Adaptation Advisor – Storms in Scotland

A unique opportunity to provide integrated specialist advice to both the Scottish Prison Service (c60%) and Ministry of Justice (c40%) in relation to flood risk, wind, rain, snow, and storm adaptation and resilience policy, assurance and risk management. As a result of the innovative nature, it is a fixed term role.

Advise internal and external stakeholders ensuring compliance with statutory and policy requirements and strengthening operational resilience to adverse weather. Provide input to the Climate Change leadership and governance structures to ensure delivery against the aims of relevant Strategies, Plans and Initiatives.

Responsibilities:

• Development of an impactful evidence base for a climate change risk assessment related to storm and flood hazard, risk and impacts on establishments and services, across a range of current and future scenarios, from national screening through to locally detailed analysis, including site specific Flood Risk Assessments.
• Provide expert input to organisational contingency planning, and exercising, gap analysis and development of any new procedures.
• Provide specialist support and input into the design and construction of new prisons and the refurbishment/retrofit of existing facilities relating to storms and floods, including piloting nature based and other solutions.
• Lead the development of business cases including cost modelling for investment in flood resilience.
• Lead thematic partnership working between SPS, MoJ and others in areas of research and development. This may include public, private and 3rd sector partnerships to maximise effective interconnected learning.
• Co-develop Adverse Weather Preparedness Audits in conjunction with Heat & Water Use Adaptation Advisor, and Resilience team. Plan & roll out initial programme and ongoing monitoring and capacity building.
• Make significant contribution to SPS submission of the Public Body Climate Change Duties Reports in compliance with the Climate Change Scotland Act 2009 and associated orders.

Person Specification:

SPS recruitment and selection practice is based on the fundamentals of our Behavioural Competency Framework. This identifies behaviours and standards required both of applicants seeking to join us, and our staff in their respective roles. Assessment of specific behaviours, of which there are twelve, will be determined by the role you are applying for. Whilst it is unlikely you will be assessed on all of them, you will be assessed on these identified as key to role.

Qualifications Requirements:

Educated to degree level in a related field such as geography, catchment management, civil engineering, sustainability, environmental management or have relevant equivalent professional experience.

Experience Requirements:

Knowledge of Scotland and UK climate change outlook, hazards and impacts, and relevant climate change legislation. Specialist expertise in flood risk management OR adverse weather management preferred. Other climate change specialisms will be considered.

Extensive experience of long-term climate hazard adaptation planning, linking policy to practice at a specialist level within a public sector or private organisation in a related field e.g., sustainability, environmental management.

Specific experience of flood risk management or adverse weather management, however other experience in other climate adaptation specialisms will also be considered.