Landscape Adviser

NatureScot is Scotland’s nature agency. Landscape is a key element of our statutory remit which helps to link nature, people and place. The importance of nature positive landscapes in the creation of great places to live, work and visit is well recognised for its contribution to Scotland’s health and economic prosperity. We also know that significant landscape change will be needed to halt biodiversity loss and tackle the climate emergency, and this will require the application of new landscape skills and perspectives.

While Scotland is rightly renowned for its scenery, NatureScot recognises the value of all landscapes. This is in keeping with the European Landscape Convention, and People Place and Landscape, our joint statement with Historic Environment Scotland. National Planning Framework 4 recognises the importance of Scotland’s landscapes through the Regional Spatial Priorities, and by the general emphasis on place, place-making and the design-led approach which runs through it.

This post will provide an exciting opportunity to input to plans, policies, and guidance that will help Scotland’s landscapes change for the better. This is particularly important now given the need to understand how landscape skills can support nature recovery, nature-based solutions and a natural capital approach in practice.

This is a one-year fixed term, full-time role with NatureScot. We encourage applications from those seeking part-time employment or flexible working arrangements.

• Provide landscape advice to colleagues, planners and developers on strategic planning issues, significant casework (terrestrial and marine), and our spatial priorities and projects.
• Contribute to policy development, including Development Plans, National and Regional Marine Plans, and regional spatial plans.
• Contribute to the development and review of landscape guidance and other resources such as research, and the delivery of training on landscape issues to a range of audiences.

Skills and competencies required:

• A relevant, accredited degree in landscape architecture, landscape planning, or a closely-related discipline.
• Chartered membership of the Landscape Institute or the RTPI, or willingness to work towards a relevant accreditation.
• Knowledge and/or understanding of Strategic Environmental Assessment, Landscape Character Assessment, Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment, and the Environmental Impact Assessment process.
• Ability to provide informed, clear and solution-focused landscape advice for example on development proposals, place-making projects and other initiatives.
• Effective communication and engagement skills, including the ability to convey technical issues to general audiences both written and verbally, with the potential to act as an expert witness; the ability to summarise and distil key points for briefings and formal advice; and the ability to influence and forge good working relationships with a range of stakeholders.
• A team player with empathy and understanding of the views and positions of others, while also demonstrating commitment to overall team performance and the organisational outcomes we seek.
• Creativity and versatility in approach to work, able to be adaptive to changing situations, and embracing of new areas of work.
• Good organisational skills, and the ability to meet deadlines.
• The ability to undertake fieldwork that may entail long days, sometimes in remote and/or upland areas that are not accessible by vehicles.
• The ability to use MS office software, in particular for remote and hybrid working: MS Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

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:

• An environment with flexible working options.
• 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.
• 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. 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.

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: Catherine Harry, Landscape Advice Manager at catherine.harry@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.