Commons and Biodiversity Officer

How you’ll make a difference

As Commons and Biodiversity Officer, you will be responsible for helping the council deliver a range of community, landscape and environmental projects, supporting our response to the Climate and Nature Emergency.

You will play a crucial role in ensuring the council meets its responsibilities alongside
external agreements, primarily regarding our Hawkesbury and Inglestone Commons.

What you will be doing

• You will be responsible for organising external contractors to deliver specific works on
  our commons such as tree planting and other maintenance.
• Working closely with complex community groups such landowners, commoners, and parish
  councils, you will ensure a balance between community aspirations and delivering outcomes.
• It will be key for you to provide an effective flow of information to all interested
  parties through various means such as telephone calls, leafleting, and in person meetings.
• You will maintain accurate records to ensure the council meets its contractual obligations
  and our project continues to run smoothly.

What we need from you

• It is essential that you are educated to degree level in a relevant discipline such as
  agriculture, horticulture, or environmental management, or have considerable experience
  managing landscape, agricultural, or environmental projects.
• You must have demonstratable experience delivering agri-environment grant schemes.
• You will have a strong understanding of the relevant legislation relating to open spaces
  and commons.
• Given key elements of this role, you must be willing to work outdoors in all weather
  conditions.

What you need to know  

• This is a part-time role, working 14.8 hours per week. Your salary is pro-rata to hours
  worked. 
• This is a limited term contract, ending 31st March 2026. 
• We are also offering this as an internal secondment opportunity, you should first seek your
  line managers permission before applying. 

Interviews are currently scheduled for week beginning 31st March. 

How a career at South Gloucestershire Council is different

• As part of our benefits package, you will receive generous annual leave (pro rata),
  employee wellbeing support and you will have access to a range of staff discounts, including
  eye tests, travel, shopping and leisure activities.
• We recognise that our diverse team of skilled and dedicated people make us a great place to
  work. We welcome applications from everyone and ensure that individuals are selected, promoted
  and developed on the basis of their merits and abilities.
• We trust our team to work in the way which allows them to make the biggest difference, and
  we continue to invest in technology to help staff do their jobs to the best of their ability
  and celebrate innovation.
• What’s special here is the strength of the team ethos, the support and the training.

 Our teams at South Gloucestershire Council are making a real difference to the lives of people
who live, work and learn here.

• We’re building and shaping communities which people are proud of.
• We’re planning for the future; building and improving the roads, railways, schools, green
  spaces, and houses.
• We’re providing essential services across our communities to ensure they are safe and well
  maintained.

We’ve achieved a great deal, but we need talented and dedicated people to ensure we continue to
make a difference.

We’re making a difference, be part of it!