Project Officer

We have an exciting opportunity to join a team of passionate people working on ‘Resilient Glenderamackin’ – our ambitious and large-scale blended finance catchment restoration project. This role provides an opportunity to work closely with farm businesses to develop and deliver an ambitious multi-million pound programme of work on the ground to restore watercourses and the wider catchment for multiple benefits.

West Cumbria Rivers Trust is an environmental charity dedicated to improving the watercourses and surrounding catchments in West Cumbria for people and wildlife. Our patch covers several principal river catchments and seven iconic lakes spanning a substantial part of the Lake District National Park, West Cumbria and the Solway. We have an impressive track-record of successful project delivery.

Having successfully become a round 2 Landscape Recovery pilot, we are looking to build the existing Resilient Glenderamackin team to develop the project, with the aim to start delivering on the ground in 2025. Working closely with the project team, you will be able to use your skills and knowledge to develop and deliver projects on the ground from concept through to delivery, to increase flood and drought resilience, improve water quality, and enhance in-river and wider catchment biodiversity in line with the objectives of the Resilient Glenderamackin project. Working closely with farmers and landowners, local communities and partner organisations, you will play an important part in initially developing, and subsequently delivering the ‘Land Management Plan’ element of the Landscape Recovery project. You will also be required to support other elements of the wider project and farmer group events.

The successful candidate will have a degree, or equivalent experience, in an environmental or agricultural discipline and at least 2 years’ experience in environmental project delivery. Building and maintaining positive working relationships with the farmers and landowners, upon whose land project interventions will be delivered, is a key aspect of this role. Therefore, strong communication skills and the ability to deal with a wide variety of people in a friendly and professional manner is essential. You will be a self-starter who can demonstrate a committed, mature and flexible approach and have the passion to develop our work in the catchment. You will also have excellent organisational, I.T. and reporting skills. Training and support will be provided.

You will be part of a friendly and supportive team, reporting to the Resilient Glenderamackin Project Manager and supported by the Trust’s Senior Management Team, WCRT’s Trustees and the wider staff team. The Trust offers a range of benefits including a generous pension scheme, life assurance scheme, flexible working opportunities, holiday buy-back scheme and a good supply of chocolate biscuits :)

If you believe that you have the passion, commitment and skills to take this exciting opportunity forward then we would like to hear from you. For further details, please visit the West Cumbria Rivers Trust website.

The closing date for applications is 9am on Monday 15thApril 2024. Interviews will be held at our offices in Keswick on 22nd April 2024.