Principal Ecology Officer

Are you an experienced and passionate ecologist looking for a new challenge? Do you want to
make a positive impact on the environment and contribute to the sustainable development of West
Berkshire? If so, we have the perfect opportunity for you!

We are seeking a Principal Ecology Officer to join our dedicated Development and Economy
Service at West Berkshire Council. Reporting to the Team Leader (Place), you will play a key
role in providing expert advice and guidance on ecological matters, ensuring that development
within the area is carried out in an environmentally responsible manner.

Key responsibilities:

• Undertake ecological assessments and surveys, providing recommendations and mitigation
  strategies
• Review planning applications and provide specialist input on ecological issues
• Advise on the protection and enhancement of biodiversity and habitats
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to promote sustainable development
• Keep up-to-date with relevant legislation and best practice in ecology and biodiversity

To excel in this role, you should have:

• A degree in ecology or a related field
• Extensive experience in ecological assessment and surveying
• In-depth knowledge of UK wildlife legislation and relevant planning policies
• Strong communication and negotiation skills
• The ability to work independently and manage multiple projects

West Berkshire Council offer excellent employment benefits such as:

• Flexible working wherever possible between the hours of 07.00-19.00
• Hybrid working wherever possible working 40% in the office
• Access to a wide range of training and development opportunities 
• Generous Local Government pension scheme
• Family friendly policies
• A range of local discounts
• Wellbeing Programme including Employee Assistance Programme and employee benefits
• You will also be entitled to a generous annual leave entitlement starting at 29 days per
  annum (plus public holidays) Rising by an additional 5 days after 5 years’ service.

Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this
vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are
interested, please submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment. 

This post is a Sensitive Post for the purpose of the Local Government Housing Act 1989 and the
post-holder is therefore restricted from engaging in any prescribed political activities. In
summary, this means that you are prohibited from holding political office and from involvement
in any political activity within or outside the workplace. Full details of the restrictions can
be found in the Council’s Policy and Guidance on Politically Restricted Posts

For an informal discussion about this role, please contact Elise Kinderman on 01635 519814 or
email [email protected].

West Berkshire Council is committed to promoting equality and diversity. We welcome
applications from all suitably qualified individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity,
disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief.

Join us in shaping a greener and more sustainable future for West Berkshire. Apply now and be
part of our dedicated team!

Equal Opportunities

The Council supports Equal Opportunity of employment, and positively encourages applications from people who fall within any of the nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.

How to apply

Please now complete a short online application form. You will then be able to upload your CV,
if you do not have a CV please download our full application form below, complete and upload
that instead.

Where possible please use Google Chrome as your preferred internet browser to complete your
online application form. This system no longer supports the use of Internet Explorer as a
browser which will cause issues when trying to submit your application. 

This role has been identified as public facing in accordance with Part 7 of the Immigration Act
2016; the requirement to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in English
applies.

This privacy notice applies to job applicants applying for vacancies with West Berkshire
Council – info.westberks.gov.uk/pnapplications