River Engagement & Education Officer

at  Bristol Avon Rivers Trust BART

Job description

TRAVEL AND SCHEDULE REQUIREMENTS

This position will be based at the home address of the appointed employee, with regular use of the Trust’s desk space in Bristol. The post holder will be required to travel frequently throughout the Bristol Avon catchment for meetings, site visits, community and school events, and more. A full, current UK driving license and daily access to a vehicle covered by business insurance are essential for this role.
To minimise travel time and reduce carbon emissions, we prefer candidates who live within the catchment area. Mileage costs will be reimbursed. Additionally, this position may occasionally require working evenings, weekends, and public holidays to fulfil the responsibilities of the role. The Trust operates a time-off in lieu system.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Essential

• A strong passion for rivers, wildlife, and nature conservation.
• Eager to acquire new skills and enhance your understanding of river conservation, volunteering, and engagement activities.
• Capable of adhering to organisational policies, particularly regarding safeguarding and health and safety.
• Enjoyment of practical, hands-on work and spending time outdoors.
• Ability to work under own initiative

• Willingness to actively participate in completing tasks.

• Excellent communication skills, verbally, visually and in writing, appropriate to location, audience and circumstance.

• A highly effective and dependable team member.
• Proficient in IT software, including email, MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and videoconferencing applications.
• Ability to travel frequently to remote sites and work some evenings and weekends.
• Possession of a full UK driving license, with access to a personal vehicle insured for business use.

Desirable:

• Experience in leading engaging and accessible learning activities in both indoor and outdoor settings.
• Experience working with children and / or volunteers
• Practical experience with conservation initiatives, including habitat creation, woodland planting, and river engineering.
• Proven experience in project monitoring, including the collection, analysis, and presentation of data.
• Ability to clearly articulate the importance of nature to wellbeing through presentations and verbal or written methods

OVERALL PURPOSE OF THE JOB

The River Engagement and Education Officer will become a valued member of our small, friendly, and highly dedicated Community Engagement and Education Team. In this role, you will help organise river-related activities aimed at inspiring individuals and empowering them to take action for their rivers.
You will be actively involved in the catchment area, supporting volunteer initiatives, conducting school sessions, and assisting with community workshops. Your role will include facilitating enjoyable and memorable experiences through challenges, games, and experiments, allowing participants to explore their river environments and appreciate the benefits of being close to nature.
Additionally, you will encourage individuals to develop new skills by engaging in conservation activities such as river clean-ups, citizen science water quality monitoring, and wildlife surveys.
Please note that this position involves regulated activities with children, so the successful candidate will need to undergo an Enhanced DBS check prior to employment.

ROLE PURPOSE

This role will be pivotal in the Trust’s expansion of its community engagement and education work packages – a key strand of the Trust’s 5-year strategy (coming soon).
The role will include the following aspects:
Community Engagement Activities

Assist with delivery of our established community engagement programmes, including:

• Assisting in the execution of practical conservation activities for volunteers, including litter picks, vegetation management, and tree planting.
• Leading on written / graphic communications such as social media posts, website articles and press releases.
• Training and supporting volunteers in citizen science monitoring, such as wildlife surveys and water quality testing.
• Leading educational sessions for schools, including assemblies, in-class workshops, and site visits to the river.
• Facilitating engaging workshops about rivers for families with young children.
• Preparing equipment and learning resources for activities, ensuring all items are well-maintained.
• Taking the initiative to expand your knowledge and develop skills relevant to the role.
• Assisting in the collection of monitoring data to support progress assessments and end-of-project reports.

Organisation and Teamwork

• Serve as a dependable team member, contributing to high-quality volunteering and learning activities.
• Manage your time effectively to travel to various locations within the catchment and dedicate time to independent work from home.
• Develop skills in prioritising your workload to ensure tasks are completed within established deadlines.

Partnership Working and Communication

• Serve as a welcoming representative for Bristol Avon Rivers Trust, maintaining a professional demeanour.
• Shadow colleagues to gain experience in effective communication and collaborative practices with key partners, including Wildlife Trusts, the Environment Agency, Natural England, and Local Authorities.
• Attend meetings, events, and exhibitions, confidently engaging with diverse audiences, such as families, schools, volunteers, and community groups.

OTHER DUTIES:

• Furthermore, you will be a vital member of the Bristol Avon Rivers Trust team, contributing to the achievement of our strategic objectives.
• Prioritise health, safety, and wellbeing by taking responsibility for yourself and being mindful of the needs of others, including participants, volunteers, and colleagues.
• Foster a workplace culture that encourages staff to feel motivated to come to work, perform at their best, and feel comfortable being their authentic selves.