The purpose of this role is to help develop the concept of High Nature Value farming in Scotland. High Nature Value (HNV) is a term used to describe farming systems involving livestock grazing where a high proportion of the on-farm forage and fodder resource comes from semi-natural habitats such as species-rich permanent grassland, moorland and heathland. These farming and crofting systems, and the agricultural practices common to them, are especially important for biodiversity and deserve special attention in the design of future farming and crofting support measures. Previous work on the creation of a HNV indicator identified that Scotland potentially had a significant share (44%) of HNV farmland. However, this was a high level snapshot of the extent of HNV farmland at the time based on some key indicators and was not tested at farm/croft level for its accuracy and has not been subsequently revised or updated. This Project Officer will support the delivery of a project to develop the HNV concept in Scotland, review work previously undertaken to define relevant HNV criteria and develop a revised definition of HNV farming and crofting which is then tested on a sample of farms and crofts. The Project Officer will report to NatureScot's Agriculture Team manager and be guided by the Farming with Nature Programme and the HNV Farming ARIOB sub-group (Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board). The role will be responsible for all project management activities and tasks associated with the project.,
* To establish the pilot project: prepare a project plan with timescales and milestones, budgets and other resources needed, and a communication plan.
* Undertake tasks to deliver the project
* Commission work from internal and external contributors necessary to deliver the project
* Research, prepare papers, share best practice and provide advice on nature and climate friendly grazing systems
* Research, prepare papers, share best practice and provide advice on HNV farming and crofting to inform the development of a HNV indicator/standard including a set of criteria that can be tested in the field.
* Provide secretarial and project support to the ARIOB HNV farming sub-group as required.
* Contribute to other Farming with Nature projects and to the NatureScot Agriculture Team's advice to Scottish Government on agriculture policy and agriculture reform., Whether working at home or in an office, or travelling to meetings and site visits, as a NatureScot you will contribute to our Net Zero plan, for example through positive carbon travel choices.
Relevant project management experience.
* Ability to plan own work and be flexible; undertake tasks with minimum supervision; prioritise workloads; embrace new skills areas; and maximise the benefits of team working.
* Effective written and verbal communications, especially the ability to convey complex information clearly and confidently
* Ability to quickly establish credibility, build effective working relationships and partnerships, and to encourage action by others
* Practical experience of working with livestock and of livestock management systems, particularly those dependent largely on semi-natural habitats
* An understanding of common semi-natural habitats such as species-rich permanent grassland, moorland and heathland and the species they support
* Understanding of data management - gathering data, and storage and use of data
* Knowledge of natural capital policy and the potential for its use in improved decision-making at different geographical scales
Prerequisites
* Proof of right to work in UK, and be living in UK
* To undertake a Disclosure Scotland application.
* Although Gaelic language is not a prerequisite it is a desirable skill in support of our commitment to our Gaelic Language Plan.
Nature is vital to us all, so it's important that NatureScot represents the people of Scotland. The more diverse our workforce is, the more effectively we can connect everyone with nature. We encourage applications from candidates of all ages and genders, people from ethnic minority groups, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQ+ community.
NatureScot offers some great benefits to reward and support you whilst you are working for us. Our benefits package includes the civil service pension scheme, a generous holiday leave allowance plus flexi time, and employee discount scheme. Visit the NatureScot website for further details.