Clerk to the Forth District Salmon Fishery Board

An opportunity has arisen to join our small team at the Forth District Salmon Fishery Board as
Clerk to the Board. The Clerk will be responsible for the management of the Forth District
Salmon Fishery Board activities, helping to deliver the long and short-term strategies and
goals set out by the Board, and delivering the duties of the legally required position of Board
Clerk. 

This is a part time position but will be both challenging and rewarding, helping to deliver
real change to Forth district fisheries working closely with the Forth Rivers Trust and other
agencies. 

A CV and cover letter should be submitted to the Convener at [email protected] no later than the 10th April 2023 with
interviews being carried out from the 17th April 2023.

Job title:

Clerk to the Forth District Salmon Fishery Board

Salary:

£46,000 to £50,000 per year pro rata (dependent on experience)

Hours:

Part time, minimum of 16 hours per week. Some weekend or evening work will be required

Location:

Flexible Hybrid. Some office hours will be required. Travel will be required to attend meetings
and site-visits, as necessary.

Introduction

The Forth District Salmon Fishery Board (FDSFB) (the ‘Board’) is the statutory body responsible
for the protection and enhancement of salmon and sea trout fisheries in the Forth District. It
was constituted under the 1862 and 1868 Salmon Fisheries Legislation, subsequently amended in
the Salmon Act 1986 and the Salmon Conservation (Scotland) Act 2001 and more recently
amalgamated under the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 2003.

Description of Role 

The Clerk will be responsible for the management of the Forth District Salmon Fishery Board
activities, helping to deliver the long and short-term strategies and goals set out by the
Board, and delivering the duties of the legally required position of Board Clerk. The Clerk
will report to the Convener of the Board.

General Responsibilities

• Delivering the strategic objectives of long and short-term projects to successful
  conclusions.
• Act as Clerk to the FDSFB, including organising Board meetings and triennial elections.
• Maintain official administrative and financial records and documents and ensure compliance
  with statute, good governance guidelines and codes of practice, including production of regular
  monthly and annual reports.
• Maintain an up-to-date management and enforcement database to assist in goal delivery.
• Report to the Board all activities requiring Board oversight and approval, on a monthly
  basis.
• Provide reports to Scottish Government on behalf of the Board, as required by legislation.
• Undertake all responsibilities using modern best practice in management.

Public Relations, Media and Communications

• Manage official Board correspondence in conjunction with the Convener.
• Maintain active, and up to date knowledge of the fisheries sector, ensuring that Board
  members are fully informed of important facts, issues or any changes to current legislation or
  methodology by related organisations.
• Establish good working relationships within the Fishery Board network, Forth Rivers Trust,
  Government agencies, community groups and other organisations.
• Represent and promote the Board’s strategic objectives and formal opinion to the general
  public.

Staff Management

• Line Management of the Board Superintendent, Operations Manager, Fisheries Development
  Officer, and Seasonal/Voluntary staff as and when required.
• Be responsible for the recruitment, employment and release of all personnel from the FDSFB,
  both paid staff and volunteers
• Ensure that job descriptions are clearly defined, regular performance evaluations are held
  and that best practice HR guidelines are used.
• Encourage and assist the personal development of full time, part time and voluntary staff
  defining attainable continuous personal development opportunities.

Budgeting and Finance

• Oversee all operational budget decisions, liaising with the Convener and Board as
  necessary.
• Work with the FDSFB board members in preparing an annual budget and ensure that the
  organisation operates within budget guidelines
• Ensure that adequate funds are available to permit the organisation to carry out their work
• Report yearly on income and expenditure

Skills and Background

• You must have a keen interest in, and understanding of the pressures faced by migratory
  fish, particularly in the Forth district, and the legislation that protects them
• You will have a proven track record in managing and delivering projects involving multiple
  organisations, preferably with experience of dealing with government, its agencies and
  environmental bodies
• You must be an experienced and capable line manager, able to manage a small team remotely.
• You must be an adept and flexible manager, able to cover wide-ranging tasks, both in and
  out of the office
• You must be reasonably fit, as visits to remote sites in rough terrain will sometimes be
  essential
• Your communications skills will be key in this role
• You will be required to liaise closely with, in particular, the Forth Rivers Trust Director
  and their team in order to deliver the Board’s key strategies and objectives

Essential skills and experience:

• Proven project management and delivery experience
• Knowledge of the environmental sector
• Experienced in budgeting and finance
• Experienced in public relations and communication
• Excellent people management skills including internal and external stakeholders
• Demonstrable experience in report writing and review
• Good working knowledge of Health & Safety and risk assessment laws and guidelines
• Competency in Microsoft Office packages
• A full driving licence

Desirable skills and experience:

• Fisheries or land management experience
• Experience of fisheries law in Scotland
• A record of continual professional development