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Cat K

Senior Marine Conservation Planner
What employment sector do you work in?

NGO

How long have you had a green job for nature?

More than 2 years

Salary Range

£30,001 – £40,000

Please describe the work that you do. 

I provide advice on development plans, policy and applications (specifically for the marine environment) to ensure that nature, climate, and other ‘green’ elements are adequately represented in decisions and decision frameworks. I am also involved in technical and practical issues around the implementation of the habitat regulations – for example in the case of offshore wind farm development, understanding how compensation (as required under the habitat regulations) can be delivered in a strategic way. 

What do you most like about your job? Any dislikes? 

I really enjoy the variety of developments and policy that I work on. Working with policy can however be very slow and it sometimes feels like progress is limited. Positive change can be difficult to see in the present but hopefully, it will be easier to see looking back. 

What inspired you into this career? 

I am interested in the world around me and enjoy the challenge of getting policy into practice. 

Have you faced any challenges in progressing your career so far? 

Planning is under-resourced yet much change is driven by developments and it is important they deliver for society, the environment, and the economy. There are never enough resources for all that needs to be done and this is especially acute working for an NGO.

What education/training did you have? 

I have an undergraduate degree in Geography and a post graduate degree in Spatial Planning. I also have RTPI Chartership and experience working in development management for a local authority. 

What advice would you give to someone coming into the profession? 

Be curious – nobody has all the answers and nobody knows everything. 

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