Amanda Small

Support and advise Director General, working on policy areas covered by the Natural Environment Group including; the environmental impacts of and adaptation to climate change, biodiversity and the Marine Bill.

Role Support the Secretary of State in the day-to-day running of this high profile Department. Key achievements/Skills acquired: • Excellent relationship management - essential as first port of call for incoming queries and key contact for external stakeholders and general public. • Efficient time keeping - through effective communication and liaison with colleagues and attendees. Lead in preparing the Secretariat for substantial departmental reorganisation as a change management volunteer

Roles: Communications and administrative support creating Natural England and the Commission for Rural Communities, streamlined rural funding and produced the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) 2007 – 2013.

• Successfully managed previously underperforming team to hit their Key Performance Indicators within a year of taking over. • Promoted twice; from medical secretary to PA of four regional managers, then to line manager to a team of medical secretaries. • Cleared a six-month back log of correspondence within first 3 months as a medical secretary, following the resignation of predecessor.

Relevant modules – EU legislation, Habitat Management, Ecology, Wildlife Legislation (CRoW, Wildlife and Countryside Act, Town and Country Planning Act etc)

Foundation Chemistry Modules included – Environmental Impact Assessment, Ecology and Phase 1 and Phase 2 Habitat Surveying techniques. Dissertation – “A vegetative analysis of Pennard golf course using the NVC system and DECORANA”