6578 - Area Delivery Team Officer Number of jobs available 1 Region West Midlands City/Town Worcester Grade EO Organisation Grade NE Level 2. Post Type Permanent Working Pattern Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share Role Type Environment & Sustainability Salary Minimum £27,590 Job description Job purpose You will undertake low-risk statutory and non-statutory Protected Sites casework, including Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) consenting, assenting and advice, working within established procedures and under the guidance of senior officers. You will also support colleagues in identifying and reporting on measures to improve the condition of protected sites. The role requires close working with Farm Advisers, technical specialists, and national teams to ensure appropriate ecological input is obtained for casework. You will also collaborate with the national Farm and Conservation Services team, who lead on low-risk PS casework. You will operate within Natural England's governance, systems, and processes, using sound judgement to resolve routine and non-routine issues and escalating risks appropriately. Key responsibilities The Officer role may operate within one of a number of work areas or projects within the Area Team remit. Deliver low-risk statutory SSSI casework, preparing draft advice, assessments, and documentation for review by senior colleagues, in line with established procedures and regulatory requirements. Manage straightforward SSSI enquiries, triaging and escalating medium- or high-risk issues where appropriate. Respond to non-statutory SSSI queries, including general management questions and providing information to new SSSI owners or occupiers. Support low-risk enforcement and Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) casework, ensuring timely escalation where risks, complexity, or non-compliance are identified. Maintain accurate records and audit trails, updating Casework Tracker and supporting the management of the West Midlands mailbox and answerphone. Contribute to improvements in local SSSI casework processes and support implementation of agreed reforms, identifying opportunities to enhance service delivery. Participate in Protected Sites Delivery Calls when required, sharing updates and supporting discussions under the guidance of senior colleagues. Work collaboratively with Farm Advisers, technical specialists, and other team members to ensure effective case handling and consistent customer service. Manipulate data and collate information to support casework, PS condition reporting, projects and decision-making. Support updating and reporting of actions to improve condition of protected sites, including liaising with colleagues assessing the condition of protected sites. Operate within Natural England's systems, methods, and procedures, complying with all relevant policy, legislation, and governance requirements. Develop your technical knowledge and capability through on-the-job learning, training, and support from senior officers. Knowledge, Skills and Experience: Developing understanding of UK protected sites legislation and ability to apply it to low-risk casework with support. Understanding of the environmental value of designated sites and the pressures on them, with the ability to communicate this clearly to customers and partners. Developing experience in providing advice to protected sites owners/occupiers and statutory bodies, with clear and professional communication skills. Applied knowledge of work routines, systems, and digital tools used within Natural England. Good level and experience of using Microsoft applications (Word, Outlook, Excel, Teams) and digital mapping systems. Ability to work to specified standards, service levels, and timeframes, prioritising short-term tasks and supporting others to meet deadlines. Ability to communicate effectively, build strong working relationships, and influence using reasoning and technical understanding. Knowledge of Natural England's role. Benefits 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. Natural England provides excellent opportunities for career progression, training and development tailored to your role. From induction to ongoing learning and development, everyone in Natural England is supported to develop their skills and capabilities. Everyone has 10 days to devote to personal learning and development, as well as an additional 3 days to volunteer. You will have access to Civil Service Pension and benefits arrangements and generous leave allowances (30 days per year pro rata), as well as flexible working, to help you achieve a work-life balance that works for you and us. You will have access to a range of benefits including discounts on shopping vouchers, cycle to work scheme, and childcare vouchers. You can also join the Civil Service Sport club which offer discounts on a range of sports and leisure opportunities as well as social events. Natural England is a fantastic place to work, where difference is celebrated. We're committed to fairness and equality for all, so you feel valued for who you are and what you do. Our shared values help us work together to benefit the communities we serve. Our thriving employee-led diversity networks support our inclusive culture and contribute to our Diversity Action Plan. 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. This vacancy uses competency-based assessment. We'll assess you against the competencies below during the selection process: Technical Skills & 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 doing so. Please note that STAR format is not required when answering the Technical Skills & Knowledge competency. Examples should be given in no more than 250 words for each competency The team Please note that this role is based at either NE's new Worcester office due to open in July 2026, or at Shrewsbury in Defra's Hafren Office. Regular travel (on at least a weekly basis) will be required to either NE Shrewsbury or Worcester offices. The Area Delivery Team (ADT) is the first point of contact for West Midlands enquiries relating to Protected Sites (PS) and Rural Payments agency (RPA) Agri-environment scheme queries. As an ADT Officer, you will support the delivery of nature recovery by helping minimise impacts on protected sites and contributing to positive outcomes through accurate, timely casework. Contact and additional information (Recruiters Name, Email and Phone Number) Caroline Dahn Email Tel- 07979 757684 Closing Date: 09/06/2026, 23:55 hours Interview dates To be confirmed Level of security checks required Basic Check (BPSS) Competence 1 Professional competency Detail Work Delivery Description Handle data responsibly, understand your role in good governance, and comply with delegations, policies and procedures Manage and deliver your work to meet agreed targets and deadlines Understand and apply relevant policy, legislation, governance frameworks, and strategies to your work Competence 2 Professional competency Detail Personal effectiveness Description Act with integrity, addressing challenging issues and managing conflict through being open and objective Apply new technology to improve the way we deliver our work Be ambitious, identify and adopt ways to make improvements in your team and Natural England and inspire others to act 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 Nurture trusting partnerships and collaborate to achieve pragmatic outcomes that help deliver Natural England's vision, mission and aims Competence 4 Professional competency Detail Technical Skills and Knowledge Description Relevant experience or knowledge of delivering nature recovery, for example, habitat management or protected sites legislation. Knowledge of Natural England's role. Experience of, and ability in, applying effective communication skills (verbal and written) in conveying complex and/or difficult messages to a variety of different audiences. Experience of working in a fast-paced environment delivering work within deadlines and contributing to team targets. Confident and experienced user of Microsoft applications (Word, Outlook, Excel, Teams). Role specific license requirements Full UK driving licence Supporting document 1 Organisation Natural England