Job Description

Location: The designated office base is Abbey House, Abingdon.

The councils operate in a truly flexible, and hybrid way where the focus is on outcomes not where you work.

Salary: £42,576 to £48,530 per annum

Hours: Full time, 2-year fixed term contract

Closing Date: 10/01/2025

South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse District Councils are seeking an experienced ecological professional to work within the council’s Ecology Team. This is an exciting and varied role working with other specialist advisors who are helping to shape the future environment of southern Oxfordshire.

The successful candidate will have professional experience of working as an ecologist or environmental manager and be able to demonstrate a sound practical knowledge in all aspects of ecology and related legislation.

You will be working alongside a multi-disciplinary team including Tree Officers, Heritage Officers, Urban Designers and Landscape Architects. You will have a wide range of experience and skills, including experience of working with local authorities and ecological consultants.

Duties will include:

• Providing ecological advice to planning colleagues in relation to small and medium scale development proposals, negotiating with developers and defending planning decisions at appeals.

• Practical species and habitat surveys skills.

• Providing specialist advice in relation to implementing and enforcing the Council’s responsibilities for protected species and habitats.

• Assisting the Council in responding to the requirements of the Environment Act 2021 relating to the delivery of mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain in the planning process.

• Maintain and develop effective partnerships with environmental organisations and key stakeholders.

• Assist with the development and implementation of corporate policies, guidance and procedures such as Local Development Plans and Supplementary Planning Documents.

• If you have a positive team working approach and are keen to work alongside a range of in-house disciplines this is an excellent opportunity to develop your skills.

Your essential qualifications

• Degree or diploma in ecology or related discipline.

• A minimum of three years professional experience in an ecology related role.

• Hold a full and current driving licence and daily use of a car insured for business purposes.

If you have the following experience or qualifications – it’s a bonus.

• Postgraduate qualification in ecology or related discipline.

• Membership of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM).

• Experience with assessing planning applications.

• Experience of working in local government.

The Benefits we offer:

• A basic 25 day annual leave per annum, rising to 30 days after five years. You also have all the bank holidays to look forward to and time off between Christmas and New Year.

• Flexible working and annualised hours – a flexible approach to work that our employees love!

• Salary pay awards – most jobs give scope for a pay increase after six months or the following April (depending on your start date) and we also review salaries each April.

• A generous career average pension scheme which includes life insurance of three times your salary

• The opportunity to purchase a bike through Cyclescheme (cheaper than directly through a store) so that you can cycle to work!

• Various schemes to keep you healthy (reduced gym membership, free swims, free eye tests for DSE users and more)

• We give you two days per year to volunteer within the local community.

• A range of resources, support, and activities to help you maintain your wellbeing including a

• monthly wellbeing hour in addition to annualised hours (the ability to work flexibly as long as, over the course of the year, you complete your contracted hours) and annual leave.

Application Closing Date: 10 January 2025 (midnight)

You may also have experience in the following: Environmental Conservation, Ecosystem Management, Biodiversity Conservation, Habitat Restoration, Wildlife Protection, Environmental Assessment Data Collection and Analysis, Sustainable Land Use, Conservation Planning, Ecological Monitoring Environmental Legislation, Wildlife Habitat Management, Natural Resource Management Habitat Assessment. Environmental Policy. Ecological Research, Conservation Partnerships, Ecosystem Services etc

REF-(Apply online only)