Landscape Development and River Steward - Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom - Environmental Projects in Kirklees

Description

Are you passionate about nature recovery in the Pennine Valleys? Could you create more diverse habitats along the Colne Valley in Huddersfield, working with volunteers and the community.

Could you enlist others to contribute to better stewardship of rivers in an urban setting?EPIKS has been working with partners to improve the River Colne and give people better access to wildlife-rich habitats for over 20 years.

Three years ago, we developed the Huddersfield Riverside Nature Park.

This new project will help the HRNP to become a pilot for developing a network of more diverse habitat mosaics that could be implemented at a landscape scale.

You will be working as part of a team in the Colne and Calder Landscape Links Landscape Recovery project, with partners from Calderdale and Kirklees Councils, Calder Rivers Trust, Moors for the Future and EPIKS across 10,000 hectares of the Colne and Upper Calder.

The pilot Habitat Improvement Plan you will be working on will demonstrate and model techniques to show how we can improve biodiversity along the valleys.

Engaging and involving people will be a key part of that process, as will the improvement of infrastructure to help people access nature on their doorstep.

Establishing a sense of corporate responsibility for businesses, and mechanisms for contributing to the improvement of the area in which they operate, will also be part of your remit.

You will share your knowledge and findings with the wider Landscape Recovery team.


Salary:
£27,810 - £29,870 Per Annum pro rata 0.6 FTEOffice base in Huddersfield, with options for flexible working and option to work from home

Benefits:

Pension Scheme, 20 days Annual Leave plus 8 bank holidaysDuration: 2 Years fixed contractPrinciple Duties and ResponsibilitiesYou will be highly organised, systematic and personable, and able to carry out practical conservation work.

You will focus on the improvements of woodlands, rivers and peri–urban greenspaces with volunteers from a range of backgrounds.

You will have experience in the repair and improvements to blue-green infrastructure, so that people can access nature, leisure and active travel in the Nature Park.

You will work with others to develop new funding streams and implement better river stewardship to ensure sustainable management into the future.

Manage the delivery of CCaLL project objectives including reporting to time and quality standards. Champion and contribute to CCaLL in a proactive and positive way.

Lead and manage practical woodland and riverine management along the River Colne with the help of volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds.

Plan, design, seek permissions and implement river and canal side path access improvements with a prime focus (but not exclusively) on CCALL target groups.

Provide an oversight, analysis, and recommendation of an appropriate volunteer model to maximise engagement and impact across the Colne and Calder valleys in the CCaLL project area.

Enlist and secure financial support of local businesses in river stewardship and sponsorship. Contribute ideas to the development of a sustainable river stewardship business model.
Record, report and evaluate the impact of projects making recommendations for improvement, shared learning.
Be proactive and respond to requests for data, information and content for communications and marketing purposes. Lead and contribute to CCaLL and stakeholder events promoting Stewardship work.

Liaising with colleagues from the comms and engagement team to foster a greater understanding of nature restoration for climate resilience, the benefits of accessible and enhanced green-blue infrastructure and the special qualities of the Lower Colne landscape.

The post will require some evening, weekend and bank holiday working.

Outcomes Enhanced habitatsImproved accessibilityIncreased engagement from all sectors of the communityProgress towards a self-financing management model Contribute to Delivery of Defra Landscape Recovery Round 2 contract (CCaLL)Manage external communications including social media in coordination with project officers.

Ensuring safe data collection of volunteer and supporter information.
Ensuring EPIKs works in partnership with other groups and organisations.

Essential Qualifications/SkillsConsiderable knowledge and practical experience of working in nature conservation, community and volunteer settings, and engaging with the voluntary, statutory and private sectors.

Education to degree level or equivalent Experience in delivering capital projects and budget management (min £10,000)Excellent communication and organisational skills.

Able to manage projects and priorities, organise own work schedules and achieve objectives without close supervision, paying close attention to detail.

Ability to work inclusively, working with diverse communities and groups.
Good working knowledge of IT and Microsoft packages.
Experience of using social media to promote and communicate key messages.
Experience of partnership working.
Adherence to health and safety, safeguarding and GDPR.Commissioning, monitoring and approval of sub-contractors work.
Full driving licence. The role offers an office base in Huddersfield, with options for flexible working and working from home.

To apply for this role, please submit a covering letter and CV to outlining your reasons for wanting to work for EPIKS and how your experience fits in with the role profiles.

Please use the same email address for any questions about the roles.
Closing date for this role is midnight, Saturday 4th May 2024Interviews will be in w/c 6th May 2024