Grants Higher Officer - ( Ref : 6484 )

To support Strategy teams in the development and delivery of grant schemes for the organisation. The successful candidate will work across Natural England’s four main programmes and will help coordinate the delivery of this work through engagement and participation with operational teams.

Support colleagues both within Strategy teams and Operations. Area of impact – Government funded grant schemes for nature recovery. Nature of impact – delivery, coordination, and support.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide support to seniors developing technical advice/guidance for internal and external stakeholders around grant scheme policies and processes that cut across the organisation’s business.
• Lead or contribute directly to the implementation and consistent use of financial systems and procedures for grants to ensure financial management requirements set by Natural England and Defra are met.
• Help to build and maintain relationships with stakeholders to help Natural England develop, implement, and deliver grant schemes.
• Provide administrative and technical support (including procurement and project management) for teams working on the development and delivery of new programmes and pilots.
• Participate in and support co-ordination of relevant internal networks to share ideas and information with operational teams.
• Support and promote the development of more efficient, effective, and consistent processes within the team and wider organisation through continuous improvement.

Key Performance Measures

Success in this role will be measured by strong administrative and technical support within the team that leads to the effective delivery of Government-funded grant schemes administered by Natural England. It will also be reflected in the achievement of relevant nature recovery and wider societal goals.

Grant Claims

• Review and authorise payment of grants claims using the relevant financial management systems.
• Provide specialist knowledge both internally and externally (to grantees) on budget and financial aspects of the grant scheme management, interrogating financial data to identify and resolve issues.

Budget Management

• Produce and manage budget profiles for projected spend and receipts from Defra and Natural England.
• Monitor spend and highlight risks and propose solutions with the Scheme Manager and Grants Coordinator.

Maintaining Information Systems

• Ensure that information systems including databases, electronic and paper files hold accurate and relevant information on the financial and budgetary aspects of the scheme and individual grants and meeting the expected audit needs of Defra and Natural England.
• Work with and support internal and external audits of the scheme.

Grant Scheme Delivery

• Develop an understanding of the grant scheme and contribute on occasions to other aspects of the scheme delivery, including undertaking monitoring visits of grants and contributing to the evaluation of the scheme and its promotion internally.

Building a Successful Team

• Be a full and active member of the grant team, taking advantage of opportunities for personal development and cross-team working, and participating in team meetings.

Engagement Contract Management

• Attend meetings and act as secretariat for formal contract progress meetings.
• Maintain accurate records and check understanding to ensure effective and efficient delivery of the contract.

Knowledge, Skills And Experience

• Sound administrative skills and a basic understanding of project management processes.
• Experience of working in finance/grant related roles.
• Good knowledge of the breadth of Natural England’s role and delivery responsibilities.
• Experience of collaborating with a range of stakeholders to achieve pragmatic outcomes.
• Ability to use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques to share information and guidance across the organisation, particularly in explaining complex financial processes.
• Knowledge of how to handle data responsibly, understand your role in good governance, and comply with delegations, policies, and procedures.
• Experience of delivering work against agreed targets and deadlines in line with relevant project/programme management structures.
• Ability to manage competing demands/deadlines and multiple cases simultaneously.

Key Relationships

The Higher Officer will have a key supporting role within their immediate team and may also be called upon to support other teams across Strategy. They will engage with and motivate colleagues across the organisation through their participation in internal networks. They will maintain a close relationship with their relevant Senior Officer. In collaboration with their Senior Officer, they may interact with external stakeholders relevant to their grant scheme. The Higher Officer role is in every team within Strategy. They will typically report to their line manager and receive functional direction from a Senior Officer.

Technical Skills and Knowledge

• Experience working on grant schemes or other financial projects (essential).

Personal Effectiveness

• Through your networks, offer strategic solutions to financial implications and share best practice to influence informed decision making (practitioner).
• Use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage your audience (basic).

Putting People at the Heart of the Environment

• Listen to and understand our diverse partners and customers so that you achieve the best outcomes for them and the organisation you represent (practitioner).
• Work proactively and collaboratively with stakeholders and partners to identify and secure opportunities to deliver gains for people and nature (practitioner).
• Nurture trusting partnerships and collaborate to achieve pragmatic outcomes that help deliver Natural England’s vision, mission and aims (practitioner).

Work Delivery

• Use systems and reports to ensure they give a true and fair reflection of grantees’ financial position and undertake remedial action when required (practitioner).
• Manage and deliver your work to meet agreed targets and deadlines (practitioner).
• Review budget performance and maintain accurate forecasts so that your financial submissions and commentaries are complete (basic).