Role Summary
Job title: Catchment Restoration Officer
(3 x positions required, in the following areas; Severn Vale catchment, Warwickshire Avon catchment, Teme catchment – see links to maps below)
Location of job: Flexible working arrangements – home-based with office working available
Post holder reports to: Programme Manager – South
Travel requirements: There will be a requirement for regular (2 to 3 days/week) travel throughout the respective catchments (see catchment map below).
Salary: £24,500 – £31,000 (9% employer pension contribution)
Position type: Permanent
Working arrangements: Full-time time (37.5 hours per week)preferable but part time hours will be considered, with a flexible working approach
28 days Annual Leave plus bank holidays. This will increase to 30 days, plus bank holidays, after successful completion of two years’ service
A generous home working allowance will also be provided
Working area maps: Teme Catchment, Severn Vale Catchment, Warwickshire Avon Catchment
Overall purpose of the job:
This is an exciting opportunity to join our Operations Team and take the lead on overseeing the delivery of a range of ambitious catchment restoration initiatives. Your allocated projects will require you to get hands on in planning and implementing a range of habitat interventions, including wetlands, woodlands and river restoration works.
Your work will require you to engage with a diverse range of private landowners, from farmers to public bodies, fostering their support for environmental programmes and providing land management advice, to inform their decisions to the benefit of the water environment.
Importantly, you will work collaboratively as part of a wider team, to ensure the correct support, knowledge and experiences are being leveraged to deliver at a consistently high standard. Where additional support is needed, you will procure and oversee a diverse portfolio of skilled contractors, to deliver the proposed works to the same high standards.
Finally, you will also collaborate with a range of partners and key stakeholders, establishing strong working relationships that culminate in the scaling up of our delivery, ensuring a ‘bigger, better, more joined up’ approach to project delivery within your allocated catchment area.
About Severn Rivers Trust
The River Severn is longest river in the United Kingdom, stretching 220 miles from its source in the Cambrian Mountains in Powys Wales, through the counties of Shropshire, Worcestershire and into Gloucestershire to the iconic estuary. The culture and economies of the historic settlements across the catchment have been intertwined with the river through commercial navigation, fishing, water supply and trade. Today, the Severn’s rivers continue to play an essential role in supporting wildlife, wellbeing and economies of the region.
We are living through a time of great change. We are in the middle of a biodiversity crisis, and a climate emergency. We are witnessing disastrous loss of habitat, collapse of ecosystems, erosion of precious soils, increased flooding and devastating drought. At Severn Rivers Trust we are fighting for a future where our children and grandchildren can enjoy healthy vibrant rivers teeming with diverse and wonderful life – from Atlantic salmon to white clawed crayfish, and from freshwater pearl mussels to European eel. The Severn Rivers Trust’s vision for the Severn is: A healthy, resilient river Severn for everyone.
The Severn Rivers Trust is the only organisation that works across the entire River Severn Basin area in both England and Wales, some 11,500 square miles! We are a proactive and adaptable team of dedicated staff. Our motto is “We get our feet wet” – meaning we make things happen on the ground and constantly strive to make a real and positive difference for the river and its communities.
Our work and how we organise ourselves
Our team comprises around 25 dedicated staff, organised across the following four teams;
- Operations Team
- Development Team
- Community Engagement Team
- Finance & Administration Team
Collectively, we are now delivering in excess of 60 conservation and engagement-based projects throughout our operational area. Our most notable projects cover the following work areas: river restoration, regenerative agriculture and outreach educational & engagement programmes. Inevitably, we do not work alone. Our work requires close collaboration with a host of statutory agencies, NGO’s and private sector companies to maximise our impact. To learn more about our work, please visit our website: www.severnriverstrust.com
A closer look at the specific work requirements for each of the three positions available
Severn Vale
The Severn Vale sits at the crossroads of the internationally renowned Severn Estuary SAC and the UK’s longest river. Throughout the Severn Vale we are delivering a diverse programme of ambitious projects that aim to preserve and enhance the dynamic watercourses of the lower Severn. At present, our projects are focused on improving fish passage potential, In-channel and offline habitat creation and catchment management initiatives. The Catchment Restoration Officer (Severn Vale) will be leading on the development and delivery of our Cinderford Brook Restoration Project, which aims to transform the physical and ecological status of this forgotten watercourse. Our innovative restoration plan includes both in-channel and catchment-based capital works. Deliverables will include; in-channel substrate suppletion, large woody debris (LWD) installation, wetland creation and low flow resilience measures. Collectively, these interventions will deliver multiple benefits centred around enhancing ecological resilience to low flows within the sub-catchment.
Teme
The River Teme (SSSI) is the jewel in the Severn’s crown, hosting some of the country’s most diverse habitats and species of critical importance. We have a landscape defining package of works ongoing and it is time to deliver even more. This role will be focused on the delivery of natural flood management (NFM), alongside wider habitat creation and restoration initiatives. Importantly, you will be working with landowners throughout the catchment to identify and deliver projects that promote and ensure Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG). You will also support on our woodland creation programs throughout the Teme Catchment, helping contribute towards our ambitious goal of creating and/or restoring 300 hectares of new riparian woodland across the Severn catchment.
Like all Catchment Restoration Officers, you will have the autonomy to develop new projects that deliver against our wider strategic objectives, such as wetland restoration, farmland habitat creation and fish passage improvements.
Warwickshire Avon
The Warwickshire Avon catchment can be characterised by its seemingly endless rolling hills and charismatic rivers, whereas the River Avon itself is widely recognised for its natural beauty and ecological importance. More than 50 water dependent SSSI’s pepper the landscape and they are all intrinsically linked to the catchment the successful candidate will be restoring. As with the catchments detailed above, we have a capital heavy delivery programme which aims to transform the Warwickshire Avon by working with a diverse range of project partners to deliver in-channel and landscape-scale habitat restoration interventions. Due to the agricultural nature of the catchment, a key aspect of this role will be providing on-farm conservation advice, and subsequently, the delivery of capital features such as constructed farm wetlands, riparian buffer strips and livestock watercourse exclusion zones.
Role Requirements
Project management
- Prepare work programmes for assigned projects to ensure the effective delivery and smooth running of an agreed programme of restoration interventions.
- Prepare and adhere to delivery programs with pre-agreed milestones. Ensure the effective management of resources and decisively deploy appropriate delivery mechanisms to carry out capital works, e.g. external contractors, volunteer groups, staff etc.
- Plan and oversee the delivery of capital works, ensuring best practice and high standards are consistently achieved
- Effectively manage and prioritise work programs to ensure project deliverables are met within the project timeframes
- Manage delegated project budgets to ensure expenditure remains on track and within the allocated budget
- Liaise with and report back to the funder via clear, concise reports and presentations on the progress of the project
Landowner engagement & project delivery
- Grow the Trust’s presence and credibility within the catchment, focusing attention on pre-agreed priority areas.
- Work closely with landowners in the catchment to explain your projects, gain their trust, ensure their buy-in and ultimately deliver the project objectives on third part sites
- Provide sound professional advice to landowners on a range of environmental priorities including; natural flood management, habitat creation, restoration & management, water quality and sustainable agricultural practices
- Design and oversee the installation of land and riverine management interventions that contribute to the above environmental priorities
- Proactively promote allocated projects, and foster landowner support for their delivery
- Keep up to date with evolving environmental regulations and support opportunities that will shape the British countryside.
Partnership working & collaboration
- Forge strong working relations with key stakeholders and establish SRT as the ‘go-to’ delivery partner
- Support partners with the development of new, collaborative project ideas that will deliver against key priorities in the catchment.
- Inspire and engage stakeholders with different agendas and priorities to ‘think big’ and work together to enhance and protect our water environments.
Other Duties
- Where necessary, mentor junior colleagues and share knowledge throughout the Trust
- You shall lead by example in prioritising health and safety and wellbeing by taking responsibility for yourself, participants, volunteers, and colleagues
- You shall always comply with Severn Rivers Trust’s Health & Safety and Safeguarding policies and defined standards of behaviour
- You may be required to carry out other duties and tasks as required from time to time for the efficient operation of the Trust.
Person specification
| Skills and Experience | Essential | Desirable |
| Experience working with landowners to identify and prioritise opportunities for habitat interventions. | | |
| Practical, hands-on experience delivering habitat interventions within farm and river environments. | | |
| Experience in project management, including budget management. | | |
| Experience managing contracts and contractors. | | |
| Experience in producing and using health and safety protocols, including working under CDM regulations. | | |
| A sound working knowledge of farm / freshwater habitats, and associated priority species. Specifically in respect to the water environment. | | |
| Capable of identifying priority habitats and advising on their management/restoration | | |
| Good understanding of agriculture and other land-use practices, as well as Agri-environment schemes and relevant policies or legislation; in particular soil and water conservation. | | |
| Familiar with catchment-scale approaches and processes, for example Ecosystem Services, Natural Capital, Natural Flood Management. | | |
| Experience using IT software including email, MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel and videoconference apps. | | |
| Ability to manage workload effectively and prioritise tasks to demanding timelines. | | |
| Ability to communicate effectively, with integrity, tact and diplomacy, both verbally and in writing, to a wide range of stakeholders. | | |
| Ability to work well on your own initiative with high levels of self-motivation and enthusiasm | | |
| Ability to travel regularly and to remote sites, and work some evenings and weekends. | | |
| Confidence in partnership working, e.g. with businesses, statutory bodies and voluntary organisations | | |
| A full UK driving license, with access to a personal vehicle insured for business purposes, and ability to drive SRT work vehicles. | | |
| Experience in project monitoring – collection, analysis and presentation of data. | | |
| Relevant qualification, for example in Environmental Science or Countryside Management. | | |
| GIS data and mapping skills | | |
| Experience developing project proposals and funding applications | | |
| Experience of line management / mentoring | |
General Notes
This post will be based at the home address of the appointed employee, with an expectation of regular travel throughout the Severn region and occasional travel to the Trust’s offices in Martley and/or Welshpool. Therefore, a full, current UK driving license and daily access to a vehicle covered by business insurance is essential for this role. To reduce travel time and carbon footprint we would prefer candidates to live within the project area. Mileage costs will be reimbursed.
This position may occasionally be required to work during evenings, weekends and public holidays. The Trust operates a time-off in lieu system.
Application process
For further information or to discuss this post please contact Liam Reynolds (Programme Manager – South) on liam.reynolds@severnriverstrust.com, or 07432 377823
Deadline for applications: Midnight, Tuesday 14th March
Interviews for this post will take place during week commencing 20th March
To apply for this role please send a copy of your CV to admin@severnriverstrust.com along with a two-page covering letter. This should summarise how your skills and experiences will enable you to meet the role requirements of this position, as set out in the Role Requirements section of the job description. Please use the four sub-headings to organise your response.
Due to the high levels of applications usually received by the Trust for job vacancies we will only contact candidates who are invited to interview for the position.
Thank you for your interest in the role with the Severn Rivers Trust
