Environmental Land Management Adviser

The starting salary for this role is £41,585 per annum, working 36 hours per week.

This is a fixed term contract opportunity until 31st March 2029.

We are hiring an Environmental Land Management Advisor to join the Surrey Hills National Landscape Team, currently hosted by Surrey County Council, to lead the delivery of the highly regarded and successful Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme across the Surrey Hills in line with the Surrey Hills National Landscape Management Plan 2025-30, the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) for Surrey and supporting Defra's 30by30 targets.

Our team works flexibly out of the National Trust Surrey Hills Estate Office at Box Hill.

Our Offer to You

• 26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
• Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
• A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents

About The Role

We are looking for a motivated individual with the confidence to engage with farmers and land managers, both individually and collaboratively. You will provide advice, support and facilitation to deliver projects under the FiPL programme themes of Climate, Nature, People and Place. You will be a diligent, organised and enthusiastic person with a good understanding of farming and land management issues relevant to the Surrey Hills and the ability to work in partnership with a wide range of individuals and organisations. Under the guidance of the Surrey Hills Programme Manager, you will be the first point of contact for the FiPL programme and will assist with providing regular monitoring and feedback on the progress of the scheme to Defra.

You should have credible knowledge and understanding of current farming issues and be able to build trusted working relationships with farmers and other land managers. You should demonstrate familiarity with current agri-environment schemes as well as knowledge of nature recovery, land management and of countryside access.

Occasional evening and weekend work may be required in this role and you will need to be willing and able to travel to places not available on public transport, as you will be required to visit sites across the Surrey Hills and wider area. Therefore, a full UK driving licence is required for this role.

Shortlisting Criteria

In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and align with our behaviours:

• Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of sustainable farming practices, management of semi-natural habitats including heathland, chalk grassland and woodland.
• Keen interest in environmental land management and nature recovery.
• Ability to negotiate and build trusted relationships with farmers and land managers and support them through the grant application process.
• Experience of budget management and monitoring
• Excellent communication & interpersonal skills.
• Competent with digital (GIS) mapping.

To apply, we request that you submit a CV and you will be asked the following 4 questions:

1. Working with the farming community is key to delivery of FiPL. What experience do you have of working with farmers and land managers? Can you give an example of a successful project you have been involved with?
2. The role requires working with a wide range of partners. Please provide an example where you have worked in partnership and what, in your experience, makes an effective partnership.
3. Please provide an example of when you have managed multiple projects at the same time. From your own experience, what skills did you require?
4. What experience do you have of managing and monitoring budgets?

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 03/06/2026 with interviews planned to follow.

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two-tier system to two new unitary councils in April 2027. If you are employed by Surrey on 1st April 2027, your role will transfer with current terms and conditions to one of the new organisations, supporting local devolution and greater powers for our communities.

Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents!

Our Commitment

We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum criteria, we guarantee you an interview.

Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we're committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.