OR22659 – Senior Ecologist in Loughborough

Job Purpose

To act to conserve and enhance the Borough’s Ecology, through the implementation and review of the statutory development plan for the Borough, providing professional advice to planning officers dealing with planning applications to secure Biodiversity Net Gain. To implement projects to improve the biodiversity of the Borough and in the provision of guidance to the Council and its customers upon the implications of new legislation, policy guidance and initiatives advanced by other bodies and agencies. To deliver an effective and appropriate service to all service users, fairly and without discrimination.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide professional advice on the integration of biodiversity within development projects and ensure that there is a consistent approach to the implementation of Biodiversity Net Gain across the Service.
• Provide expert advice to applicants for planning permission and to planning case officers within statutory and agreed timescales to ensure that development encounters no net loss in biodiversity in accordance with statutory and national/local policy and guidelines.
• Monitor the delivery of Biodiversity Net Gain against submitted biodiversity net gain plans and liaise and assist the Planning Enforcement Team in the conduct of investigations and the preparation of cases for enforcement action.
• Maintain the record, undertake surveys, and monitor the condition of the Borough’s Local wildlife sites (LWS). Act, wherever possible, to ensure that sites important for nature conservation are conserved and enhanced.
• Commission and manage contractors in the preparation of environmental surveys of the Borough to ensure an up to date record of wildlife habitat.
• Prepare and implement management plans and habitat creation schemes as required and liaise with interested parties and supervise contractors/volunteers as necessary.
• Prepare and present reports to the relevant Council Committees on matters relating to Ecology and related biodiversity matters.
• Liaise with the County Council to ensure the effective collection of data for and maintenance of the Leicester and Rutland Environmental Record Centre for Charnwood and oversee the Service Level Agreement.
• Liaise with other Council divisions, County Council departments, Town/Parish Councils and other external agencies and authorities on matters affecting heritage with attendance as necessary at meetings, presentations, and exhibitions.
• Assist other Team members to ensure agreed service related and corporate objectives are achieved as necessary.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement in the delivery of customer satisfaction ensuring all work is carried out to meet agreed expectations for customer service and defined performance indicators.
• The postholder will be required to undertake such other duties commensurate with the grade, and/or hours of work, as may be reasonably required.
• Responsible for protecting and managing information securely, and reporting breaches or suspected information security breaches, in line with Council policies.