Strategy Lead - Nature Recovery

Position: Strategy Lead - Nature Recovery
Location: South Downs Centre, Midhurst (Hybrid Working)
Closing Date: 14 December 2025
Interview Date: 6 January 2026
Salary: £48,241 to £51,387
Hours: 37 hours per week
Type of post: Permanent

The South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) cares for the landscapes, wildlife and heritage of the National Park and helps people to learn about and enjoy the area. As a protected landscape, the SDNPA has a critical role in the delivery of 30x30 and the Nature Recovery Network (NRN) - a national network of wildlife-rich places – as well as the benefits and services which come from having natural capital assets in good condition.

We are recruiting a Strategy Lead to be responsible for the delivery of nature recovery and water elements for the next South Downs National Park Partnership Management Plan 2026-2031. Are you passionate about biodiversity and helping nature recover? Do you want to protect and enhance the key habitats and species that form the natural capital and special qualities of the National Park? Do you have an understanding of the water environment? Do you want to enable landscape-scale delivery and connectivity?

This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic individual with proven technical and inter-personal skills to be part of supporting the nature recovery programme and providing high-quality technical advice relating to biodiversity and water to a variety of internal and external stakeholders. This ranges from strategic work, such as supporting Local Nature Recovery Strategies, through to direct action to deliver 30x30. With the lead responsibility for nature recovery and water, you will be part of a team working across the landscape to make the Park more wildlife-rich, develop adaptive management approaches and secure natural capital benefits for all. You will also manage the Biodiversity Officer and project roles as opportunities present.

You will need to have knowledge and experience of the legislative framework for biodiversity and the water environment, and a proven track record in project delivery and advisory work. We also pride ourselves in taking an evidence-based approach, so the ability to work with and commission a variety of spatial, biodiversity and environmental data is important, as well as improving our ability to monitor impact. There is also scope for developing innovative and new approaches.

Partnership and collaboration are essential to how we work. As Strategy Lead, you will be expected to work with a wide range of partners and stakeholders from land managers to statutory bodies, water companies and environmental charities, as well as Officers across all departments of the SDNPA.

Sound like something that interests you? Think you can really add value to the role? Meet the person specification? Then please apply!

To apply: Please apply via the button shown to upload your CV and complete our application, referring to the person specification.

SDNPA is an inclusive organisation and we welcome applications from everyone irrespective of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, faith and religion, disability and age.

We operate a Guaranteed Interview Scheme (GIS) for disabled applicants.

In all circumstances, the SDNPA appoints on merit, based on evidence the applicant supplies in meeting the essential criteria for the post. Further information on our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion can be found on our website.

SDNPA Enhanced Benefits

• Flexible working – (this is available for the majority of our roles. However, some positions may require on-site presence and/or specific hours due to business needs)
• Local government pension scheme
• Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme
• Heat Scheme (capped interest-free green home improvement loan, available on a first-come, first-served basis)
• Healthcare - includes cash plan, counselling and wellbeing discounts
• Access to Health and Wellbeing portal and webinars
• 27 days’ annual leave, increasing to 30 days, plus bank holidays
• Professional development support
• Cycle to work scheme
• Car sharing
• Use of pool cars