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Conservation Officer - Cardiff or Newtown

COUNTRYSIDE COUNCIL FOR WALES

PURPOSE

This job helps to sustain Wales' natural heritage so that everyone can enjoy it and benefit from it. You will do this by working with partners to conserve wildlife and landscape, by managing special sites and promoting access to the countryside.
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MAIN DUTIES

• Contribute to our advice and responses to consultations on designated sites, protected species and wider countryside issues.
• Prepare and share Site Management Statements for Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
• Assist in establishing and maintaining partnerships with statutory and voluntary bodies. Provide advice on preparing and implementing plans and strategies such as Local Biodiversity Action Plans, Forest Design Plans, Community Strategies, Unitary Development Plans and Local Development Plans.
• Promote understanding and enjoyment of, and access to, the countryside. Participate in initiatives and projects to achieve this.
• Work with owners/managers on sympathetic management and monitoring of designated sites, including the preparation of management plans and input into management agreements.
• Assist with the planning and implementation of monitoring programmes, including arranging and carrying out surveys, evaluating results and writing reports.
• Assist in delivery of our responsibilities for protected species licensing.
• Take into account in all responses and advice our full remit - for nature conservation, landscape, outdoor recreation and access.
• Ensure continuing personal development and expertise through formal and informal learning. Keep abreast of new ideas and developments in ecological and other relevant fields.
• Coordinate and manage appropriate corporate and team data systems relevant to the above work.
• Work in liaison with other teams and specialists in CCW.
• Take reasonable care for the health and safety of yourself and others and comply with all health and safety legislation as appropriate.
• Behave in accordance with our corporate values.
• Consistently meet the standards required to fulfil the service expectations of your internal and external customers/citizens and partners.
• Assist colleagues in other work and other general duties as necessary.
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JOB COMPETENCIES

To be considered for this post you will need to demonstrate the following competencies:

Essential

1. A good grounding in one of the following subjects: biology/ecology, planning, environmental science, recreation, agriculture, rural studies or landscape.
2. Knowledge of nature conservation, landscape, outdoor access and recreation or countryside issues, and the ability to apply it.
3. Initiative and enterprise, and the ability to work as part of a team.
4. The ability to influence, negotiate and gain the cooperation of others.
5. Good written and spoken communication and presentational skills.
6. The ability to use IT applications, including GIS, databases, spreadsheets and word processing.
7. The ability to currently and legally drive a car in the UK.
8. An awareness of Welsh culture, and a positive attitude to linguistic and cultural diversity.
9. The ability to use basic Welsh conversational phrases and to pronounce Welsh place names correctly.

Desirable

10. Familiarity with the legislation relating to planning, wildlife, and the countryside.
11. Identification skills (vascular plants or other groups), and the ability to effectively carry out field surveys or landscape assessments.
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SALARY

The starting salary will be £18,674.00 a year. This salary is due to be reviewed on 1 August 2008 and may rise.
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STATUS

This is a fixed-term, full-time pensionable appointment of 37 hours a week to 31 March 2009.
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APPLICATIONS AND CLOSING DATE

Application forms can be downloaded from our website at www.ccw.gov.uk or you can e-mail us at d.manning@ccw.gov.uk or you can phone us on 01686 613422 and we will post an application form and job description to your home address.

Please return your completed application form to:

Dianne Manning
Countryside Council for Wales
Ladywell House
Newtown
Powys
SY16 1RD

or e-mail it to d.manning@ccw.gov.uk quoting the post number as a reference.

The closing date for receipt of application forms is midday on 18 August 2008.