Habitat Biodiversity Audit Manager

WWT is embarking on an ambitious new ten-year strategy. By 2030 we want to have put wildlife into recovery by creating more space for nature with more people on nature’s side. The Habitat Biodiversity Audit (HBA) plays a critical role in generating and analysing data through surveys, assessments and GIS.  The HBA is partnership project led by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust which provides a service to local authorities across Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull. The data generated helps both the Trust and the Partners make informed decisions on nature connectivity, helping to underpin spatial planning, nature recovery network development and biodiversity net gain decision making.

Are you the outstanding candidate we’re looking for to continue this pioneering work? If so you will be passionate and entrepreneurial in your approach to and keen to use technology to forward our understanding of the natural world.  You will be experienced with working in partnership with a range of stakeholders, have good GIS skills and a logical approach to project management.

In return we can offer you a varied role, daily interaction with highly committed colleagues passionate about their work. The role includes hybrid working with the option of working flexibly from our partners Warwickshire County Council (WCC), WWT offices and from home with our agile working policy.

Habitat Biodiversity Audit (HBA)

The Habitat Biodiversity Audit (HBA) is a partnership project that has been running for over 20 years. The HBA primarily comprises of two pillars of work; Local Wildlife Site surveying and Habitat Surveys of every ‘field and boundary’ across Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull. 

It is funded mainly by Local Authorities across Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull, managed by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust and supported by Natural England and Environment Agency.  Additional, necessary funding is secured via tendering or grant funded project work. 

The Local Wildlife Sites element involves surveys up to NVC level of county important sites, whereas the Habitat Audit consists of Phase 1, and more recently, UK Habitat Classification surveys of the whole sub-region.  This information when combined with other datasets such as the Warwickshire Biological Record Centre (managed by Warwickshire County Council) and national inventories, for example the ancient woodland inventory, help inform nature recovery strategies, local state of environment reports, biodiversity net gain monitoring, planning strategies and planning applications. 

Line management and team work

• Oversee and manage the staff and volunteers ensuring that work programmes are implemented and the work of team members is co-ordinated.
• Work collaboratively with partners to support the provision of data that allows them to incorporate evidence-based decision making into project development and delivery.
• Oversee the recruitment and training of volunteers to assist with the projects.

Partnership engagement

• Maintain a highly effective working relationship with all Local Authority Partners, especially the Warwickshire County Council Ecology Team and Biological Records Centre.
• Ensure that the HBA Team continues to deliver the service requirements that Local Authority Partners require, evolving and improving the offering where appropriate through Partnership agreements, annual agreed workplans and discussions.
• Produce reports on progress to demonstrate the impact and value of the HBA to external audiences.
• Work with landowners, local wildlife groups and local parish councils to provide advice and guidance on habitat data and Local Wildlife Site management.

Surveying and monitoring

• Oversee the HBA staff, volunteers and contractors who undertake Local Wildlife Site surveys, UK Habitat Classification surveys, biodiversity net gain assessments, monitoring and other data collection in accordance with national data standards.
• Analyse data generated from survey work to provide the evidence base for decision making related to Local Nature Recovery Strategies for Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull. 
• Collaborate with TWT network and Local Authority partners to share best practice on aspects of surveying, monitoring and data analysis.
• Work with partners to develop satellite and remote surveying and monitoring technics to increase data management efficiency, accuracy and currency.

Support the dissemination of the HBA & WSP data 

• Support the incorporation of the HBA and WSP data layers into partner cloud-based and local GIS platforms, ensuring that HBA data forms the foundation for partner objectives plus the advocacy and enhancement of the data. 
• Work with colleagues to assemble common datasets utilising existing data layers (e.g. Magic or ESRI ArcGIS resources), high quality base-mapping (such as Ordnance Survey mapping) and other new data layers. 
• Support the Trust’s GIS & Data Officer and Local Authority partners to provide internal and external functionality to enable local data entry, validation and verification, yet retain any restricted access if required.

Provide digital and analytical support for the development of a Wilder Warwickshire

• Work with the Landscape Recovery Manager, Warwickshire County Council and other partners to provide HBA data that informs the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS).
• Work alongside colleagues to facilitate the Wildlife Trust’s 30by30 campaign (30% of land managed for nature’s recovery by 2030), including incorporating HBA data into an analysis of current progress and an analysis of where nature’s recovery should be spatially prioritised.
• Work with colleagues to develop advocacy for a “Wildbelt”, a new designation to help safeguard land supporting nature’s recovery, including the role of citizens in developing the Wildbelt.
• Work with colleagues to better understand how data can be used to improve our understanding of the way nature-based solutions can be used to tackle the climate emergency. 

Manage the HBA budget

• Manage the HBA Partnership budgets, monitor income and expenditure, and provide monthly re-forecasting updates against agreed budget.
• Provide annual financial reports to the HBA Partnership Steering Group.
• Oversee tendering, negotiation and management of project contracts, ensuring that the HBA undertakes project work that compliments the core work and build on the data evidence base. 

General Responsibilities

• Promote the work, mission and vision of the Trust at all appropriate times.
• Use every opportunity commensurate with other duties to contribute to the Trust’s membership recruitment, fundraising and engagement of people. 
• Ensure a high level of customer service in all dealings with the public.
• Ensure continuous development of skills and knowledge required for the post, undergoing training and performance review as required by the Trust.
• Work within all the policies and procedures of the Trust, ensuring own compliance with the Trust’s health and safety policies and procedures and that of any resources for whom you are responsible.
• Work within the Warwickshire County Council’s policies and procedures as relevant 
• Work at all times within the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust’s Equal Opportunities Policy and to promote equal opportunities.
• Comply with all legal and contractual obligations concerning the responsibilities of your post.
• Assist in the preparation of the Trust’s annual budgets, work programmes and reporting requirements for your area of work.
• Carry out any other reasonable duties commensurate with the level of responsibility of the post, as requested by the Chief Executive.