International Biodiversity Officer

Post Title: International Biodiversity Officer
Team: International Implementation Team
Ref No: 2026009
Grade: H (HEO)
Type of appointment: Fixed-term: 2 years

This post will have a base in either Cardiff, Peterborough or Aberdeen.

JNCC has adopted a hybrid working approach, allowing colleagues to benefit from time in the office, with the flexibility also to work from home. Employees are expected to work from one of our office bases for a few days a month as a minimum with attendance expected at regular face to face team meetings. Arrangements will vary by team and the exact balance will depend on the nature of your role. We can provide more details at the interview and offer stages.

Who are JNCC?

Established in 1991, we’re the UK’s statutory advisor on issues affecting the natural environment across the UK and internationally. Our primary role is advising all four Governments of the UK. We also work with private sector organisations to support decision making on the sustainable use of marine waters and natural resources around the UK. JNCC is led by the Joint Committee, which brings together members from the nature conservation bodies for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and independent members appointed by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under an independent Chair. Support is provided to the Committee by approx. 300 people who bring together scientific and technical expertise, extensive knowledge of policy at global, European and national levels, and skills in working with other organisations. Staff are based in two main offices in Peterborough and Aberdeen.

Why JNCC?

We’re small enough (c.300 staff) that your voice is heard by everyone including the CEO, but big enough that we have all the skills, resources and people you’ll need to get the job done. All our staff are passionate about conservation and making a difference to the world we live in. We have a very flexible, inclusive and welcoming organisational culture. Our Executive Management provides employees with the freedom and tools you will need, and our friendly team will assist you in your role.

JNCC is committed to maintaining employee health and wellbeing, whether it is physically, emotionally, financially or socially, and offers a range of benefits to support employees in this. Such benefits include the option to join the Civil Service Pension Scheme, professional and personal development opportunities as well as an exciting job in a unique environment.

Hours of work: Full-time

Normal minimum hours of attendance for the post are 36 hours per week over a 5-day period, Monday to Friday.

Flexi time is available. This post may also be suitable for job share.

Annual Leave:

The annual leave allowance is 25 days per year, rising to 30 days per year after 5 years’ service. There are also 12 days public and privilege leave. Part-time staff will receive this on a pro rata basis.

Post background:

The UK Overseas Territories have long been acknowledged as being rich in biodiversity and geodiversity. Many of the UK’s inhabited Overseas Territories are small, remote islands. They provide a home to 220,000 people who are reliant on their natural environment, and the benefits that it provides, for their economic welfare and their security. Despite the remoteness of the islands, these natural environments are threatened, often as a result of development, but also from the natural disasters that the islands’ natural environments can help protect against.

JNCC has been working with the UK’s Overseas Territories for over 25 years. We provide technical assistance to support their biodiversity and wider environmental management strategies. We also provide scientific advice to the UK Government, which provides support to the Overseas Territories to manage their environment and enhance economic security and disaster resilience through a variety of policy initiatives and funding programmes.

JNCC’s International Implementation Team is seeking an experienced biodiversity professional to support the development and delivery of conservation and biodiversity projects work with the UK Overseas Territories, and internationally. The team implements a wide variety of projects on the ground with territory governments and local partners, supporting marine, terrestrial and coastal environment nature conversation action and initiatives. We co-create and design projects to meet the needs of the governments of the territories which can include everything from: stakeholder consultations, designing technical projects involving data and evidence, to training, and science to policy advice.

As an International Biodiversity Officer, you will collaborate closely with territory governments and administrations, external partners, members of the International Implementation Team, and colleagues across JNCC to deliver robust evidence and expert advice that underpins JNCC’s international conservation work.

In this role, you will lead the technical delivery of the Darwin Plus–funded project “Building Capacity for Habitat Mapping and Condition Monitoring: Cayman Islands”. You will support the Cayman Islands Department of Environment (DoE) in developing the skills, tools, and approaches needed to map and monitor the extent and condition of terrestrial habitats using advanced Earth Observation (EO) techniques. You will also contribute to the development of biodiversity condition indicators for protected areas across the UK Overseas Territories as part of the UK Government’s Environmental Indicator Framework (EIF).

We are seeking a candidate with strong experience in knowledge sharing and geospatial analysis, capable of producing high-quality outputs at pace. You will be an effective communicator and relationship-builder, confident working with partners and stakeholders from diverse cultural, scientific, and policy backgrounds.

Post Duties:

The post will be line managed by a Senior International Biodiversity Officer and will work closely with Earth Observation (EO) specialists and analysts within JNCC and across the UK Overseas Territories.

Key duties include:

• Contribute to the development and delivery of overseas nature recovery projects and proposals, supporting JNCC’s work with the UK Overseas Territories.
• Collate, process and analyse geospatial datasets, working with colleagues and partners to develop workflows, indicators and tools for analysing EO and other spatial data.
• Engage with stakeholders to gather information on their evidence needs and identify where EO approaches can offer effective and practical solutions.
• Manage data to JNCC standards, ensuring robust quality control and quality assurance of analytical methods, outputs and products.
• Work collaboratively with Governments, Administrations, local communities and other stakeholders to support the delivery of nature conservation outcomes.
• Provide and contribute to training and training materials to build the capacity of stakeholders in geospatial analysis.
• Assist on projects, across the team, providing technical input, undertaking research synthesis, and devising communications activities to gain input from our users and stakeholders or to stimulate uptake of outputs
• Undertake a JNCC liaison role with up to two UK Overseas Territories governments, strengthening relationships and enabling effective communication.
• Assist in drafting briefings, reports, implementation plans and other outputs, working closely with partners and stakeholders.
• Contribute to project communications, including social media content and updates to the JNCC website.
• Manage project work packages, ensuring staff resources are used effectively and work is coordinated with external contractors and partners.
• Support essential administrative tasks that contribute to the smooth and effective running of projects.
• Contribute to the wider work of the team and JNCC, including providing technical input and supporting delivery of analytical or field-based work as required.

The post-holder may be required to attend meetings and other fora at various localities in the UK and internationally, involving overnight stays away from home.

Technical:

To be a successful candidate you will have:

• Good understanding of ecology and the pressures and impacts on biodiversity, and their implications for sustainable development.
• Understanding of the principles of EO data acquisition and experience of applying EO data from a variety of platforms and sensors (e.g. satellite, aerial and drone) to investigate terrestrial environments, with demonstratable application of this understanding.

Experience (Responsibilities)

To be a successful candidate you will have:

• Experience of using GIS software and packages for manipulating, interpreting and mapping datasets.
• Experience of using R, Python, or a similar scripting language to manipulate and analyse spatial data and automate processes.

Behaviours:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together

In the event that we receive a large volume of applications we reserve the right to conduct the sift based on the Lead Behaviour of Making Effective Decisions.

Please see the CS Behaviours framework for more details at this grade.

Artificial Intelligence Guidance

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application. However, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism is identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own), applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Artificial intelligence and Recruitment /Civil Service Careers

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
• certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

JNCC do not provide sponsorship.

Closing date and interview date

The closing date for this post is 23:55 on Sunday, 19 April 2026

The anticipated interview date is week commencing Monday, 11 May 2026