We are the Government’s statutory advisor for the natural environment, playing a vital role in delivering the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan. This describes an ambitious vision, bringing new opportunities to protect and enhance, and to achieve real outcomes for the environment.  

At Natural England, we love what we do. We’re here to make sure people and nature can thrive. A healthy natural environment is fundamental to our wellbeing, prosperity and happiness – that’s why we collaborate with scientists, lawyers, project managers and experts to implement environmental policy and shape decisions. 

We work with a wide range of partners, stakeholders and customers on a huge range of projects, from influencing construction, advising farmers and landowners how they can manage their land in a sustainable way for the benefit of the environment, gathering and analysing environmental data, and carrying out vital statutory duties. Across the country, we’re helping nature to support people and our planet.  

We are focusing our efforts on six key programmes:  

Greener Farming and Fisheries – supporting those who manage land and sea to operate in harmony with the environment 

Sustainable Development – creating great places for people to live and work 

Connecting People with Nature - promoting health and wellbeing through the great outdoors  

Resilient Landscapes and Seas – protecting and restoring wildlife and natural beauty for future generations 

Specialist Science and Evidence - an evidence-led organisation that is driven by science 

Managing the Organisation – gathering business data to enable decision making 

Natural England staff are inclusive, motivated and ambitious to achieve results for our environment, for everyone. We welcome and encourage applications from all communities and we operate a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants who meet the minimum requirements for the role. 

Wherever possible Natural England accommodates requests for both full-time and part-time hours and other flexible working patterns to help employees achieve a good work/life balance and maintain their health and wellbeing.  

From induction to ongoing learning and development, everyone in Natural England is supported to develop their skills and capabilities. Where appropriate there will be offers of training under our apprenticeship schemes.  

See more about the work of Natural England at: 

www.gov.uk/government/organisations/natural-england 

You can view a map of our office locations here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/natural-england-office-locations  

How to apply:

All applications must be through the Civil Service Jobs portal

We will assess you against the competencies below during the selection process. When completing the application form you should present relevant examples using the STAR format. STAR stands for: 

• Situation 
• Task 
• Action  
• Result  

Examples should be given in no more than 250 words for each competency. Please ensure you read the Candidate Information Pack before you begin completing the application form. Please note STAR format is not required for the ‘Technical Skills and Knowledge’ competency. 

The Role

Natural England requires 2 Chartered Surveyor roles leading traditional Land Agency into the world of natural capital and ecosystem services.

• Free from fee target pressure
• Flexible working opportunities
• Roles at the forefront of the Natural Capital sector 
• Multiple roles available with potential for one of these to be pre-qualified
• Post qualified starting salary range of £32,438.  *  Whilst it is NE’s policy to appoint at salary minimum a higher starting salary within the pay range may be considered for exceptional candidates

This is an opportunity to work for the Estate Management arm of Natural England who hold a mixed leasehold and freehold estate of some 64,000ha of land, workshops, offices, and other buildings. The Estate comprises 143 National Nature Reserves (NNR’s) covering some of the most important and iconic wildlife sites in England.

You will be joining a national team of Surveyors/Land Agents working across the country and be part of a wider team of conservation professionals.   Each role covers a particular geographic patch with these roles predominantly looking to cover the East Anglia and North East.

Chartered Surveyors are essential to the Estate fulfilling its conservation and income potential whilst meeting the organisations legal obligations and providing value for money.

You will be joining a national team of Surveyors/Land Agents working across the country and be part of a wider team of conservation professionals.   Each role covers a particular geographic patch with these roles predominantly looking to cover the North East and East Anglia covering Norfolk & Suffolk.  

The roles offer flexibility for home or office working or a mixture of the two. Offices are located within each geographic patch including Newcastle, York, Norwich, Cambridge and Peterborough You would be expected to work out of one of these offices for a minimum number of days a week. There is flexibility in your location base, however it is expected that you spend 2 – 3 days per fortnight working with the Area Team and on the NNR’s supporting local delivery.

Key areas of work include:

• Professional advice on Estate casework matters including the provision of advice on legal and valuation matters or engagement of internal and external advisers on such matters.
• Work with wider NE teams to provide Land Agent input to emerging policy areas and/or schemes
• Works with wider NE teams to align the NE Estate processes with NE regulatory needs – e.g. tenure and protected sites such as Telecoms, wildfowling guidance etc.
• Income generation - explore traditional and new potential of Estate assets and drive forward opportunities from emerging environmental markets such as Biodiversity Net Gain & Nutrient Mitigation.
• Estate Management - manage all tenure casework for a particular geographic area.
• Acquisitions and declarations - advise the relevant geographic team on NNR acquisitions and National Nature Reserve designation
• Direct Payments (Basic Payment Scheme) – during the Agricultural Transition assist in preparing the Estates Direct Payments claim and abiding by the Scheme’s regulations.  
• NNR records - updating and maintaining of property records and mapping.
• Finance - work with support staff to deliver accurate payments and receipts from the Estate tenure and assist with procurement for valuation and other contracts.
• Contribute to reviews and updates of upcoming Government policy and Estate Management procedures.
• Professional advice - the post holder will provide formal and informal advice to others on casework matters related to the management of the Natural England estate.  This will involve working with our Area Teams, NNR staff and the National NNR team.

Key Competencies

Personal Effectiveness -

• Use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage your audience (practitioner)
• Make and explain objective decisions which combine your professional judgement and evidence (expert)
• Progress your personal development and take responsibility for keeping your knowledge and expertise current (practitioner)

Work delivery -

• Manage and deliver your workload to meet agreed targets and deadlines (expert)
• Consider the financial implications of your work and seek income from our products and services (practitioner)

Putting people at the heart of the environment

• Nurture trusting partnerships and collaborate to achieve pragmatic outcomes that help deliver the vision, mission and aims of the organisation you represent (practitioner)

Specialist Skills - Expert

• You will be a qualified member of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and will be required to keep professional membership up to date. Professional membership of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers is not essential but preferable.
• Knowledge and experience of property management, preferably rural, including legal and valuation matters and working with a range of landowners, occupiers and farmers will be valuable
• Experience in all aspects of Rural Estate Management of a wide and varied portfolio: -
• Lease negotiations, rent reviews, lease management, tenant relations.
• Valuations – freehold and leasehold.
• Rent and debt management
• Estate utilisation and rationalisation
• Property Transactions – purchases, leases, easements, wayleaves
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Estate Terrier Management

For further information please contact Michael Woodhouse on 07833 500908 or emailMichael.woodhouse@naturalengland.org.uk for more information.