Senior Biodiversity Officer

About Us

Oxfordshire has a complex landscape influenced by diverse geology and crossed by 8 river systems, as a result it supports an interesting variety of habitats and is home to 7 Special Areas of Conservation, 113 Sites of Special Scientific Interest, and 399 Local Wildlife Sites. 26% of the County lies within National Landscapes.

Oxfordshire’s natural environment faces many challenges; the Council have worked collaboratively with partners to publish Oxfordshire’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy which sets out agreed priorities and actions for local nature recovery, and we have set out how we will tackle the ecological emergency and fulfil our statutory obligations to further the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity in our recently adopted Biodiversity Action Framework.

The Senior Biodiversity Officer role sits within our Landscape and Nature Recovery Team, which provides a supportive environment in which staff can successfully apply, and increase, their knowledge and experience to help nature’s recovery.

About the Role

The Senior Biodiversity Officer will provide comprehensive specialist biodiversity and ecology technical support to support our Local Planning Authority function at all stages of the planning process, as well as providing the Council’s ecological representation on Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects and Local Plans.

Based in the Landscape and Nature Recovery Team, the Senior Biodiversity Officer will work closely with our Planning Teams, as well as providing informal supervision of two Biodiversity Officers. There will be opportunities to be involved in a variety of related work as we implement our recently adopted Biodiversity Action Framework and Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

About You

We are looking for someone experienced in dealing with complex biodiversity and ecology issues within development management, including Biodiversity Net Gain and Environmental Impact Assessment. Good communication and problem-solving skills will be essential in this role.

Rewards and Benefits

What You Can Look Forward To
At OCC, you'll be part of a team that’s not only passionate about what we do, but also about how we do it. We foster a culture of inclusion, respect, and continuous improvement, and we’re proud to offer flexible working arrangements, professional development opportunities, and a strong sense of purpose in everything we do.

• Hybrid working
• Great learning and development opportunities to support your growth
• Technology to support agile working – with unlimited access to Copilot for smarter productivity
• Employee Assistance Programme with health and wellbeing support
• Generous annual leave - up to 30 days plus bank holidays, and an option to 'buy' additional time off
• Enhanced family friendly policies
• Local Government Pension Scheme - employer contributions up to 19.9%
• Discounts - local and national offers for shopping and travel

Ready to Apply?

• If you are interested in this role, please submit your application by 31st May.
• Before applying, we recommend reviewing the job summary, which provides further information and clear guidance on what we’re looking for.
• When applying, please upload a current CV and a personal statement.
• Your personal statement should explain how your skills and experience meet the requirements of the role, with reference to the key criteria set out in the job summary. We recommend a maximum of 750 words.
• For informal enquiries or further information about the role, please contact Beccy Micklem, Landscape and Nature Recovery Team Leader on [email protected]