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Natural Capital Programme Manager

Employer
West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA)
Location
16 Summer Lane, Birmingham
Salary
£48,308 - £54,371 per annum + excellent benefits
Closing date
21 Jun 2021
Reference
WMCA00335

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Sector
Local Councils
Job Type
Project management
Contract Type
Fixed Term Contract
Working Pattern
Standard
Hours
Full-Time

Job Details

The WMCA has a rapidly evolving environment programme, which is central to the vision for a ‘fairer, greener and healthier’ West Midlands. Our focus on natural capital forms a central part of this programme and we are working with numerous regional stakeholders to deliver it. Central to the delivery programme is our Natural Capital Plan, written in partnership with local authorities and other regional stakeholders. The Plan sets a bold vision for the region to restore, expand, enhance and protect its natural capital, focusing on the delivery of community green spaces, local and regional green corridors, biodiversity net gain and an ambitious tree planting target. Our programme will involve natural capital policy development and developing funding opportunities at a national, regional and local level – and we are now looking for a dynamic leader to deliver the Natural Capital Plan as part of the WMCA’s growing Environment Team.

As our Natural Capital Programme Manager, you will lead the region’s approach to enhancing and maximising the value of natural capital including the delivery of strategic projects, including the Community Green Grants scheme, the West Midlands National Park and the Virtual Forest (the WMCA tree planting platform). You will also coordinate our work with national and regional stakeholders, including local authorities, central government, businesses and environmental NGOs to widen access of communities to high quality green space. This is a unique opportunity to develop the regional work on natural capital and drive change for the environment and communities across the West Midlands.

This role is being offered on a two-year fixed term contract.

About you

We’re looking for someone who wants to make a real difference to our region and our planet, and who wants to leave a lasting legacy for generations to come. You’ll be curious about, and have passion for, current challenges related to sustainability, conservation and climate change. Previous experience of successfully leading a wide-ranging programme of work and evidence of co-ordinating the activities of multiple stakeholders in order to achieve a shared goal, is required to be a success in this role.

Graduate in a relevant environment-related discipline or equivalent professional experience, and with evidence of ongoing professional development, you’ll have a clear understanding of natural capital and its multiple benefits for people and planet, including its role in mitigating climate risk and reducing carbon emissions. You will also have some experience of either policymaking or programme delivery in areas relevant to the natural environment.

You’ll have exposure to a broad range of stakeholders and therefore you’ll have excellent interpersonal skills and be able to confidently persuade and inform key senior stakeholders and build collaborative partnerships around mutual goals.

About the team

In June 2019, the WMCA declared a climate emergency and set a 2041 zero carbon target. In March 2021, we had published our first Five Year Plan setting out our priorities for decarbonising the region. The West Midlands Combined Authority’s Environment Team, which forms part of the Public Service Reform Directorate, is leading the delivery of the directorate’s work on environment and climate change with the aim to create a fairer, greener and healthier West Midlands.

As part of this, we have a vision to create circular economy opportunities for the West Midlands The aim is to support sustainable growth in the region’s businesses through new circular business models, as well as to provide opportunities for the social economy and the region’s communities.

About us

Our role in the West Midlands has never been more important and in these extraordinary times we’ve shown we can step forward, speak up for our region and bring people together. Everything we do is focused on making life better for people in the West Midlands – that’s our reason for being here and it drives every move we make. We lead and support others to deliver our shared future vision for the region – a happier, healthier, better connected place to live and work. 

As an employer we fully believe that we are only as great as the people who work for us.  We are committed to providing a positive, healthy and inclusive working environment where our people feel valued and respected. We are a “Leaders in Diversity” accredited organisation, are in the Inclusive Top 50 Employers List and are one of The Times Top 50 Employers for Women.

Our employees feel they can make a difference and are excited by the growth and the potential to shape the future. As the WMCA is undergoing a period of significant change, our employees are engaging with what is going on and we are encouraging a culture where people feel they can contribute towards improvements.

We’re ambitious, forward thinking and determined to find better ways of working, always leading the way in what we do. We trust and support each other to get the job done, and encourage creativity, originality and curiosity from those who work with us. We’re committed to creating an accessible and diverse workplace, one that nurtures an inclusive environment where our people can be themselves.

If your values align with ours and you’re committed to working towards creating a future we can all be proud of, we want to hear from you.

Additional information

Throughout lockdown, most of us have been working remotely and as we begin to look forward to leading a more normal life, we’re planning a new approach to the way we use our office space. We want to develop a flexible approach to the workplace which retains some of the benefits of working from home. This hybrid approach will mean most of us working from home some of the time, blending the best of home and office working.

We are committed to developing an organisation that is representative of the diverse communities that we serve and welcome applications from all sections of the community. The following groups are currently underrepresented: young people, Black, Asian and ethnic minority groups and women at senior levels.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and offer a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants who meet the essential job role criteria. We will make reasonable adjustments, in line with the Equality Act, for disabled applicants if these are needed. Wherever possible we will offer flexible working options which assist work-life balance.

We’re dedicated to providing a broad range of rewards and benefits and constantly benchmark our benefits packages to ensure they are attractive for all our people. As well as a competitive salary, employees also receive 27 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) and access to a great pension scheme.

Supporting documents
Natural Capital Programme Manager.docx

Company

From Monday 11th December 2023 an exciting change happened for us as an organisation - we have implemented a new system which will improve your candidate experience! To access your candidate portal for our new system, head to https://wmca.wm-jobs.co.uk/members/

If you already had an application in progress with us before the new year, don’t worry, this will continue as it normally would and there will be no impact on your application or the process. More information on our new and improved system can be found on the WMJobs help pages

West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) was set up in 2016. We're made up of 18 local councils and 3 local enterprise partnerships (LEPs). Our goal is to make the West Midlands a happy, healthy, place to live. We do this by:

  • making it easier and safer to travel in and around the region
  • using derelict land to build homes
  • protecting our green spaces
  • making sure young people have the education and employment opportunities to make a great start in life
  • working together to support our communities and build a fairer, healthier and more inclusive West Midlands
  • tackling climate change 

Our role in the West Midlands has never been more important and in these extraordinary times we’ve shown we can step forward, speak up for our region and bring people together. Everything we do is focused on making life better for people in the West Midlands – that’s our reason for being here and it drives every move we make. We lead and support others to deliver our shared future vision for the region – a happier, healthier, better connected place to live and work.

We fully believe that we are only as great as the people who work for us and are committed to providing a positive, healthy and inclusive working environment where our people feel valued and respected. We’re ambitious, forward thinking and determined to find better ways of working, always leading the way in what we do. We trust and support each other to get the job done, and encourage creativity, originality and curiosity from those who work with us.

We’re committed to creating an accessible and diverse workplace, one that nurtures an inclusive environment where our people can be themselves. We are a “Leaders in Diversity” accredited organisation, are in the Inclusive Top 50 Employers List and are one of The Times Top 50 Employers for Women. 

If your values align with ours and you’re committed to working towards creating a future we can all be proud of, we want to hear from you.

Company info
Website
Telephone
0121 200 2787
Location
16 Summer Lane
Birmingham
West Midlands
B19 3SD
United Kingdom

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