3375 - Chartered Surveyor - Land Agent

This is an opportunity for two RICS qualified land agent/rural surveyors to join Natural England Land Agency National Nature Reserve Operations team to work on some of the most important wildlife sites in England.

 Natural England has management responsibility for 143 National Nature Reserves (NNR’s) covering some 64,000ha which includes land of high nature conservation value, ancillary workshops, offices, and other buildings. The property estate is critical to Natural England being able to achieve its management objectives.  Land Agents are essential in providing professional delivery of the effective management of this property estate so that it remains fit for purpose; meets Natural England’s legal obligations and provides good value for money. 

Each Land Agent covers a particular geographic patch and their role is to maximise the conservation and income potential for the Natural England Estate. You will support our NNR Reserve Managers with professional support on property and agricultural matters.  

Location

We are looking for 2 land agents to help cover our NNR sites in Derbyshire, Cheshire, Lancashire, Cumbria, Yorkshire, Durham and Northumberland.  The way we will split the area will depend on the successful candidates location and what will fit best for travel and geography.

Specialist Skills

• You will be a qualified member of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and will be required to keep professional membership up to date. Professional membership of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers is not essential but preferable.
• Knowledge and experience of property management, preferably rural, including legal and valuation matters and working with a range of land owners, occupiers and farmers will be valuable
• Experience in all aspects of Rural Estate Management of a wide and varied portfolio: 

 Key Tasks

Professional advice - the post holder will provide formal and informal advice to others on casework matters related to the management of the Natural England estate. This will involve working with our Area Teams, NNR staff and the National NNR team.

• Estate Management - the post holder will manage all NNR acquisition, leases, agricultural FBTs and licences and land ownership casework

• Acquisitions and declarations - the post holder will advise the Operational Management Team and deliver on NNR acquisitions and declarations as per in-house procedures and programme.

• Income generation opportunities - Natural England wants to encourage greater performance and innovation around the commercial income and resources it generates from the NNR estate, consistent with its primary purposes. The post is expected to explore the opportunities and potential which is generated by Natural England’s land and buildings estate and to lead on work developing and enhancing innovation and income opportunities.

• Direct Payments (Basic Payment Scheme) – During the Agricultural Transition the post holder will continue to assist the National Land Agent and other team members in preparing the Estate for eligibility to the Direct Payments claim and abiding by the Scheme’s regulations. The post holder will advise site staff on management issues concerned with the Estate claim and matters relating to cross compliance.
  
  
• Estate Terrier records – you will be responsible for updating and maintaining all property records and mapping related to NE’s estate, both on the records database and CMSi Terrier to ensure these are up to date and fit for purpose.

• Finance - the post holder will work with the business support staff to deliver accurate payments and receipts from the Estate tenure and assist with procurement for valuation, legal and land agency contracts

• The post holder will contribute to reviews and updates of key procedures on how Natural England manages its estate. They will apply these procedures and provide advice and support to others on their application of these procedures.

• Knowledge and experience of the nature conservation agenda relating to farming, property management, including legal and valuation matters.

Key Competencies

Personal Effectiveness

• Use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage your audience.
• Be decisive; combine your professional judgement with evidence to inform your decision making. 
• Progress your personal development and take responsibility for keeping your knowledge and expertise current

Work delivery

• Manage and deliver your workload to meet agreed targets and deadlines
• Consider the financial implications of your work and seek income from our products and services

Collaborating and partnerships

• Nurture trusting partnerships and collaborate to achieve pragmatic outcomes that help deliver Natural England’s vision, mission and aims
• This includes building partnerships, negotiation skills, team working, demonstrating honesty and integrity

Decision making

• Make and explain objective decisions which combine your professional judgement and evidence
• This includes demonstrating flexibility, objectivity impartiality and weighing up risk best available evidence and pragmatism to get things

Specialist Skills

• You will be a qualified member of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and will be required to keep professional membership up to date. Professional membership of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers is not essential but preferable.