Freshwater Lead Adviser

The Cumbria Team 

Cumbria is home to some of the richest, wildest and most remote areas of natural beauty in
England. We host more legally protected sites and landscapes than any other English county. The
iconic landscape of the Lake District has been awarded World Heritage status, but the Cumbrian
landscape is much more extensive and diverse, and includes the English Solway Coast, the
Cartmel and Furness Peninsulas, the North Pennines, the Dales, and the Borderlands. Our
residents, visitors and wildlife enjoy a wide range of habitats comprising the sea and
coastline, rivers, lakes, bogs, meadows, dales, and fells. 

Our team is divided into four geographical areas of operation and has offices that can be
utilised by all team staff in both Kendal and Penrith.

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity to provide lead advisor level support for our freshwater work
in Cumbria and help deliver our nature recovery goals in the freshwater environment. The role
will be supporting the freshwater Senior Adviser in Cumbria whilst working closely with
advisers across the area team as well as with national specialists as required, plus partners
and stakeholders such as the Environment Agency, Local Authorities, Rivers Trusts, landowners
and the water companies.

Candidates will need a good broad understanding of freshwater issues and should also be
knowledgeable on water ecology, water quality and/or water resources, and have an understanding
of protected sites systems to support casework across the Area team. Full training and support
will be provided.

Key tasks:

• Work collaboratively with stakeholders and partners to support and enable the delivery of
  integrated biodiversity outcomes and integrated approaches to freshwater dependent habitat
  management in support of the Government’s 25-year Environment Plan.
• Work to ensure that freshwater delivery is fully embedded across the work of Natural
  England, specifically leading on one of Cumbria’s SAC rivers.
• Provide technical freshwater related advice as required, to support the maintenance,
  restoration or enhancement of designated rivers, lakes and floodplain habitats, from strategy
  through to site-based delivery.
• Coordinate the evaluation of water dependent elements of site condition monitoring, such as
  geomorphology, river and lake habitats and species, water quality and flow/level, as
  appropriate to an individual site and its features.
• Provide technical advice on water related casework, including basic hydrological or
  geomorphological advice on abstraction, water quality, river protection/flood defence and water
  level/flow issues.
• Contribute to the production of water related plans, working closely with NE colleagues,
  the Environment Agency, Rivers Trusts and Water Companies – including Diffuse Water Pollution
  Plans, River Basin Management Plans, statutory water company plans and individual site
  management plans.
• Work with the EA and other partners on the development of flood risk management programmes
  and related projects and provide support for Natural Flood Management.