Location Birmingham or London. Salary: “Base salary: c. £36,300 - £45,350 pa (Birmingham) c. £39,250 - £49,100 pa (London) depending on skills and experience. In addition, we offer flexible benefits fund of 15% which is paid on top of base salary and is fully pensionable, as well as a range of competitive benefits - check them out in the Benefits section on our website.
HS2 Ltd endeavours to ensure everyone working for us and with us feels included, thrives and achieves their full potential. In practice, this means we are positive and inclusive about making adjustments, providing flexible working, encouraging our staff networks to flourish and providing personal and professional development opportunities.
As a Biodiversity Policy Specialist at HS2 you will be responsible for developing policies, practices and commitments for the ecology and biodiversity aspects of the HS2 programme.
The role:
- Work within the Biodiversity Team to assist in developing and overseeing the delivery of the biodiversity agenda (and related policies/plans) for HS2 in keeping with programme needs, statutory requirements and broader external requirements in order to deliver on biodiversity commitments, including finalising and overviewing Corporate, Phase 1, Phase 2a and Phase 2b biodiversity proposals and plans.
- Work on developing and implementing HS2s policies on biodiversity across the organisation (and into the wider supply chain), particularly in regard to seeking ‘no net loss in biodiversity’ and also the emerging HS2 supported ‘green corridor’.
- Deliver high quality technical advice to the project in order to ensure the best possible outcomes from a biodiversity perspective and ensure compliance with HS2 agreed standards and legislation.
- Manage outputs and monitor allocated budgets and external grant agreements.
- Provide information to key persons in agencies (e.g. DEFRA, Natural England and Forestry Commission) as well as deal with FOI and media requests on biodiversity issues to ensure HS2 plans can be implemented effectively.
- Contribute to the development and delivery of the external communication plan regarding biodiversity goals and progress (particularly in regard to ‘no net loss’ and the ‘green corridor’).
- Coach, up skill and influence colleagues from across the organisation to ensure biodiversity issues are key considerations in project decision making and management processes.
- Liaise closely with specialists in other related disciplines, in particular landscape and planning.
- Work closely with external stakeholder groups and organisations to positively promote the role HS2 has in these.
- Actively promote and embed Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in all your work, and support and comply with all organisational initiatives, policies and procedures on EDI.
Skills:
- Project management skills, including the ability to manage the delivery of work through effective coordination of consultants.
- Business and financial management skills.
- Ability to influence and manage stakeholders at all levels and outside of HS2
Knowledge:
- Membership of a relevant professional organisation or equivalent (e.g. CIEEM).
- Knowledge of biodiversity/ecology related policy, legislation, industry standards and best practice.
- Knowledge of land management techniques used to benefit biodiversity.
- Knowledge of the planning systems and how this relates to protecting and enhancing biodiversity.
Experience:
- Experience of providing strategic/policy focused advice on UK biodiversity issues.
- Experience of engaging with a working closely with biodiversity/conservation stakeholders to deliver biodiversity related goals.
- Experience of managing complex funds that provide financial support to projects benefiting nature or enhancing biodiversity.
- Experience of ecological impact assessment and environmental statements.
- Experience of working on environmental projects within complex schemes.
About Us
High Speed 2 (HS2 Ltd) will be the UK’s new high speed rail network. As well as improving capacity, the new scheme will shorten journey times between a number of Britain’s major population centres, boost the economy and create thousands of jobs.
HS2 Ltd will create a skills legacy and develop a diverse range of talent. We aim to be a leader in EDI practice by creating a safe & inclusive working environment for all our staff - living our values of Safety, Respect, Integrity and Leadership.
In practice, this means we are positive and inclusive about making adjustments, providing flexible working, encouraging our staff networks to flourish and providing personal and professional development opportunities.
HS2 Ltd is also a safety-critical organisation. Employees are required to ensure reasonable care of their own and others’ health and safety by taking personal responsibility for working to our ‘Safe at Heart’ programme principles and following safe working procedures at all times.
HS2 Ltd endeavours to ensure everyone working for us and with us feels included, thrives and achieves their full potential.
Closing date: 10 September 2023, 11:00 PM
Apply here
