Overview

Accountable to: Director of Landscape Recovery
Location: Hybrid Working.  The post can be hosted by Warwickshire County Council and also has the ability to work from Trust offices and home.
Salary: Grade 3a, £27,943 – £34,929
Benefits:
Employers’ pension contribution up to 6% (with 4.5% from employee)
25 days holiday plus bank holidays
Access to Electric Vehicle salary sacrifice scheme
Employee Assistance Programme
Death in service benefit equivalent to 3x salary
Liaison with: WWT staff, Warwickshire County Council Ecology Unit, Local Authority partners, and landowners
Responsible for:
HBA Local Wildlife Sites Surveyor
HBA Senior Local Wildlife Sites Officer
HBA GIS & Phase 1 Officer
Hours: Full Time, 35 hours per week

Job Purpose

The Habitat Biodiversity Assessment Manager is responsible for managing the Habitat Biodiversity Assessment partnership, which undertakes projects that gather and analyse biodiversity data. This data is then used to inform nature recovery strategies, local state of environment reports, biodiversity net gain monitoring, planning strategies and planning applications plus other partner and national requests.

Habitat Biodiversity Assessment (HBA)

The Habitat Biodiversity Assessment (HBA) is a partnership project that has been running for over 20 years. The HBA primarily comprises of two pillars of work; Local Wildlife Site surveying and Habitat Surveys of every ‘field and boundary’ across Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull.

It is funded mainly by Local Authorities across Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull, managed by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust and supported by Natural England and Environment Agency.  Additional, necessary funding is secured via tendering or grant funded project work.

The Local Wildlife Sites element involves surveys up to NVC level of county important sites, whereas the Habitat Assessment consists of Phase 1, and more recently, UK Habitat Classification surveys of the whole sub-region.  This information when combined with other datasets such as the Warwickshire Biological Record Centre (managed by Warwickshire County Council) and national inventories, for example the ancient woodland inventory, help inform nature recovery strategies, local state of environment reports, biodiversity net gain monitoring, planning strategies and planning applications.

1. Line management and team work

• Oversee and manage the staff and volunteers ensuring that work programmes are implemented and the work of team members is co-ordinated.
• Work collaboratively with partners to support the provision of data that allows them to incorporate evidence-based decision making into project development and delivery.
• Oversee the recruitment and training of volunteers to assist with the projects.

2. Partnership engagement

• Maintain a highly effective working relationship with all Local Authority Partners, especially the Warwickshire County Council Ecology Team and Biological Records Centre.
• Ensure that the HBA Team continues to deliver the service requirements that Local Authority Partners require, evolving and improving the offering where appropriate through Partnership agreements, annual agreed workplans and discussions.
• Produce reports on progress to demonstrate the impact and value of the HBA to external audiences.
• Work with landowners, local wildlife groups and local parish councils to provide advice and guidance on habitat data and Local Wildlife Site management.

3. Surveying and monitoring

• Oversee the HBA staff, volunteers and contractors who undertake Local Wildlife Site surveys, UK Habitat Classification surveys, biodiversity net gain assessments, monitoring and other data collection in accordance with national data standards.
• Analyse data generated from survey work to provide the evidence base for decision making related to Local Nature Recovery Strategies for Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull.
• Collaborate with TWT network and Local Authority partners to share best practice on aspects of surveying, monitoring and data analysis.
• Work with partners to develop satellite and remote surveying and monitoring technics to increase data management efficiency, accuracy and currency.

4. Support the dissemination of the HBA & WSP data

• Support the incorporation of the HBA and WSP data layers into partner cloud-based and local GIS platforms, ensuring that HBA data forms the foundation for partner objectives plus the advocacy and enhancement of the data.
• Work with colleagues to assemble common datasets utilising existing data layers (e.g. Magic or ESRI ArcGIS resources), high quality base-mapping (such as Ordnance Survey mapping) and other new data layers.
• Support the Trust’s GIS & Data Officer and Local Authority partners to provide internal and external functionality to enable local data entry, validation and verification, yet retain any restricted access if required.

5. Provide digital and analytical support for the development of a Wilder Warwickshire

• Work with the Landscape Recovery Manager, Warwickshire County Council and other partners to provide HBA data that informs the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS).
• Work alongside colleagues to facilitate the Wildlife Trust’s 30by30 campaign (30% of land managed for nature’s recovery by 2030), including incorporating HBA data into an analysis of current progress and an analysis of where nature’s recovery should be spatially prioritised.
• Work with colleagues to develop advocacy for a “Wildbelt”, a new designation to help safeguard land supporting nature’s recovery, including the role of citizens in developing the Wildbelt.
• Work with colleagues to better understand how data can be used to improve our understanding of the way nature-based solutions can be used to tackle the climate emergency.

6. Manage the HBA budget

• Manage the HBA Partnership budgets, monitor income and expenditure, and provide monthly re-forecasting updates against agreed budget.
• Provide annual financial reports to the HBA Partnership Steering Group.
• Oversee tendering, negotiation and management of project contracts, ensuring that the HBA undertakes project work that compliments the core work and build on the data evidence base.

7. General Responsibilities

• Promote the work, mission and vision of the Trust at all appropriate times.
• Use every opportunity commensurate with other duties to contribute to the Trust’s membership recruitment, fundraising and engagement of people.
• Ensure a high level of customer service in all dealings with the public.
• Ensure continuous development of skills and knowledge required for the post, undergoing training and performance review as required by the Trust.
• Work within all the policies and procedures of the Trust, ensuring own compliance with the Trust’s health and safety policies and procedures and that of any resources for whom you are responsible.
• Work within the Warwickshire County Council’s policies and procedures as relevant
• Work at all times within the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust’s Equal Opportunities Policy and to promote equal opportunities.
• Comply with all legal and contractual obligations concerning the responsibilities of your post.
• Assist in the preparation of the Trust’s annual budgets, work programmes and reporting requirements for your area of work.
• Carry out any other reasonable duties commensurate with the level of responsibility of the post, as requested by the Chief Executive. 

Person Specification

Experience	Essential	Desirable
3 years + experience, which is transferable	E
Leadership	E
GIS, data manipulation and analysis	E
Building relationships with a wide range of stakeholders	E
Negotiation with partnership organisations	E
Contract management	E
Knowledge	Essential	Desirable
Very strong ICT knowledge, especially of MS Office suite and GIS	E
Landscape scale conservation principles and practice	E
Understanding of wildlife and environmental issues in the UK	E
Understanding UK Habitat Classification and Phase 1 mapping	E
UK Planning system and biodiversity net gain principles	E
Understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion		D
Skills	Essential	Desirable
Leadership	E
Project management	E
Communication	E
Organisational, time management and prioritisation	E
Building relationships with external partners	E
Analytical decision making	E
Successfully managing budgets	E
Using initiative without constant supervision and taking a proactive approach	E
IT skills in, Arc GIS, MS Outlook, Word and Excel	E
Influencing	E
Botanical survey skills including UK Hab and Phase 1		D
Personal Qualities	Essential	Desirable
Awareness of and enthusiasm for WWT’s priorities	E
Holds themselves personally accountable for delivering their responsibilities	E
A full driving licence	E

Download a copy of the Recruitment Pack (PDF download).

More about us…

Warwickshire Wildlife Trust (WWT) is one of the 46 UK Wildlife Trusts. Established in 1970 we are a grass roots organisation governed by 14 trustees elected from a membership of 26,000 people, 99% of whom live in the county, and supported by 700 active volunteers. We manage an estate covering 1,000 hectares in Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull and no one living or working in that area is more than 6 miles from one of our 67 nature reserves.

As members of the influential network of Wildlife Trusts, we are part of a collective covering the whole of the UK with 870,000 members, 32,500 volunteers, 2,500 staff and 600 trustees, all working together through a central unit, the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (TWT). Together we are on a mission to restore a third of the UK’s land and seas for nature by 2030. We believe everyone, everywhere, should have access to nature and the joy and health benefits it brings. Each Wildlife Trust is an independent charity formed by people getting together to make a positive difference for wildlife, climate and future generations. Together we care for 2,300 diverse and beautiful nature reserves and work with others to manage their land for nature, too.

WWT is embarking on a new ten-year strategy setting out the impact we want to have as an organisation. We have a bold goal that, by 2030, nature will be in recovery with abundant and diverse wildlife everywhere, and that natural processes will be creating wilder landscapes where people and nature thrive.

Fundamental to that approach is our ambition to make more space for nature. In order to achieve that we must influence policy, work in partnership with other people and continue to deliver a range of impactful projects through collaboration that help bring our wildlife back and enable others to take action for nature on their land.

Moving forward the HBA will be critical to the success of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) across Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull.  It will also play a crucial role in supporting Local Authorities to deliver their statutory responsibilities for biodiversity net gain (BNG) and support them to make informed decisions on nature-based solutions to climate change.

GENERAL INFORMATION FOR THE POST

Selection and Assessment

The candidates who appear to best meet the person specification will be invited to attend for interview. We recommend that applicants pay particular attention to demonstrating how they meet the person specification on the application form.

The assessment will consist of an interview designed to give candidates an opportunity to demonstrate their skills and suitability for the post. Details will be sent to short-listed candidates.

Appointment

All our offers of employment are made, subject to some pre-employment checks including: Satisfactory References, checks on eligibility to work in the United Kingdom, Checks on relevant certificates. Due to the anticipated level of contact with children or other vulnerable members of society involved with this role, a satisfactory Criminal Records Bureau/Independent Safeguarding Authority check is required.

Salary

Your salary will be based on your skills, knowledge and experience. You will be paid monthly in arrears by credit transfer to a bank or building society account.

Location

Through the Trust’s and Warwickshire County Council’s agile working policies this post benefits from being able to work from within Warwickshire County Council offices in Warwick, the Trust’s offices at Brandon Marsh Nature Centre and from home. Employees may be required to work at other Trust or non-Trust sites from time to time. The successful candidate will be expected to travel to visit sites within the area, some of which are in remote locations and many include rough terrain as an integral part of their character. The role will involve some lone working.

Hours of Work

Our employees work a 35-hour week (full time). In view of Warwickshire Wildlife Trust’s work, employees can be called upon from time to time to work a reasonable period outside of the set hours. No overtime will be payable but a flexi time policy is in place.

Holiday Entitlement

Our holiday year runs from January to December. Full time employees get 25 days holiday per year plus bank holidays. For permanent members of staff this increases to 27 days after 2 years and 28 days after 5.

Pension

You will be automatically enrolled in the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust Stakeholder Pension Scheme if you meet the eligibility criteria, though you may opt out. The employee contributes 4.5% of salary and the Trust as the employer contributes a further 6% to the scheme.

Notice

If you choose to leave the Trust you will be required to give two months’ notice.

Equal Opportunities

Warwickshire Wildlife Trust is committed to equal opportunities and appoints on merit. We welcome applicants from all sections of society regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, disability, marital status, age and religion, perceived community background or political beliefs.

Responding to Applications

Thank you for showing an interest in this job and for taking the time to apply. Unfortunately, due to administration costs, we regret that only short-listed candidates will be contacted. The purpose of this information is solely to provide prospective candidates with details relating to the post. It may not be construed as an offer of employment, nor does it form part of the contract of employment or the role profile.