Monitoring and Delivery Officer (Flood Resilience Project)

Job Overview

Through the Environment Agency’s Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme, a partnership involving the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames (LBRuT), WWT and Barnes Common Limited (BCL) successfully submitted a bid for funding a project on the Beverley Brook catchment in Richmond. This covers the area from Richmond Park to north Barnes and is one of 25 areas across England to receive approximately £6 million of funding to deliver innovative flood Resilience Projects over a period of six years (2021- 2027).

The partnership’s project, Community BlueScapes, aims to increase the ability to prepare for, cope with and recover from flooding by using nature based solutions, natural flood management, sustainable drainage systems, new learning programmes and co-producing solutions with and for the local community.

The role will be for a 2-year fixed term contract as a Monitoring and Delivery officer employed by BCL to assist with progressing and evaluating the project work. This will be an exciting opportunity for an ‘on-the-ground’ officer to provide support in completing surveys, site visits, checking sites and completing hands-on work. The role will also include some office-based work such as processing survey data, contacting contractors and applying for licenses or permits in order to implement natural flood management, nature based solutions and Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS). The successful applicant will also be expected to support the ongoing delivery of other, various projects including river restoration and pond creation.

BCL is a nature conservation, community and educational based charity based in Barnes in Richmond that undertakes 3rd sector management on behalf of and in partnership with LBRuT. BCL work to conserve the natural spaces on multiple sites including its namesake, Barnes Common and have a small, close-knit team that care deeply for the local area and people. BCL is an equal opportunities employer.

Job Duties & Responsibilities:

• This role will have dual responsibilities with time equally split between the two.
  • (a). To support the scientific monitoring activities of the Community BlueScapes project.
  • (b). To support the ongoing project delivery work of the Community BlueScapes project.
• To support the ongoing project delivery work of the Community BlueScapes project.
• Monitoring responsibilities will include data processing (such as insect sample identification) and on-site monitoring including tasks such as Riverfly/ Smart River, geomorphic surveys, morphology surveys, audiomoth surveys, sticky trapping and other outdoor activities.
• The officer will be required to write and follow risk assessments to ensure the safety of themselves and others in outdoor and river environments.
• Delivery responsibilities may include tasks such as engagement with stakeholders, requesting quotes from contractors, site visits with contractors/ stakeholders/project partners supporting events, speaking to the public, communicating with the project team, preparing sites for work and other such tasks involved in delivering successful schemes.
• The officer will be required to perform any other reasonable duties that may be assigned by BCL’s Project Manager (Community BlueScapes) from time to time.

Job requirements:

• Due to the nature of ecological monitoring, the role will seasonally require early start times (e.g. 8 am)
• The officer will be requested to attend evening and weekend meetings from time to time as required.
• The officer will ensure that all services are provided in accordance with local and national health and safety requirements and comply with the relevant Codes of Practice including data protection.
• To adhere to security controls and requirements as mandated by BCL and partners to maintain confidentiality, integrity, availability and legal compliance of information and systems.
• To promote a safe, supportive and welcoming environment where all people are treated with dignity and their identity and culture are valued and respected.
• The officer will work with colleagues across the project to enable effective partnership working.
• This role is hands-on and the officer must be capable of completing field work, monitoring activities and other physical tasks so a good level of physical fitness is required and a willingness to work outdoors and in all weathers.
• Either living or be prepared to live within 30 minutes of Barnes, S.W. London and possess a clean driving license.
• Experience of working in flood risk projects or leading and / or managing volunteers is not essential but would be useful to have.
• Two references will be required.

Personal Requirements:

The values and behaviours we seek from our staff draw on the high standards of the partnership organisations.

• Have the ability to enthusiastically and effectively communicate with people at all levels, particularly members of the public but also volunteers, school children, students, council officers and contractors.
• Taking responsibility and being accountable for achieving the best possible outcomes – a ‘can do’ attitude to work.
• Good team working and collaboration skills that value partnership working.
• Being able to follow instructions accurately.
• Confident to complete any tasks set independently.
• Problem solving and adaptive thinking – being able to think on your feet.
• Continuously seeking better value working practices to improve efficiency and quality of work.

Technical Skills:

Required:

• Field/site work experience.
• Experience conducting scientific surveys and monitoring activities.
• Ability to process datasets collected on site.
• Experience writing risk assessments.
• Ability to use hand tools.

Useful to have:

• Experience conducting surveys including:
  • MoRPh
  • Sediment / other geomorphology surveying
  • Riverfly/ Smart Rivers
  • Audiomoth
  • Water Quality parameters
  • Hydrometric monitoring
  • Sticky traps
• Chainsaw/ strimmer/ brush cutter experience
• Experience driving utility vehicles (UTV).
• Experience writing licence/ permit applications (e.g. Flood Risk Activity Permits).

Professional Skills :

Required:

• IT literacy.

Useful to have:

• A degree or qualification in a related field (ecology, biology, geography, natural sciences)
• IT skills – using GIS (Geographic information systems).
• First Aid and DBS certificates.

Terms of Contract:

Job Title: Monitoring and Delivery Officer (Flood Resilience Project).
Contract: This is a full time position and will be a fixed term contract for two years.
Salary: £23,000 - £25,000 per annum dependent on experience.
Hours: 37.5 hours per week.
Reporting to: BCL’s Project Manager (Community BlueScapes).
Probationary Period: There will be a probationary period of four months.
Notice Period: Four weeks for both employer and employee.
Pension: A basic ‘defined contribution’ pension complying with the government ‘opt out’ pension legislation. BCL operates a policy of postponement for the first three months.
Holiday: 28 days holiday per annum – this will be pro-rated according to start date.
Place of Work: The post will be based at the Vine Road Recreation Ground, Barnes, London Borough of Richmond, SW13 0NE.
Training: BCL is committed to personal development and training and can supply first aid training. For the right candidate further training in surveying may also be available.

Application:

CV’s and a short covering note should be sent to recruitment@barnescommon.org.uk as can any initial queries about the position. Deadline for applications is 5pm Friday 8th March with first interviews expected to commence from 12th March and second interviews following shortly afterwards in anticipation of a likely start date around early April. Receipt of applications will be acknowledged but any further notifications will only be for those who are called for interview.