Current jobs related to Project Officer - Keswick - CCN Recruitment

CCN Recruitment are delighted to be working in partnership with the John Muir Trust, who are searching for talented individuals who would like to develop their career in a progressive conservation organisation. A new opportunity has arisen for a Project Officer to join the team in an exciting time for the Thirlmere Resilience Partnership.

At Thirlmere in the Lake District, the John Muir Trust work in partnership with United Utilities, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, and Natural England to deliver landscape-scale ecological restoration to improve the resilience of the whole Thirlmere catchment and improve raw water supply. Their work benefits people and wildlife by implementing natural solutions to the climate and biodiversity crises.

The role will involve working closely with partners at United Utilities and Cumbria Wildlife Trust, as well as supporting volunteers to help delivery practical work to restore ecosystems and protect wild places. You will need to liaise closely with the Property Manager at John Muir Trist, the Project Manager for Thirlmere Resilience, and the Catchment Partnership Officer at United Utilities.

**Person Specification**

Essential Skills, Knowledge, and Aptitude
- Experience of practical conservation work in similar habitats
- Experience of volunteer coordination and working with communities
- Experience of habitat and species monitoring
- Experience of carrying out purchasing and expenditure
- Experience of working successfully within partnerships and disseminating information
- Experience of working in partnership to deliver landscape-scale action.
- Understanding of local land management issues, including grazing management
- Evidence of Continued Professional Development relevant to the role (including any academic or vocational qualifications)
- Highly self-motivated, able to work autonomously and take initiative.
- Practical understanding of ecology, rural economies, and land management issues
- Ability to bring innovative creative thinking and fresh ideas to an organisation and/or its services.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills to engage with a wide range of organisation and individuals and to work well with others as part of a team.
- Ability to work to the John Muir Trust’s Risk Assessments and Health & Safety Policies
- Energy, enthusiasm, and flair to work hard and achieve ambitious targets.
- Values and ethics in line with the John Muir Trust
- Ability to enthuse others about the impacts of landscape-scale work.
- Ability to work flexible hours and locations
- Proficiency with digital communication tools
- Genuine interest in the outdoors and nature and connecting people with it.
- Commitment to conservation of wild land and wildlife
- Commitment to JMT’s core values and strategic direction

Other requirements
- Ability to travel to sites within the north of England, including Helvellyn
- Ability to travel outside the north-west to meet with colleagues across the Central Region
- Computer literacy, including proficiency with the Microsoft Office suite.

**Duties & Responsibilities**

Practical Nature Recovery
- Establish a programme for monitoring on site conditions across the area.
- Use the outputs of the monitoring programme to identify repairs and restoration work required and determine a schedule of priority.
- Plan a schedule of practical conservation work, in agreement with the partnership.
- Undertake practical conservation work, identifying which works require specialist contractors.
- Draft tenders for specialist work and agree them with site managers.
- Support the land managers to oversee delivery of contracts for conservation work.
- Support and coordinate volunteers to carry out practical conservation work.
- Ensure all relevant Health and Safety guidelines are followed and work is carried out safely.

Engagement
- Host site visits for members of the Thirlmere Resilience Partnership
- Alongside other members of the partnership, deliver talks on the work to local groups.
- Support work across the Helvellyn Massif to develop strong community links and participate in land management partnerships.
- Recruit and manage local volunteers.
- Train volunteers to carry out skilled works, either through practical hands-on experience, or arranging bespoke training sessions
- Support delivery of engagement activity (e.g. Youth Rangers Programme)
- Provide content (including images and text) showcasing activities carried out to be used for promotional purposes.

Operations
- Liaise and coordinate with the partners in relation to activities, resources, and funding.
- Carry out expenditure in accordance with an agreed budget to support the required practical works, up to £10,000 p.a.
- Ensure that John Muir Trust procedures are adhered to throughout the role.
- Ensure that any works carried out are in line with the goals of the partnership and the regional and organisational goals of John Muir Trust
- Undertake any other