Ecology Officer

About you

To be successful in this role we are looking for someone who: 

• Is confident in assessing complex technical ecological information. 
• Can demonstrate an understanding of ecological planning issues as your work will include
  prioritising responses to planning applications, compiling reports, and providing planning
  advice. 
• Is confident in providing habitat management advice for the County Council’s owned nature
  reserves and other biodiversity sites to contractors and the nature reserve Friends Groups. 
• Is confident in working with local communities and advising colleagues on the Council’s
  major projects. 
• Has experience in developing and implementing new policies. 
• Can make informed and independent decisions with minimal supervision. 
• Is pro-active and shows initiative to develop new ideas.
• Can manage workload effectively to meet strict deadlines while being a part of a dynamic
  and busy team.
• Is computer literate with experience in GIS systems and using databases.

About the role

The Environment Act has increased the statutory biodiversity duties for Local Authorities and
to meet this demand we are looking for an Ecology Officer who will play an integral role within
the Biodiversity & Greenspaces Team helping to deliver the biodiversity duties of the
Council.

The post will work closely with the Principal Ecology Officer, colleagues within the
Biodiversity Team and other Departments such as Planning, Rural Estates, Flood Risk, Highways
and Education. Duties will include the assessment, review and provision of professional
responses to a wide variety of planning applications (including pre-application). 

The projects across the Council are diverse, ranging from County Council owned nature reserve
management, natural flood alleviation schemes (nature-based solutions), improving biodiversity
on highways verges, assessment of council owned land for conservation management improvements
and nature recovery projects.

Closing date for applications is 22nd September 2024.

Interviews will take place during the week beginning the 30th September.

What will you be doing?

As a member of the County Council’s Biodiversity Team, your main role will be to help meet the
County Council’s new biodiversity responsibilities. Working with the Principal Ecology Officer
you will collaborate with other members within the Natural & Historic Environment Service
as well as other departments such as Planning, Climate Change, Rural Estates, Flooding,
Highways and Land & Property.

Key aspects of this role will include:

Biodiversity Planning

• Reviewing and responding to planning applications to ensure the County Council meets its
  statutory duty for conserving and enhancing biodiversity 
• Advising on ecological aspects of planning applications (as well as pre-application
  responses)
• Supporting the delivery of the Council’s biodiversity strategy and other policies, working
  collaboratively and in partnership with internal colleagues.
• Undertaking ecology surveys and writing reports
• Providing in-house ecological advice
• Assisting the team with delivery of the Council’s Biodiversity Strategy, Tree &
  Woodland Strategy and Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS)

Biodiversity Projects

• Contribute to the future direction of partnership projects and strategies that improve the
  natural environment, such as community led nature recovery
• Developing and implementing biodiversity projects and schemes, in accordance with the
  County Council’s Climate Change & Environment Strategy and Council’s statutory duty to
  conserve and enhance biodiversity
• Representing the County Council and support partnerships, including the County Wildlife
  Sites Panel, Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Environment Record Centre and Biodiversity
  Working Group

Information, interpretation and monitoring

• Ensuring that information on progress towards biodiversity targets and up-to-date
  ecological information is available and interpreted
• Monitoring of the condition of nature conservation sites (e.g., Protected Road Verges Local
  Nature Reserves & County Wildlife Sites), supporting the local record centre to provide
  up-to-date ecological information and promoting key messages on biodiversity and nature
  conservation issues
• Keeping an overview of the Council’s responsibilities in biodiversity action planning and
  maintain knowledge of data available from other sources.

The role requires travel to locations across Cambridgeshire so you must either hold a full and
current driving licence and have access to personal transport or meet the mobility requirements
of the role through other reasonable and suitable means. The Council offers a pool car service
with cars based at the main offices throughout Cambridgeshire. This means that cars can be
booked and used for site visits and meetings. 

For more information or to chat about this opportunity please contact Deborah Ahmad at
[email protected] or 07391730740 or Phil Clark at
[email protected] or 07826 858286.