Fisheries Advisor

Post Title: Fisheries Advisor
Team: Marine Management Team
Ref No: 202528
Grade: H (HEO)
Type of appointment: 1 Year Fixed-term
Location: Peterborough or Aberdeen
Salary: £32025

This post will have a base in either 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.

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.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

As part of the Marine Management Team within JNCC, we provide expert advice on the impacts of fishing on marine biodiversity in UK waters and beyond. The team works closely with other teams responsible for advice on conservation of marine ecosystems and mobile species.

Managing fisheries to minimise impacts on the wider marine environment presents a complex set of challenges. JNCC is responsible for the provision of clear, evidence-based advice to fisheries managers in the UK and Devolved Administrations on the environmental impacts of fishing in the offshore, particularly in development and implementation of new Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs).

We are therefore seeking a Fisheries Advisor to work closely with colleagues in the Marine Management Team to carry out a range of functions in relation to the development and implementation of FMP, including the assessment of the effectiveness of new fisheries plans to achieve wider policy ambition to deliver a more sustainable approach to fisheries management. The post-holder will be expected to work very closely with partners in its sister statutory nature conservation bodies, with other scientists, with regulators and with the Governments within the UK. It is also expected that the post-holder will routinely engage with industry representatives.

The post-holder will support existing senior fisheries staff but may also be expected to lead on certain issues.

Post Duties

The postholder will carry out a range of functions with the overall objective of contributing to the provision of advice on the impacts of fishing in UK offshore waters, such as:

1. Reviewing FMP Strategic Environmental Assessments for Defra and the Devolved Administrations.
2. Provision of advice to regulators regarding the impact of survey activities in MPAs
3. Support the development of a process to review the effectiveness of Fisheries Management Plans to deliver on key objectives laid out in the Fisheries Act 2020.
4. Support the Marine Management Team in the identification of opportunities and development of bids for funded income (e.g. fisheries impacts’ projects)

The post-holder may be required to carry out other work to support JNCC’s marine programmes as necessary.

Technical

To be a successful candidate you will be:

1. Educated to degree level or equivalent qualification in a relevant subject and/or relevant recent practical work experience

Experience (Responsibilities)

To be a successful candidate you will have:

1. Knowledge of the main provisions of UK fisheries legislation and management
2. Knowledge of the main provisions of UK and Devolved Administration marine conservation policy
3. The ability to critically review scientific information, appraise and effectively communicate uncertainty and provide high quality, risk- based, impartial advice.
4. Knowledge of the types of commercial fishing occurring in UK waters.
5. General knowledge of UK marine biodiversity

Behaviours

1. Working Together
2. Delivering at Pace
3. Communicating and Influencing
4. Making Effective Decisions

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 Working Together.

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

Nationality requirements 

This job is broadly open to the following groups: 

1. UK nationals
2. nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
3. nationals of the Republic of Ireland
4. 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)
5. relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
6. relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
7. certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

Closing date and interview date

The closing date for this post is 23:55 on Wednesday, 09 July 2025.

The anticipated interview date is week commencing Monday, 21 July 2025.