Senior Natural Environment Officer

Job Title: Senior Natural Environment Officer

Location: Hybrid - At the Forum, Towcester. Working remotely up to three days per week. Occasional site visits.

Rate of Pay: £50 per hour Umbrella OR £38.46 per hour PAYE

Working Hours: Full Tine hours - Monday to Friday - 37 hours

Type: 13 weeks temporary

Opus People Solutions are working with West Northamptonshire Council to recruit for a Senior Natural Environment Officer, to undertake to support the provision of appropriate specialist advice on natural environment issues, with a technical specialism in ecology.

To support the production and maintenance of an up-to-date suite of policy documents to guide and set high standards for future development in the area, including developing, maintaining and reviewing local plans, neighbourhood plans and other planning policy documents.

To support specialist monitoring, research and statistical activities to support the Planning Service.

Main Responsibilities:

1. To make a proactive and positive contribution to the effective delivery of the Planning Service, this will include working flexibly and positively to achieve the objectives of the council.
2. To deliver excellent customer service in every interaction for all internal and external customers, including Councillors.
3. To respond in a timely and professional manner to requests for support from members of the public seeking to engage with the Planning Service. This will include providing support to the Customer Contact Centre and the Complaints and Customer Feedback teams where required.
4. To support timely responses to customer, MP and Councillor complaints, feedback, FOI and EIR requests to ensure the Planning Service is consistently meeting corporate service standards.
5. To implement the Council's place shaping agenda and its objective to be positive and proactive in terms of allowing the 'right schemes' in the 'right place' at the 'right time'.
6. To provide appropriate technical advice to the public, developers, agents, Members, other departments of the Council and other persons and bodies as appropriate in connection with development proposals and related matters in writing, by telephone or in person.
7. To provide a high standard of timely natural environment advice to the development management service and other relevant services across the Council and in the Place Directorate.7
8. To prepare advice on natural environment matters for the Planning Policy/Planning Committees or other meetings and site visits, as appropriate, including the briefing of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Elected Members.

9. To balance a high standard of nature conservation in development in West Northamptonshire with the need to support growth, inward investment, sustainability and energy efficiency.

10. To assist in the preparation and review of the Local Plan including policy making and site-specific advice as required.

Experience:

• Essential - Full Member of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management.
• Extensive experience of working in local government providing a high standard of timely ecological advice to the development management service and other relevant services.
• Relevant undergraduate degree and postgraduate qualification.

For more information or to process your application for this role, please apply online now.