Assistant Project Officer

Position: Assistant Project Officer
Location: West Cumbria
Hours: 21 hours per week (0.6 FTE)
Salary: £24,966 pro rata plus 9% pension (Band 3A). 18-month initial contract
(with likely extension subject to funding).

This exciting role provides an opportunity to build on successful small-scale works and shape
new projects delivering environmental improvements for wildlife, water quality and farm
businesses around the town of Wigton in north-west Cumbria.

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 delivery of projects.

We are seeking an Assistant Project Officer to work closely with farmers and landowners, local
communities and partner organisations to develop and deliver projects to improve watercourses,
including improving water quality, reducing flood risk and enhancing in-river and wider
catchment biodiversity. Predominantly you will be focused on watercourses within targeted
sub-catchments of the upper Rivers Waver and Wampool (including around the town of Wigton),
however, there may also be a requirement to work within other catchments depending on
operational need.

The successful candidates will have a degree or similar in an environmental or agricultural
discipline and at least 1 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 Waver/Wampool
area. You will also have excellent organisational, I.T. and reporting skills.

You will be part of a friendly and supportive team, reporting to the Project Manager and
supported by the Director, WCRT’s Trustees and the wider staff team. The Trust offers a range
of benefits including a generous pension 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: www.westcumbriariverstrust.org/contact/jobs

To apply for this post please send your CV with a covering letter setting out your experience
and qualifications as highlighted in the job specification to [email protected].

The closing date for applications is midnight on Sunday 26th March 2023.
Interviews will be held at our offices in Keswick on Thursday 30th March 2023.

If you would like to discuss the post further please contact Caitlin Pearson on 017687 75429 or
email [email protected].