more than 250 words for each competency.