Conservation Assistant

Are you a recent school leaver or graduate with a passion for the historic environment, and preserving our heritage? Come and join our friendly dedicated Team and experience the beauty of Dorset every day in your job. You will have an opportunity to work with experts with a wealth of skills and knowledge who work with partners across Dorset to conserve the historic environment.

We are looking for a Conservation Assistant to join the busy Conservation and Design Team at Dorset Council. With over 12500 Listed Building and 187 Conservation Areas, Dorset Council is a largely rural county with a diverse landscape and long history. Over half of the county is designated as National Landscape, and three quarters of the coastline is part of the Jurassic Coast Natural World Heritage site. As the home of Thomas Hardy, the iconic Gold Hill, and the Cerne Abbas giant, Dorset is a fascinating place to work.

What will you be doing?

You will report to the Conservation and Design Team Leader, but also work with a supportive and enthusiastic team of conservation officers. You will be the first point of contact to provide general technical and legal advice on heritage assets to internal and external customers. The team’s work primarily involves the provision of specialist heritage advice to development management, spatial planning and other service areas.

You will:

• Be the first point of call for enquiries regarding listed buildings and conservation areas;
• act as digital champion for the team, updating records for listed buildings and conservation areas on the Council’s mapping system;
• provide administrative and technical support to the conservation team;
• maintain and update the Council’s Listed Building and Conservation Area records and Buildings at Risk register; and
• assist with collating research for new and revised guidance documents and Conservation Area appraisals.

We work flexible hours and support agile working, including working from home where this fits with work demands. You will be expected to undertake continuing professional development.

About you

You will possess good communication skills (written and spoken) and the ability to respond confidently in a variety of situations. The ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post. You will have a basic knowledge of building conservation and the relevant legislation.

The post holder will be expected to have a minimum of 2 A levels and 5 GCSE’s or equivalent including maths and English at GCSE. A minimum of 2 years’ experience in a related discipline area is required (e.g. admin/office/technical role), together with a commitment to continual personal and professional development and a willingness to undertake additional relevant professional training.

The post requires the ability to use a range of IT software, spreadsheets and databases, and mapping software, and familiarity dealing with numerical data.  The post holder will need to be able to follow precise instructions, pay attention to detail, and ensure that information is accurately recorded and monitored.

At Dorset Council, it's not just about the work we do, it's about how we do it. Hear directly from our employees about what makes Dorset Council special in this short video:

At Dorset Council, we are working together to create a fairer, more prosperous, and more sustainable Dorset for everyone, now and in the future.

We:

• provide essential services that support over 300,000 residents
• work in partnership to make a real difference
• value every role and the impact it has on our communities
• support our employees to grow, develop, and thrive

You will:

• be part of a team that works together for a better Dorset
• have access to a range of benefits and support
• receive training and development opportunities to help your career progress

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation where different skills, perspectives, and backgrounds strengthen both our council and the communities we serve.

We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role, we will offer you an interview. We also want our recruitment process to be accessible, if you need any reasonable adjustments, just let us know on your application.

This role is UK-based, and we will need to confirm your Right to Work as part of the appointment process. We use generic job descriptions and person specifications, so the job title in any attachments may differ from the advert. If needed, we will provide additional details in a context statement.

If you’re passionate about making a difference, we’d love you to join us.

Find out more about how to apply.