Historic environment advisor
- Level
- 7
- Typical duration
- 36 months (about 3 years)
- Max funding band
- £15,000
- Route
- Creative and design
Responsible for providing specialist and authoritative advice, guidance and assessment to those working on heritage assets and the legal and policy frameworks for their protection.
About the role
This occupation is found in the Cultural Heritage, Historic Environment, Engineering, Construction, Design, Planning, Local Government, Education and Tourism sectors.. The broad purpose of the occupation is to be responsible for providing specialist and authoritative advice, guidance and assessment to those working on heritage assets and the legal and policy frameworks for their protection. Examples of heritage assets include historic buildings, places, landscapes, townscapes, monuments, the historic marine environment, archaeological sites and deposits of heritage interest, registered parks, gardens and battlefields. Legislation or policy frameworks may be international, national or local, and include (but are not limited to) the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979, National Planning Policy Framework, Protection of Wrecks Act 1973, Town and Country Planning Regulations 2017, Ecclesiastical Exemption Order 2010. In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with a range of clients, colleagues and stakeholders in the public, private and third sectors, within organisations of any size. The Historic Environment Advisor is typically office based but normal duties include activities which require outdoor working, visiting historic sites and attendance at meetings with stakeholders, clients or colleagues.. An employee in this occupation will be responsible for delivering professional advice and recommendations on change, protection, maintenance, interpretation, conservation or restoration within the Historic Environment; through critically analysing, interpreting and evaluating complex information. They assess the significance and/or condition of the historic environment, and its sensitivity to change. They design, provide strategic leadership and monitor the implementation of programmes of work and investigation and where necessary present arguments clearly and effectively on the significance of the historic environment in a broad context. They undertake research within their specialist area to develop understanding of the historic environment, setting standards and best practice and provide strategic leadership within the sector. They provide supervision and leadership to more junior roles within historic environment advice teams where relevant.
How it compares
At 36 months (about 3 years), it is about average length for a degree-level apprenticeship (the average across all 172 Level 6+ standards is 39 months).
The funding band — the maximum an employer's levy can contribute to training costs — is £15,000, below the £21,500 average for degree-level standards. Apprentices never pay tuition either way.
Typical job titles
- Historic Environment Consultant
- Heritage Consultant
- Heritage Advisor
- Archaeological Advisor
- Inspector of Ancient Monuments
- Inspector of Historic Buildings and Areas
- Heritage at Risk Projects Officer
- Conservation Officer
- Conservation Advisor
- Listed Buildings Officer
- Churches Conservation Advisor
- Architectural Investigator
What you come out with
- A Masters degree in a relevant Conservation or Archaeology of the Historic Environment or Heritage specialism e.g. Conservation of the Historic Environment, Cultural Heritage Management, Historic Building Conservation, Archaeology of Buildings. — Level 7 (non-integrated degree)
- Professional recognition: Chartered Institute for Archaeologists — Membership
- Professional recognition: Chartered Institute of Building — Membership
What you'll learn
The official standard defines 18 core duties, 18 knowledge areas, 15 skills, 6 behaviours. This is the actual assessed content of the apprenticeship — worth reading before an interview, because competency questions are usually written straight from these lists.
Core duties 18
- Define, assess or provide advice on significance with regard to planning and other regulatory systems relevant to the historic environment, e.g. preparation of statements of significance and other heritage statements, supported by investigation where appropriate. This includes special architectural, historical and archaeological interest.
- Make, or provide advice on, designations, including national and local statutory designations and non-statutory designations e.g. scheduled monuments, listed buildings, conservation areas etc, and non-designated heritage assets.
- Undertake character analysis of heritage assets and areas e.g. Conservation Area Appraisals, historic landscape or area characterisation, urban design analysis, assessment of setting.
- Assess the condition of the historic environment, including actioning measures for monitoring, protection and discharge of legal responsibilities.
- Prepare specifications for, undertake, lead on or monitor compliance of, specialist research and investigation where required to support the provision of historic environment advice e.g. desk-based assessment, field investigation and analysis, evaluation or building fabric analysis.
- Prepare, appraise, lead or provide advice on plans for the management of change of heritage assets and areas, and strategies for managing their loss, their protection, enhancement or regeneration, including preparation, appraisal and management of statutory consents and legal responsibilities, including supporting statements, conditions, appeals and enforcement/prosecution.
- Establish performance requirements, monitor and assure quality for projects and schemes which impact heritage assets and areas to ensure they meet agreed specifications, e.g ensure construction works comply with the approved architectural or landscape design and constructional specification.
- Provide advice on or appraise the quality of design proposals involving the historic environment and the impact of proposals for change e.g. the impacts of infrastructure alterations, new build development, extensions, adaptations, refurbishments and public realm schemes. Contribute to Environmental Impact Assessments, Strategic Environmental Assessments and Sustainability Appraisals.
- Provide advice on or assess sustainability in the historic environment. For buildings, it includes assessment of building performance and potential for retrofitting.
- Prepare, provide advice on or assess repair and specifications for conservation, maintenance, repair and renovation of heritage assets
- Prepare, lead, appraise or provide advice on the financial aspects of a wide range of projects and initiatives relating to the historic environment, e.g. project costings, grant applications and monitoring, economic viability assessments, feasibility studies and business plans.
- Provide formal and informal oral and written advice and professional judgments to clients, colleagues, external stakeholders and others on historic buildings, structures, areas, archaeological sites and landscapes.
- Lead on the development, interpretation or assessment of heritage legislation, policy and guidance at local, regional, national and international levels.
- Prepare, lead or provide advice on, or appraise strategies for heritage, including the role of heritage in addressing economic development and sustainability, neighbourhood planning, regeneration, housing, employment, town centres, rural areas, and other planning and placemaking issues.
- Provide leadership and manage staff, volunteers, external specialists or others, review and monitor others’ work to technical standards. Be responsible for education and skills development in the workplace including dissemination of information.
- Raise awareness, appreciation and understanding of the historic environment, historic environment resources and promote good conservation practice. Effectively lead and manage communications with stakeholders and other interested parties, including statutory consultation.
- Contribute to, or lead, the development of practice through research, publication, participation in professional or academic events. Develop, or lead on the development of, new techniques and best practice.
- Prepare, lead on the production of, or review products derived from work on the historic environment for both professional and public audiences, e.g. publications, exhibitions and archives (including Historic Environment Records).
Knowledge 18
- relevant statutory legislation, policies, frameworks, strategies, and best practice for the historic environment.
- standards and compliance processes for the historic environment.
- established techniques of investigation, research, documentation and management for the historic environment, as well as new techniques or approaches and their associated risks. How to conduct these techniques, and how to monitor others doing so.
- conservation principles and the agents of deterioration, and how to evaluate the significance and condition of the historic environment.
- British archaeological or architectural practice and chronology, including expert understanding and recognition of archaeological site or building types, styles, and periods.
- wider political, social and economic context of the historic environment and other sectors within the individual’s specialist area of work (e.g. construction, planning, design, tourism), their relationship to historic environment decision-making and the roles and responsibilities of statutory authorities, heritage organisations and specialists.
- when and how to provide advice and guidance, either verbally, through written reports, publication or public speaking.
- current academic research, and regional, national and international research agendas, developing and expanding on knowledge within their area of expertise.
- editorial, drawing and report writing techniques required within the historic environment.
- how to develop a personal action plan for learning and self-development with realistic but challenging objectives, expectations and priorities, and how to align this with the interests of the organisation/employer.
- techniques for the leadership, management and delivery of projects, including complex projects with many interacting factors. Techniques include budgeting, timetabling and quality assurance, assessment of skillsets and capacity of wider teams. How to review and report on the quality of other’s work.
- their Employer’s Health and Safety Policy and Procedures and operational procedures, including risk assessment, and how those relate to industry standards.
- the needs and expectations of a range of customers, colleagues and stakeholders. How to communicate effectively, including management of stakeholders, mediation, public engagement and partnership working.
- how to practice in line with current theories and methodologies, and to question and reframe these to develop fresh perspectives and new ways of working to manage complex historic environmental conceptual issues at senior level in a strategic context.
- appropriate techniques and materials for the repair of historic buildings and monuments.
- professional ethics and codes of conduct involved in the management of projects and the historic environment, including recognising conflicts of interests and appropriate processes for dealing with these.
- how to assess sustainability in the historic environment, and the contribution of the historic environment to placemaking, planning and economic development issues.
- how to demonstrate critical analysis, interpretation and evaluation of complex historic environmental information, synthesising multi-source data and concepts to make high level recommendations and drive changes in historic environment practice in keeping with organisational and sectoral strategic priorities.
Skills 15
- contextualise, interpret and apply relevant statutory legislation, policies, frameworks, strategies, and best practice for the historic environment.
- establish and monitor implementation of standards and compliance processes for the historic environment.
- provide expert advice and guidance to clients, colleagues and stakeholders, exercising appropriate judgement and decision making and recognising when to involve others.
- prepare and deliver evidence for the enhancement or protection of the historic environment, including that required for relevant hearings, inquiries, public meetings, appeals, written statements, proofs of evidence and expert witness testimony.
- lead and work as part of a team to manage and deliver projects of all scales and complexities. Be responsible for own work, and where applicable have significant personal accountability for others and/or the allocation of resources, in a wide variety of contexts.
- design, execute and monitor project plans and investigations. Conduct specialist research and investigation, reformulate and interpret complex historic environment data to provide specialist analysis.
- review and report on the quality of other’s work constructively and effectively, including technical work, be responsible for quality assurance.
- lead on, produce, review, or update documentation and information on the historic environment using relevant analytical, editorial, drawing and report writing techniques.
- apply policy to decision making, including developing new approaches and policy and best practice guidance. Assess and evidence gaps in knowledge or skills to support heritage protection, management and policy development.
- raise awareness, appreciation and understanding of the historic environment, promoting good conservation practice, including through public engagement activities.
- contribute to advances in the body of knowledge and historic environment practice, through research, publication, participation in professional and academic networks and events.
- supervise, train and develop colleagues, external clients and stakeholders where relevant.
- apply relevant sustainability principles to historic environment projects.
- present verbal and written arguments clearly and effectively.
- manage significant workloads of complex and conflicting data from multiple sources, demonstrating fluency with a wide range of historic environment theory, method and data sources, that can be used to challenge, reformulate and produced clear strategic recommendations and significant changes in historic environment advice.
Behaviours 6
- take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and of others, including members of the public, who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work
- be capable of conceptual thought, independent decision-making and professional judgement in order to solve problems and tackle complex projects with many interacting factors
- commit to quality and their continuous professional development
- work effectively individually and as part of a team, including providing strategic leadership. Contributing to, and supporting others to, work and drive change and innovation within the context of organisational, sectoral and wider governmental and commercial strategic priorities relevant to the historic environment.
- develop and maintain honest and constructive client and colleague relationships. Be approachable and able to communicate with all levels of their own and other organisations, as well as the general public
- be resilient and deal with controversial issues and conflicts of interest, difficult situations and confidential data sensitively. Be sensitive to and aware of the significance of the historic environment, and the needs of its stakeholders, being conscious of integrity, honesty and professional ethical requirements.
Live vacancies
No live vacancies for this course as of 2026-07-24 — new adverts appear on Find an apprenticeship daily, and many degree apprenticeship employers recruit on their own careers sites instead.
Universities registered to deliver it
No university is currently on the provider register for this standard — delivery is by specialist training providers. The full provider list is on Find apprenticeship training.
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Official sources
- Official standard page (Skills England)
- Registered training providers (Find apprenticeship training)
Occupational summary, duties, knowledge, skills and behaviours reproduced from the ST0831 apprenticeship standard (last updated 2022-01-18) — contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Always check the official page before applying: standards get revised.