1002-399 Trends and Indicators Analysis Officer - D Grade - July 2026

This postholder will deliver NatureScot’s suite of biodiversity indicators including Scottish Biodiversity Strategy Outcomes reporting, contribute to Natural Environment (Scotland) Act statutory target reporting and lead on reporting to JNCC for Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) and UK indicator reporting.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

• The Postholder will work across NatureScot and partners, including government agencies and eNGOs, to develop and produce trends and indicators.
• The postholder will communicate, using appropriate styles, methods, and timing, including digital channels, traditional media and other opportunities, across NatureScot and externally to maximise understanding and impact.
• The postholder will deal proactively with varied situations, sometimes with limited guidance, resolving issues for the biodiversity evidence team and flagging issues that require more senior input to the Biodiversity Evidence and Reporting Manager.
• The postholder will encourage collaborative team working within their own team and across NatureScot teams.

Role Requirements

• The postholder will be able to apply their existing knowledge of biodiversity (a specialism is not required) and their existing abilities to communicate clearly and concisely.
• The postholder will be able to demonstrate mathematical and analytical skills that will help them lead on the development, production and communication of trends.
• The postholder will be able to produce written materials suitable for a range of audiences from technical, policy or lay backgrounds.
• The postholder will demonstrate good time management and have experience of planning, organising, prioritising workloads and will demonstrate a willingness to undertake professional development.
• The postholder will have the ability to manage those contracts and relationships necessary for the collation and production of indicators (e.g. butterfly indicators, terrestrial breeding birds etc.).
• The postholder will occasionally need to travel to meetings within Scotland and sometimes elsewhere in the UK.
• They will represent NatureScot and may be called upon to cover for the Biodiversity Evidence and Reporting Manager.
• The postholder will demonstrate good customer service, interpersonal and team working skills and will understand the health and safety requirements of their role.

Person Specification (Please refer to these in your supporting statement)

Essential Skills

• A degree or equivalent experience in a relevant discipline that will provide the postholder with the necessary technical skills for the post.
• An understanding of biodiversity and conservation.
• Ability to communicate effectively with team members, internal colleagues and external stakeholders.
• Ability to manage time and projects effectively.
• Ability to comprehend and communicate complex numerical and statistical information to a lay audience.
• A willingness to be NatureScot’s representative on traditional and social media in relation to trends and indicators.

Desirable Skills

• An understanding of natural capital and ecosystem services would be an advantage.
• A working knowledge of data analysis using R.
• A knowledge of Scottish and global biodiversity policy.

Prerequisites Required

• Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK and resident in Scotland for the duration of the job contract.
• To undertake a Disclosure Scotland application.
• Although Gaelic language is not a prerequisite it is a desirable skill in support of our commitment to our Gaelic Language Plan.

Working for NatureScot – what we offer you

• NatureScot offers some great benefits to reward and support you whilst you are working for us.
• Our benefits package includes the civil service pension scheme, a generous holiday leave allowance plus flexi time, and employee discount scheme.
• We support flexible working for all roles, including part-time, compressed hours, hybrid working and job share.
• A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97% (7.35% employee contributions).
• 41.5 days of annual leave, including 5 fixed public holidays on St Andrews Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and 2nd January.
• Equivalent of 2 days paid volunteering leave.
• A focus on wellbeing with access to an employee assistance programme.
• Job satisfaction from contributing proactively to the twinned nature and climate crisis.
• Death in service benefits.
• Cycle to work and electric vehicle salary sacrifice schemes.
• Access to an employee discounts scheme.
• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.

Application Process

Application is by CV and Supporting Statement. Please ensure you have attached these documents when submitting your application.

Before applying for this post; Internal applicants should read the Self Service Guide (eRDMS A3155575) External applicants should read the Online Job Application Guide.

If you have previously applied for a vacancy with NatureScot you must remove the supporting statement from your profile, before uploading a new version.

Interviews

External candidates will be invited to interview if we are unable to recruit internally.

NatureScot’s Net Zero commitment

Whether working at home or in an office, or travelling to meetings and site visits, as a NatureScot you will contribute to our Net Zero plan, for example through positive carbon travel choices.

For information regarding the vacancy please contact David O’Brien, Biodiversity Evidence and Reporting Manager, email: david.obrien@nature.scot.

For information regarding the recruitment process please contact: recruitment@nature.scot.

Nature is vital to all of us, so it is vital that we are an organisation for all of Scotland. The more diverse NatureScot is, the better we will be in connecting everyone with nature. We particularly encourage applications from people from Minority Ethnic (ME) backgrounds and people with a disability.