Responsibilities

Your technical skills and experience together with your knowledge of biodiversity and geodiversity will enable you to coordinate and lead on the capture, management and provision of environmental data across Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes on behalf of the team.

About the role

As Data Officer within BMERC, your knowledge of UK species taxonomy and habitat classifications will enable you to manage and maintain our datasets to high standard of accuracy, using industry standard and bespoke environmental data management software.

You will lead the team on the provision of that data to our customers, ensuring that decision making is carried out with the best possible environmental information.

The successful applicant will be self-motivated and analytical, with excellent attention to detail. You will be an effective communicator, able to resolve complex customer queries, and provide technical support and advise to colleagues, partners and volunteers in respect to the recording and management of environmental data.

Please see the attached job summary for further details about our role.

Key Accountabilities

• Maintain existing biodiversity and geodiversity datasets to high standards of accuracy;
• Maintain consistent and accountable data management and analysis procedures and systems throughout BMERC and provide advice to colleagues, data suppliers and users to enable this;
• Maintain and update robust systems for capturing and maintaining habitat, designated sites and species data by BMERC, using industry standard environmental data management software including MapMate, Excel, Access, ArcGIS and other software;
• Coordinate and lead the response of the BMERC team to requests for data, including the management of contracts with partner organisations, responding to requests for data searches, provision of Digital Data Licences; and
• Work as part of the wider BMERC and Environment Teams to support overarching projects and initiatives.

Any-Desk:

As an ‘any-desk’ worker, you’ll need to be connected to our network to access digital folders and resources, but this can either be from home or an office location when required. You will be required to work from the office a couple of times a week, depending on your role and team requirements.

About you

• Demonstrable experience of environmental records management;
• Knowledge of UK species taxonomy and habitat classifications;
• Awareness of and ability to interact with other local and national recording groups;
• Understanding of national species recording schemes and national recording platforms such as iRecord and the National Biodiversity Network (NBN) Atlas;
• Significant experience with Microsoft Office (particularly Excel), MapMate and ArcGIS products; and
• Ability to communicate and collaborate with colleagues, external partners and customers, with good customer service skills, and ability to resolving complex customer queries.

Person Specification

Essential:

• Relevant experience of working in the service area/related professional field, with evidence of specialist knowledge of work and responsibilities appropriate to the role
• Knowledge of relevant systems, regulations, legislation, best practice, policies and procedures.
• Good communication, interpersonal and presentation skills, able to explain technical /professional issues clearly and influence others based on specialist knowledge.
• Plan and organise work and priorities, co-ordinating with others (internal or external delivery partners) to ensure that timescales and targets are achieved. Contribute to longer term planning.
• Work independently to co-ordinate resources to deliver work programmes within agreed timescales. Identify problems, develop and recommend solutions through reference to precedent and original thinking, within guidelines and procedures. Recommend new procedures / improvements within work area.
• Research and analysis skills to contribute towards the diagnosis of problems /issues and the identification of solutions / recommendations.
• Work within a procedural framework and regulatory guidelines. Use initiative to determine how objectives might be delivered to best suit customer requirements. Monitor and evaluate activities / performance.
• Use of specialised testing, analysis or evaluation equipment / techniques required
• Carry out all duties and responsibilities with reasonable care for the health and safety of ourselves and others and report any potential hazards or unsafe practices to the line manager.
• Good knowledge of the wider sector/ external influences
• Environmental Science, Ecology, Biology, or equivalent experience
• Qualification in science, IT or data management, or equivalent experience
• Ability to travel to external meetings with partners or volunteers as required.
• Ability to speak to members of the public, the ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.

Desirable:

• Experience of representing the work area externally
• Ability to build and maintain relationships and engage successfully with stakeholder community.
• Project management skills and experience
• Support the preparation of tenders and contracts and assist with the preparation and submission of bids for short and long term funding.
• Support partnership working within area of responsibility and arrange with contractors and suppliers for work to be carried out to required specifications.
• Experience of: Microsoft Access/  Website maintenance / development.
• Experience of Local Records Centre service work, including data management and data search or similar