Nature Recovery Partnership Manager

Suffolk County Council - Ipswich IP1 2BX       

Nature Recovery Partnership Manager

Location flexible Norfolk and/or Suffolk

£36,298 - £38,083 per annum (pro rata for part time) 

37 hours per week

Fixed term / Secondment 2 years (possible 1 year extension subject to funding)

Closing date: 11.30pm, 26 March 2023

Reference: 9164

We are committed to offering and supporting you with flexible working options for this role.

We welcome applications from everyone. We particularly welcome applications from disabled people and people from minority ethnic and minority sexual orientation groups because they are under-represented in this Directorate and/or the Council.

This is an exciting opportunity to be at the heart of the Nature Recovery Partnership for Norfolk and Suffolk, working at the forefront of developing new strategies and initiatives to help shape and realise landscape scale nature recovery across the region.

You will be based with Suffolk County Council’s (SCC) Natural and Historic Environment Team but working closely with Norfolk County Council’s Environment Team. You will have the ability to work flexibly from different locations across the two counties.

We’re looking for someone with a passion to foster collaboration and build alliances that can deliver nature recovery at scale across the two counties. You will have the vision to spot opportunities, the awareness and understanding of natural capital and nature-based solutions to recognise and develop effective ideas, and the skills and aptitude to support and grow our Nature Recovery Partnership.

If this sounds like you then we would love to speak to you. Contact us for an informal chat, see below.

Your role and responsibilities

You will:

• lead the development and delivery of integrated action plans and projects through the Norfolk and Suffolk Nature Recovery Partnership, to achieve effective nature recovery, for example through landscape scale initiatives and nature-based solutions, and to attract additional investment in the region’s natural capital and related ecosystem services
• work with a wide range of stakeholders and delivery bodies, promoting innovation and good practice in addressing the priorities identified in the Norfolk and Suffolk Natural Capital Evidence compendium Natural Solutions – Green Suffolk (www.greensuffolk.org)
• identify policy and funding mechanisms emerging from government and business and help to facilitate greater awareness and investment in those opportunities across the two counties, supporting collaborative approaches where appropriate
• support the county council’s in their role as responsible authority for their respective Local Nature Recovery Strategy, particularly through enabling collaboration and shared resourcing
• support the work of the Norfolk and Suffolk Nature Recovery Partnership and will involve representing Norfolk and Suffolk’s nature recovery ambitions locally, regionally and nationally.

You will need:

• to be a self-starter, able to work independently with limited supervision, with good analytical and entrepreneurial skills, be an effective communicator, and have good experience of working with multiple interests and stakeholders towards shared goals
• to demonstrate a broad understanding of the environmental, economic and social context for nature recovery across Norfolk and Suffolk, as well as good awareness of the broader socio-political context. Experience of applying natural capital, ecosystem services and nature-based solutions to real situations would be advantageous, as would experience in developing proposals for funding or investment.

You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (docx).  If you think you have what it takes to be successful in this role, even if you don’t meet all the requirements, please apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

The team

You will be working as part of large, multi-disciplinary teams within both County Councils as well as through the Nature Recovery Partnership. You will be working alongside knowledgeable and committed professionals within a supportive, learning environment. There will be opportunities to contribute to wider initiatives and programmes, particularly where potential synergies with this role exist. You will be able to set learning and development goals and be supported in achieving those.

We will offer you:

• a varied, challenging and rewarding job in an increasingly high-profile policy area
• a friendly, supportive work environment with good benefits, including flexible working
• the opportunity to work with people with a diverse range of knowledge and skills
• opportunities to develop your own skills and knowledge.

Travel and workplace requirements

We positively encourage the use of technology to communicate and engage, but in this role, you may need to operate across a wide and rural area, so it would be beneficial for you to either hold a full and current driving licence and have access to personal transport or meet the mobility requirements of the role through other reasonable and suitable means. If you require a reasonable adjustment due to a disability to meet the travel requirements of this role, please speak with the contact detailed below.

This role supports hybrid working, a broadly even balance between working from home and working from an office base. Please speak with the contact detailed below if you wish to discuss how that might impact your working arrangements.

For more information

For an informal discussion about this role, please contact:

• Tim De-Keyzer (he/him), Head of Natural and Historic Environment at Suffolk County Council, on 07732 604171 or by emailing tim.de-keyzer@suffolk.gov.uk 
• John Jones, Head of Environment at Norfolk County Council, on 07771 943891.

If you are considering applying for a secondment, please read the secondment policy and ensure you have sought permission to apply before completing your application. 

How to apply:

To apply and for further details, click here

Closing date: 11.30pm, 26 March 2023.

Interview date: 13 and 14 April 2023.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. We are also committed to flexible working.

Suffolk County Council - welcoming diversity.