Summary

We are the public body that looks after England’s historic environment. We champion historic places, helping people understand, value and care for them.

Historic England have a fantastic opportunity for you to join us as our Senior Policy Adviser as part of our Environmental Management Team, within Historic England’s wider Policy Development Team, advising government on the development of national legislation, policy and guidance.

In this role you will be managed by the Head of Climate Change, and although the role will primarily be focused on policy associated with adapting historic buildings for Net Zero and climate resilience, there may also be a need to work on other policy areas depending on priorities across the Environmental Management Team and wider Policy Development Team.  

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges we face globally. We must change how we live, work and behave if we are to limit further warming and avoid the worst impacts. This includes making changes to our historic buildings to ensure they remain safe and viable to be enjoyed by future generations. 

The location of this role is National where we offer hybrid working, you will be based in one of our following offices and from home - Newcastle, York, Manchester, Birmingham, Swindon, Bristol, Portsmouth and Cambridge. 

Salary

National: £36,800 pro-rata

Cambridge: £39,408 pro-rata

What you will be doing

You will assist the Head of Climate Change to lead and coordinate Historic England’s advice and engagement with government on adapting historic buildings for energy and carbon efficiency, keeping buildings cool, and flood resilience, including consideration of their immediate landscape context. You will coordinate the input required from other teams across Historic England to inform our advice to government. You will assist the Head of Climate Change to develop and implement effective governance arrangements to coordinate Historic England’s strategic activities related to adapting historic buildings in response to climate change.

Through the development and delivery of a strategic Policy Engagement Plan you will raise government awareness of the positive role historic buildings can play in achieving a Net Zero emissions and climate resilient society, and ensure heritage is considered in the early stages of government policy development to avoid it being perceived as a barrier during implementation.

Influence government legislation, policy and guidance

Assist the Head of Climate Change to coordinate Historic England’s influence across government of the positive role historic buildings can play in in achieving a Net Zero emissions and climate resilient society, and ensure heritage is considered in the early stages of government policy development to avoid it being perceived as a barrier during implementation.

Build, maintain and manage good relationships with relevant government departments and their teams.

Coordinate input from other teams across Historic England to ensure our strategic advice to government is underpinned by evidence-based technical advice and guidance, including working closely with the Head of Historic Building Climate Change Adaptation in Technical Conservation Team.   

Assist the Head of Climate Change to identify where other teams across Historic England are best placed to directly advise government – for example on matters specific to technical building performance, planning policy, or industry skills – and ensure the right people are connected between Historic England and government departments.

Horizon scan to identify emerging national legislation, policy and guidance, consultations and calls for evidence that Historic England may wish to engage with or reply to in relation to adapting existing buildings for energy and carbon efficiency, keeping buildings cool, and flood resilience, including consideration of their immediate landscape context.

Lead and coordinate Historic England’s responses to relevant consultations and calls for evidence, working with and drawing in expertise from relevant teams across Historic England, and identifying where other teams are best placed to lead responses, including but not limited to Policy Development teams, Technical Conservation, Analytics, Sector Skills and Resilience, Public Engagement.

Develop and deliver a strategic Policy Engagement Plan

Working with external partners and teams across Historic England, develop and keep up to date our priority asks to government and identify the upcoming opportunities for engagement and influencing. This will include stakeholder mapping to ensure we are engaging with impact.

Identify the priority actions that Historic England can take to better enable historic buildings to be adapted for energy and carbon efficiency, keeping buildings cool, and flood resilience, including consideration of their immediate landscape context.

Identify where the sector could support Historic England’s efforts.

Ensure Policy Development teams and colleagues across Historic England are aware of the aims and objectives of the strategic plan to ensure consistent messaging across the organisation.

Assist the Head of Climate Change to develop and manage effective governance arrangements within Historic England to assist delivery of our strategic activities.

Maintaining awareness of and communicate emerging policy trends across Historic England

Assist with co-ordinating our strategic programme of work on adapting historic buildings for energy and carbon efficiency, keeping buildings cool, and flood resilience, including consideration of their immediate landscape context.

Represent HE on relevant national groups, meetings and forums. 

Work across the Policy Development Team to ensure that Historic England understands the latest trends and implications of policy development to their work areas.

Draft Historic England advice, position statements, briefings and communication materials, including briefings for senior managers, the CEO, Chair and Ministers.

Prepare papers and present to the Climate Change Programme Board, Executive Team and other staff events on strategic matters relating to adapting historic buildings for energy and carbon efficiency, keeping buildings cool, and flood resilience, as required.

Maintain an awareness of wider national initiatives that may influence national climate change policy, and consider how they might influence Historic England’s priorities, such as the work of the Mission Zero Coalition. 

Maintain a strategic awareness of the developing evidence base that underpins government policy and Historic England’s position on adapting historic buildings for energy and carbon efficiency, keeping buildings cool, and flood resilience.

To work flexibly to cover wider strategic issues in response to changing national, organisational and Policy Development Team priorities.

Who we are looking for

• Significant experience developing or implementing national legislation or policy, preferably in a heritage, built environment or terrestrial planning context.

• Good understanding of the climate change drivers for adapting historic buildings, and the types of changes that can potentially be made.

• Experience developing and delivering strategic plans through partnership and collaboration with an ability to see the strategic big picture.

• Ability to lead and coordinate multidisciplinary teams of people, including working with technical specialists.

• An effective decision-maker who can manage their time well and prioritise a fast-paced, dynamic and demanding workload.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a tailored approach for different audiences, including summarising complex information into clear and concise statements.

We are an equal opportunity employer which values diversity and inclusion. If you have a disability or neurodiversity, we would be happy to discuss reasonable adjustments to the job with you. Having just won the Gold Award from MIND, we also recognise the importance of a healthy work-life balance.

We are an inclusive employer and believe that flexible working options are for everyone. We want to make sure our working arrangements don’t prevent anyone from joining us because of their personal circumstances. We also want to provide you with the best balance in your home and work life that we can.

We are open to considering options including job sharing, part-time working, compressed hours working and different working locations, including hybrid working. Please visit our jobs pages or contact us to find out more.

Why work for Historic England

We offer a wide benefits package including a competitive pension scheme starting at 28% contributions, a generous 28 days holiday, corporate discounts, free entry into English Heritage sites across the country and development opportunities to ensure you achieve your goals.

We are committed to promoting equality of opportunity for everyone. Diversity helps us to perform better and attract more people to support our work. We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds.

We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates and candidates with disabilities as they are underrepresented within Historic England at this level.

Historic England want all of our candidates to shine in the recruitment process. Please tell us what we can do to make sure you can show us your very best self. You can contact us by email at recruitmentTeam@Historicengland.org.uk if you have any recruitment queries. 

To ensure a fair and inclusive recruitment process for everyone the use of AI or automated tools is not permitted.

Interview dates: 20/05/2024

Please follow the link for a full copy of the Job Description –

https://historicengland.org.uk/media/zbsdbhvl/senior-policy-adviser-climate-change-building-adaptation.odt