Job Description
This position can be based at Telford or Worcester. The role is based at either NE's new Worcester office, which is open in July 2026, or at Shrewsbury in Defra's Hafren Office. Regular travel (at least weekly) will be required to either NE Shrewsbury or Worcester offices.
The Area Delivery Team (ADT) is the first point of contact for West Midlands enquiries relating to Protected Sites (PS) and Rural Payments agency (RPA) Agri‑environment scheme queries. As an ADT Officer, you will support the delivery of nature recovery by helping minimise impacts on protected sites and contributing to positive outcomes through accurate, timely casework.
Job Purpose
You will undertake low‑risk statutory and non‑statutory Protected Sites casework, including Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) consenting, assenting and advice, working within established procedures and under the guidance of senior officers. You will also support colleagues in identifying and reporting on measures to improve the condition of protected sites.
The role requires close working with Farm Advisers, technical specialists, and national teams to ensure appropriate ecological input is obtained for casework. You will collaborate with the national Farm and Conservation Services team, who lead on low‑risk PS casework. You will operate within Natural England’s governance, systems, and processes, using sound judgement to resolve routine and non‑routine issues and escalating risks appropriately.
Key Responsibilities
- Deliver low‑risk statutory SSSI casework, preparing draft advice, assessments, and documentation for review by senior colleagues, in line with established procedures and regulatory requirements.
- Manage straightforward SSSI enquiries, triaging and escalating medium‑ or high‑risk issues where appropriate.
- Respond to non‑statutory SSSI queries, including general management questions and providing information to new SSSI owners or occupiers.
- Support low‑risk enforcement and Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) casework, ensuring timely escalation where risks, complexity, or non‑compliance are identified.
- Maintain accurate records and audit trails, updating Casework Tracker and supporting the management of the West Midlands mailbox and answerphone.
- Contribute to improvements in local SSSI casework processes and support implementation of agreed reforms, identifying opportunities to enhance service delivery.
- Participate in Protected Sites Delivery Calls when required, sharing updates and supporting discussions under the guidance of senior colleagues.
- Work collaboratively with Farm Advisers, technical specialists, and other team members to ensure effective case handling and consistent customer service.
- Manipulate data and collate information to support casework, PS condition reporting, projects and decision‑making.
- Support updating and reporting of actions to improve condition of protected sites, including liaising with colleagues assessing the condition of protected sites.
- Operate within Natural England’s systems, methods, and procedures, complying with all relevant policy, legislation, and governance requirements.
- Develop your technical knowledge and capability through on‑the‑job learning, training, and support from senior officers.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
- Developing understanding of UK protected sites legislation and ability to apply it to low‑risk casework with support.
- Understanding of the environmental value of designated sites and the pressures on them, with the ability to communicate this clearly to customers and partners.
- Developing experience in providing advice to protected sites owners/occupiers and statutory bodies with clear and professional communication skills.
- Applied knowledge of work routines, systems, and digital tools used within Natural England.
- Good level and experience of using Microsoft applications (Word, Outlook, Excel, Teams) and digital mapping systems.
- Ability to work to specified standards, service levels, and timeframes, prioritising short‑term tasks and supporting others to meet deadlines.
- Ability to communicate effectively, build strong working relationships, and influence using reasoning and technical understanding.
- Knowledge of Natural England’s role.
We welcome and encourage applications from all communities. Natural England is accredited to the Disability Confident Scheme, which denotes organisations that have a positive attitude towards disabled people. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum requirements for the role at the shortlisting stage are guaranteed an invitation to interview.
If you require a reasonable adjustment for an interview or would like the panel to consider any other factors, please notify us at application stage or well in advance of your interview.
