Head of Monitoring and Data

**About us**

We are professional, agile, innovative and our goal is to INTRODUCTION TO THE WYE AND USK FOUNDATION (WUF) The Wye & Usk Foundation (WUF) is a registered charity concerned with the ecology and, more specifically, restoring the habitat, water quality and fisheries of the rivers Wye and Usk. The Foundation is a delivery organisation: working in partnership with other organisations, we raise significant sums of money to remedy problems such as habitat degradation, poor water quality and diffuse pollution, barriers to fish migration, over-exploitation of our fisheries and advance the education of the public in the conservation of our rivers. WUF is the largest rivers trust in England and Wales in terms of output. Our charitable objects are: To conserve, protect, rehabilitate and improve the salmon and other indigenous species of animal and plant life of the rivers Wye and Usk, their tributaries, streams and watercourses ("the River") and the banks, riparian lands and catchments of the river ("the River Corridor") and... To advance the education of the public in the conservation of rivers, river corridors and their animal and plant life and the need for conservation, protection, rehabilitation and improvement of such environments. Our Values: - Approachable - we are open-minded and value diversity - Non-judgemental - we focus on the potential, not the past - Inspiring - we lead by example - Empowering - we enable positive change - Passionate - we are absolutely committed to improving the Wye and Usk and their catchments These values inform how WUF and its staff fulfil their objectives and responsibilities..

Our work environment includes:

- Work-from-home days
- Casual work attire
- Relaxed atmosphere
- Flexible working hours

**RESPONSIBLE FOR**:
**CONTEXT OF THE ROLE**:
Directly reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, you will play a key role in the providing the Foundation and its partners with the evidence base to support our delivery.

You will benefit from working alongside a supportive and experienced wider team.

You will be joining a successful and growing River Trust with a great team of people dedicated to delivering positive changes to the catchments and aquatic environment. We are setting the agenda for better catchment management.

The key purpose of the role is to ensure that WUF’s activities are grounded in data and science and targeted appropriately by collecting the scientific evidence to support actions. There is a saying we use “if you don’t look you don’t see, if you don’t see you don’t act”

**ROLE DESCRIPTION**:
Your primary responsibilities will include:

- Design WUF’s monitoring strategy after determining the strategic needs and project requirements of the organisation
- Ensure data is collected and analysed according to best practise, along with working and coordinating with outside agencies to analyse samples as necessary
- Planning and delivering WUF electrofishing programme
- Information flow within WUF and to partners, donors and the wider public.
- Work with the team to devise, research, develop and manage projects focused predominantly on improving the evidence base to support the activities of WUF and partners.
- Ensuring the staff in your team(2) are supported and able to deliver to their full ability including co-ordinating a Continued Professional Development (CPD) programme for you and your team.
- Support and develop the citizen science co-ordinator to ensure citizen data is useful and can be benchmarked accordingly.
- Ensure the activities you are delivering are compliant with legislation and best practice.
- Own and manage (with budget responsibility) work packages on specific WUF Projects.
- Liaise with other organisations to ensure alignment and capturing/ developing best practice

This role, as and when considered necessary or appropriate, will be required to undertake other duties, within competence and within reason, to meet fluctuations or priorities in work demands.

**QUALIFICATIONS, TRAINING, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE**

**Essential**:

- An interest in the natural environment and the issues affecting the rivers Wye and Usk
- Experience of managing projects
- Experience of water quality or ecological monitoring
- Valid driving licence and own car, insured for business use
- Excellent communications skills
- Knowledge of running data gathering equipment such as sondes/ analysers.
- Ability to convey complex information simply and concisely to a wide range of audiences
- Good organisational/admin skills
- Excellent attention to detail
- Experience in report writing
- Good computer skills and ability to use Microsoft Office products (specifically Excel)
- Self-starter able to work on your own without day-to-day supervision
- Reliable and punctual with good attendance and work performance

**Desirable but not Essential**:

- Experience of PR and presenting
- Experience of electro-fishing
- Experience in the not for profit / charity sec