Senior Specialist- Water Quality

Salary:  £37,950 A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

 

This position is based Nationally

Join us in shaping a future where nature and people thrive. Whether you're drawn to hands-on conservation or playing a vital part behind the scenes, your work at Natural England will support lasting benefits for the environment and society.

Our Role

Natural England is the Government’s adviser for the natural environment and the Nature regulator with a wide range of statutory duties and powers. We provide the evidence, expertise and advice to recover Nature and shape better places for people to live. We do this working through and with others.

Strategic Outcomes for Nature

Our strategy is framed through four strategic outcomes. Each of these outcomes reinforces and amplifies the others, and together they address environmental, social and economic actions critical to thriving nature.

• Recovering Nature – Increased scale and quality of places where nature thrives.
• Building Better Places – Greener homes and infrastructure create healthier, more investable places, recognising we live better where nature thrives around us.
• Improving Health and Wellbeing – Build nature into everyday life so people can support, access and benefit from nature, wherever they live.
• Delivering Security through Nature – Nature helps us adapt to the threats of a changing climate and improves our national security, supporting more resilient food production, healthy soils, clean and plentiful water and clean air

Find out more about the work of Natural England at

Natural England’s Strategy: Recovering Nature for Growth, Health and Security - GOV.UK.

Job description  

Important note: 2 roles are available. One is permanent, the 2nd is a fixed term role until March 2027. The criteria and details below apply to both roles. We will consider applicants for both roles- you do not need to apply separately for them. 

The Role

Water quality is a growing, high-profile topic in both the public and political spheres. Nutrient enrichment of freshwater habitats and estuaries due to elevated nitrogen and phosphorus levels is one of the primary reasons for habitats being in unfavourable condition.

Water quality plays a critical role in all four of Natural England’s strategic outcomes: Recovering Nature, Building Better Places, Improving Health and Wellbeing, and Delivering Security through Nature. It is also central to achieving key targets under the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan.

As a water quality specialist in Natural England’s Chief Scientist Directorate, your expert technical advice and interpretation of evidence will inform national decision-making and policy development, shape local decisions and help drive ambitious nature recovery delivery on the ground.

You will join a team of national specialists leading on a range of specialisms across climate change and environmental quality, working alongside a wider community of scientists advising on a range of specialisms, from habitats and species to social science and economics.

We are seeking candidates with expert understanding of water quality and the natural environment. You will be confident in working internally across your organisation, and externally with partners and stakeholders. We are looking for a clear communicator with an understanding of how evidence is best developed and applied in decisions across Government to support positive outcomes for nature and for people.

Working closely with other specialists, you will interpret evidence to provide expert, practical advice across Natural England, while also working with external partners to enhance the evidence base and achieve environmental outcomes to support delivery of the 25 Year EIP.

Key Tasks/Principal Accountabilities

Specific responsibilities will develop and change over time and the post holder will need to maintain a flexible and adaptable approach. Initial broad work areas are described below:

• Provide technical advice and support to national programmes such as Diffuse Water Pollution Plans (DWPPs), Protected Sites Strategies and the Water Company Price Review process. There will be a particular initial focus on providing technical advice into the development of the Nature Restoration Fund (NRF). This will include developing a robust evidence base, processes and tools to support the creation of nutrient Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs).
• Work closely with Natural England’s habitat and species specialists to progress Natural England’s delivery of water-dependent site, habitat and species conservation and condition assessment.
• Review Water quality data and identify and develop new evidence and innovative solutions to inform and improve NE’s approach to addressing water quality issues.
• Build awareness and understanding of Water Quality issues both internally and externally. Ensure that staff understand how Water Quality relates to their work and build organisational capability through provision of advice, tools, guidance and training.
• Represent Natural England externally as an expert in Water Quality. This will include leading Natural England’s engagement on strategic consultations, including liaison with the Environment Agency and other water managers on strategic matters relating to water quality.
• Respond to the direction set by Natural England’s Science, Evidence and Analysis Framework, to develop research areas, publish evidence and build scientific partnerships with academics and other research partners.

There is some scope for personal development and developing areas of personal interest.

Benefits

At Natural England, we support a healthy work-life balance by offering full-time, part-time, and flexible working arrangements.

We provide excellent opportunities for career progression, training, and development tailored to your role. This includes ten days annually for personal learning and development, plus three additional days for volunteering.

You’ll receive a generous leave allowance of 33 days per year (pro rata), access to the Civil Service Pension scheme with a 28.97% employer contribution, and a range of benefits such as shopping discounts and a cycle-to-work scheme. Staff can also join the Civil Service Sport club for discounts on sports, leisure activities, and social events.

We are committed to fairness, equality, and inclusivity. Our employee-led diversity networks help foster a welcoming environment where everyone feels valued and supported.

Locations

Natural England has adopted hybrid working – which means our staff work from a flexible range of locations, encompassing home, offices (ours and our partners) and relevant sites. All new staff will be formally linked to one of our 25 offices across England, and the expectation is that all new staff will be able to access their local office to be part of the community of staff in their geographical area. Staff are expected to attend their associated office for 20% of their contractual hours.

Staff members are required to carry out all their duties working in this way and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time. Travel expenses will be paid if work-related travel is required but does not apply to travel between home and your associated office.

National team roles can be linked with any Natural England office while Area Team roles will be linked with an office in the relevant geographic area.

View a map of our office locations here: online map of Natural England office locations

Pay 

It is Natural England policy to employ at the entry point of the salary range.

How to Apply

We welcome and encourage applications from all communities. Natural England is accredited to the Disability Confident Scheme, which denotes organisations which have a positive attitude towards disabled people. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum requirements for the role at the shortlisting stage are guaranteed an invitation to interview.

If you require a reasonable adjustment at interview, or there is anything else you would like the panel to take into consideration, you should notify us of this at application stage where possible, or well in advance of your interview. We now provide primary interview questions in advance for all formal recruitments.

This vacancy uses competency-based assessment. We'll assess you against the competencies below during the selection process:

• Technical Skills and Knowledge
• Personal Effectiveness
• Putting People at the Heart of the Environment
• Work Delivery

When completing the application form you should present relevant examples using the STAR format. Give us an example of how you have demonstrated the competency (which can be work related or from another area of your life) and tell us about the Situation, the specific Task you had to undertake, the specific Actions you took, and the Result (both immediate and in a wider context) of your Action.

Please note that STAR format is not required when answering a Technical Skills & Knowledge competency.

Examples should be given in no more than 250 words for each competency.

If you are successful at the shortlisting stage, you will be invited to attend an interview via MS Teams or a suitable alternative, where you will be asked to give examples for all competencies as set out in the Job Description.

Please note: Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application. However, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.  Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Competencies

Competence 1  

Professional competency

Detail 

Technical Skills & Knowledge (STAR format not required)

Description 

• Qualified to at least BSc level in an ecological or water related discipline, with proven knowledge of and experience of water quality work, ideally including nutrients. A postgraduate qualification in a relevant area would be preferred. Applicants that do not hold the required degrees should specify experience and outputs that they have produced that demonstrate that they have an equivalent level of knowledge. (Essential)
  • Understanding of current relevant strategic work, e.g. Price Review, River Basin Management Planning, Nutrient neutrality, NRF/EDPs, Protected site strategies and DWPPs. (Essential)
  • Knowledge of the legislative and policy context relevant to the water environment and protected site series. (Essential)
  • Understanding of nutrient dynamics, ecological impacts and potential reduction measures and mechanisms. (Essential)
  • Experience of complex or high-risk casework relating to Water Quality, planning and EA permitting. (Essential)
  • The ability to synthesise evidence and written reports, apply relevant methodologies for collecting and collating data, interpret, and use evidence to inform decision-making. (Essential)
  • Understanding/ knowledge of water quality models such as SAGIS and Farmscoper. (Desirable)
  • Able to work in a multidisciplinary way with colleagues and build effective relationships and networks to bring in fresh perspectives, approaches and evidence. (Desirable)

Competence 2  

Professional competency

Detail 

Personal Effectiveness

Description 

• Test and challenge others in a constructive and evidence-based way providing scientific scrutiny, challenge and assurance to casework and other delivery that is practical and, where appropriate, cross-disciplinary. (Expert)
  • Proactively communicate and present your data, evidence and analyses in ways that meet people’s needs so they can understand its implications and use it effectively to deliver positive outcomes for the environment. (Practitioner)

Competence 3  

Professional competency

Detail 

Putting People at the Heart of the Environment

Description 

• Listen to and understand our diverse partners and customers so that you achieve the best outcomes for them and Natural England. (Practitioner)
  • Build relationships and effective networks both externally and internally to bring in fresh perspectives, approaches and evidence to raise the profile of both your individual specialist work and that of Natural England. (Expert)

Competence 4  

Professional competency

Detail 

Work Delivery

Description 

• Identify priority evidence needs and seek ways to meet them (e.g. through funding or partnerships). (Practitioner)
  • Manage and deliver your work to meet agreed targets and deadlines. (Expert)

Please refer to Job Description

Alongside your salary of £37,950, Natural England contributes £10,994 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Job contact :

• Name :Katherine Denton
• Email :katherine.denton@naturalengland.org.uk
• Telephone :07384 235038

Recruitment team

• Email :defra-recruitment-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk