Countryside Officer

Job Introduction

We’re recruiting a Countryside Officer (Great Crested Newt District Licensing) to join our Environment and Waste service at Milton Keynes City Council.

In this rewarding role, you’ll help protect and enhance our natural environment while supporting sustainable growth across the city. You’ll provide ecological expertise to planning colleagues and partners, helping ensure development meets environmental responsibilities, particularly in relation to Great Crested Newts and biodiversity.

You’ll also play a key role in delivering our Great Crested Newt District Licensing Scheme, working with developers, planners and ecological specialists. Your work will directly support the conservation of protected species and habitats while enabling responsible development across Milton Keynes.

This role may be suitable for home working, following an assessment. Home-based roles require a minimum of one day per week working from the office or site.

Interviews for this role will be held on 23rd July 2026

At Milton Keynes City Council, we aim to make a difference every day. We’re dedicated, respectful and collaborative. We act as one council, and we work hard to create cleaner, safer and healthier communities while tackling inequalities and supporting people to thrive.

Find out more about working with us here: www.mkcounciljobs.org.uk

Main Responsibility

• Provide clear and accurate ecological advice to planning colleagues, helping them understand complex information so that decisions can be made confidently and responsibly.
• Act as the responsible officer for issuing Great Crested Newt licences on behalf of the Local Planning Authority.
• Promote the District Great Crested Newt Licensing Scheme to developers, planners and ecologists, working closely with NatureSpace.
• Help protect and manage our parks, woodlands, wildlife sites, public open spaces, nature reserves and farms so they can be enjoyed by everyone.
• Lead and support environmental management projects, ensuring they are planned, resourced and delivered effectively.
• Identify funding opportunities and develop collaborative partnerships that help us protect and enhance our natural environment.

The Ideal Candidate

• A degree in ecology or environmental management, and a Natural England Great Crested Newt Class Level One Survey Licence (CL08).
• Strong knowledge of the United Kingdom planning system, ecological impact assessments and biodiversity in planning.
• A clear understanding of protected species legislation, licensing and ecological policy.
• Practical experience of Great Crested Newt survey work using methods such as eDNA testing, bottle trapping, torching and netting.
• Experience of designing or delivering conservation management or mitigation strategies for Great Crested Newts.
• A full driving licence and the ability to travel for work.
• Experience in using mapping software such as QGIS or similar.

Full UK Driving Licence and access to a vehicle

To be successful in this role, you’ll need a full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle. If we offer you the role, we’ll ask you to provide evidence of your driving licence and vehicle insurance, including cover for business use. We’re unable to confirm an appointment until these documents are received.

Package Description

In addition to your salary, we offer a range of benefits including:

• Great holiday benefits – most roles include 28 days annual leave every year on top of public (bank) holidays, increasing to 32 days after five years. In addition, there is a holiday purchase scheme allowing staff to purchase up to 5 additional days of leave each year.
• Excellent pension – everyone who works for us can join the national Local Government Pension Scheme, widely regarded as one of the best available.
• A full range of family friendly policies including enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity support and a childcare subsidy.
• Access to an award-winning employee benefits programme that includes a health cash plan, a low-cost bike purchase scheme as well as high street discounts and money off entertainment and travel.
• Salary sacrifice car scheme – eligible employees can access low-cost leasing of electric and low-emission vehicles.
• Blue Light Card – employees working within social care can qualify for an additional range of discounts from national retailers and local businesses.

Why join us? Along with more on our Benefits, discover why Working at the City Council could be the right move for you here Working at the Council Milton Keynes

Our roles are either designated ‘site based’ or ‘home based’. ‘Site based’ roles can include up to two days a week working from home whilst ‘home based’ roles are based at home four days a week. Of course, managers designate which category roles are in based on the needs of the service and the circumstances.

About The Organisation

Milton Keynes City Council is a large, modern and financially stable employer with around 2,500 people working across our eight areas. Together we provide local residents and businesses with a wide range of important round-the-clock services and aim to make our city a better place to live.

We work hard because of the demands placed on us, like protecting children from harm or preventing homelessness. However, working for the city is always rewarding and everyone has the opportunity to make a real difference.

We’re very proud of our diversity and are committed to having a workforce that reflects the community we serve. Whatever your background, you will be welcome here if you share our values of being dedicated, respectful and collaborative.

We offer great training and support and because of the size and scale of the organisation there are always new opportunities to explore when it’s time for a new role.

If you’d like to know more about how we do things and what matters to us, take a look at our short booklet What makes us Milton Keynes City Council.