At a Glance
- Tasks: Join us in preserving England's historic buildings and areas through expert advice and collaboration.
- Company: Historic England champions the nation's historic environment, helping people value and care for it.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive pension, 28 days holiday, corporate discounts, and free entry to English Heritage sites.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on heritage conservation while working in a diverse and inclusive environment.
- Qualifications: Degree-level education and extensive experience in managing changes to historic buildings required.
- Other info: Regular site visits and occasional evening or weekend meetings are part of the role.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
We are the public body that looks after England's historic environment. We champion historic places, helping people understand, value and care for them. Historic England has a fantastic opportunity for you to join us as our Inspector of Historic Buildings and Areas. This is a full-time, permanent post based in Greater London with Hybrid working. This post is for internal applicants only. We offer a wide benefits package including a competitive pension scheme at 28.97% employer contributions, a generous 28 days holiday, corporate discounts, free entry into English Heritage sites across the country and development opportunities to ensure you achieve your goals.
What you will be doing:
- The Development Advice Teams provide Historic England's statutory and non-statutory advice to our customers, engaging where we add most value to decision-making through our distinctive contribution as national experts.
- You will take delegated responsibility for the delivery of Historic England's advice on proposals for change in the historic environment that fall within your area of competence.
- Applying the ethos of 'constructive conservation' and making effective use of Conservation Principles in all your advisory work, you will provide advice to owners, local authorities and others, to proactively work towards the sustainable management of the historic environment.
- You will also contribute to specific projects where your expertise would add value, for example as part of the Historic England Places strategy.
- You will undertake pre-application discussions with potential applicants, including Extended Pre-application advice where appropriate, applying the ethos of 'constructive conservation' to negotiate creative solutions to problems so that proposed changes are sustainable.
- You will assist local planning authorities and others with the interpretation of the law and national planning policy with regard to listed buildings and conservation areas.
Who we are looking for:
- Educated to degree level or equivalent in a relevant subject.
- Broad and extensive experience of managing change to historic buildings and areas, including detailed knowledge of the planning system.
- Thorough knowledge of secular and ecclesiastical architectural history and the morphology of historic places in England.
- Thorough knowledge of legislation and planning policy in England, relating to secular and ecclesiastical buildings, historic places and infrastructure.
- Skills, including written, oral & communication.
- Adept at negotiation and influencing.
Please note: The role requires regular travel to sites not serviced by public transport. The role requires visiting/inspecting sites which is likely to require climbing scaffolding and negotiating confined spaces (e.g. church roofs). The role may require occasional attendance at community or planning meetings which are usually held at evenings or weekends.
Why work for Historic England:
We are committed to promoting equality of opportunity for everyone. Diversity helps us to perform better and attract more people to support our work. We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds. We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates and candidates with disabilities as they are underrepresented within Historic England at this level.
Historic England wants all of our candidates to shine in the recruitment process. Please tell us what we can do to make sure you can show us your very best self. You can contact us by email if you have any recruitment queries.
At Historic England we use a hiring system called Applied. Applied is a behavioural science-backed recruitment platform that reduces bias, improves quality of hire and increases diversity. We do not use CV application for the majority of our hiring processes. You will answer a selection of questions that allow our hiring teams to test your skills and suitability for the role. To ensure a fair and inclusive recruitment process for everyone the use of AI or automated tools is not permitted.
Provisional interview dates: Tuesday 06th May 2025 in person in London.
Inspector of Historic Buildings and Areas employer: ENGINEERINGUK
Contact Detail:
ENGINEERINGUK Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Inspector of Historic Buildings and Areas
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the ethos of 'constructive conservation'. Understanding how to balance change with preservation will be crucial in your role. Research case studies where this approach has been successfully implemented.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals in the field of historic buildings and areas. Attend relevant seminars, workshops, or local council meetings to meet people who can provide insights into the role and the organisation's culture.
✨Tip Number 3
Brush up on your negotiation skills. Since the role involves influencing decisions and working collaboratively, being able to effectively communicate and negotiate will set you apart from other candidates.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare for site visits by understanding the practical aspects of inspecting historic buildings. Familiarise yourself with safety protocols, especially if climbing scaffolding or accessing confined spaces is involved.
We think you need these skills to ace Inspector of Historic Buildings and Areas
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Before applying, make sure you thoroughly understand the responsibilities and requirements of the Inspector of Historic Buildings and Areas position. Familiarise yourself with the ethos of 'constructive conservation' and how it applies to the role.
Tailor Your Responses: When answering the selection questions on the Applied platform, tailor your responses to highlight your relevant experience in managing change to historic buildings and areas. Use specific examples that demonstrate your knowledge of planning systems and architectural history.
Showcase Your Skills: Emphasise your written and oral communication skills, as well as your negotiation and influencing abilities. Provide examples of how you've successfully communicated complex ideas or influenced decision-making in previous roles.
Prepare for the Interview: If selected for an interview, prepare by reviewing common questions related to heritage management and conservation. Be ready to discuss your approach to problem-solving and how you would handle specific scenarios related to the role.
How to prepare for a job interview at ENGINEERINGUK
✨Know Your Historic Context
Familiarise yourself with the key historical buildings and areas in England, especially those relevant to the role. Understanding their significance will help you demonstrate your passion for heritage and your ability to provide informed advice.
✨Master the Planning System
Brush up on your knowledge of the planning system and legislation related to historic buildings. Be prepared to discuss how you would navigate these regulations while advocating for constructive conservation.
✨Showcase Your Communication Skills
As an Inspector, you'll need to communicate effectively with various stakeholders. Prepare examples of how you've successfully influenced decisions or negotiated solutions in past roles, highlighting your written and oral communication skills.
✨Demonstrate Collaborative Spirit
Historic England values teamwork. Be ready to share experiences where you've worked collaboratively with colleagues or external partners to achieve a common goal, particularly in managing change to historic environments.