Biodiversity Coordinator

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated individual to join our Biodiversity Team as an Ecology Specialist. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity in Cambridgeshire.

• Review and respond to planning applications to ensure the County Council meets its statutory duty for conserving and enhancing biodiversity.
• Advise on ecological aspects of planning applications, including pre-application responses.
• Support the delivery of the Council's biodiversity strategy and other policies, working collaboratively with internal colleagues.
• Undertake ecology surveys and write reports.
• Provide in-house ecological advice.
• Assist the team with delivery of the Council's Biodiversity Strategy, Tree & Woodland Strategy, and Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS).

• Contribute to the future direction of partnership projects and strategies that improve the natural environment, such as community-led nature recovery.
• Develop and implement biodiversity projects and schemes, in accordance with the County Council's Climate Change & Environment Strategy and statutory duty to conserve and enhance biodiversity.
• Represent the County Council and support partnerships, including the County Wildlife Sites Panel, Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Environment Record Centre, and Biodiversity Working Group.

• Ensure that information on progress towards biodiversity targets and up-to-date ecological information is available and interpreted.
• Monitor the condition of nature conservation sites, including Protected Road Verges, Local Nature Reserves, and County Wildlife Sites.
• Support the local record centre to provide up-to-date ecological information and promote key messages on biodiversity and nature conservation issues.

• Confidence in assessing complex technical ecological information.
• Demonstrate an understanding of ecological planning issues, including prioritizing responses to planning applications, compiling reports, and providing planning advice.
• Confidence in providing habitat management advice for the County Council's owned nature reserves and other biodiversity sites to contractors and nature reserve Friends Groups.
• Confidence in working with local communities and advising colleagues on the Council's major projects.
• Experience in developing and implementing new policies.
• Ability to make informed and independent decisions with minimal supervision.
• Pro-active and shows initiative to develop new ideas.
• Ability to manage workload effectively to meet strict deadlines while being part of a dynamic and busy team.
• Computer literacy with experience in GIS systems and using databases.

• A comprehensive wellbeing package to cover all aspects of wellbeing, both in and out of work, which can also be accessed by family members.
• Buy up to 4 weeks additional annual leave through our salary sacrifice scheme.
• Take bank holidays flexibly to better suit personal circumstances.
• Make Additional Voluntary Contributions (Shared AVCs) to your pension with tax and National Insurance savings.
• Access to development opportunities, apprenticeships, and qualified coaches to support personal and professional growth.
• Paid volunteering hours each year so you can make a positive impact on our community during your normal working day.
• Access to Peer Support Groups through our IDEAL staff equality, diversity, and inclusion network.
• Opportunities to nominate and receive Employee Recognition Awards.
• An Our Cambs Rewards account, giving you access to in-store and online discounts, as well as our Car Lease and Cycle to Work schemes.