Project Assistant

Job title: Project Assistant
Location: Merseyside
Salary: £23,400 per year (plus £20/month phone allowance)
Closes: Wednesday 1st May 2024
Position: Project Assistant
Hours: Full Time, 37.5 hours per week. Flexibility required (some evening
& weekend work)

Background

The Mersey Rivers Trust (MRT) is an environmental charity focussing on the protection and
enhancement of rivers and waterbodies in the Mersey Catchment. It operates in an area covering
Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire. The Trust works with partners, local communities
and volunteers to deliver a wide range of projects including river restoration, reduction of
flood risk by Natural Flood Management techniques, river monitoring, volunteer events (eg river
clean-ups/invasive species control and citizen science), community engagement and education
events, farm advice/plans and biodiversity net gain.

This is a great opportunity to gain valuable experience working in the environmental sector.

The successful candidate will support our NFM Programme Manager to develop MRT’s new Alt
Catchment NFM Project, and assist MRT Project Managers to deliver ongoing projects.

The role is initially offered until October 2024, but with the hope of extension (dependent on
successful bid submission and funding).

Main duties

• Assist the NFM Programme Manager with the monitoring requirements of the Alt Catchment NFM
  programme e.g. water quality analysis, river MoRPh surveys, collection of water flow and depth
  data etc – average of 2 days per week but likely to be more some weeks than others.
• Assist the Merseyside Project Managers in their day-to-day tasks – average of 3 days per
  week
  • Peat project – sampling of peat water levels (training provided), engagement with
    farmers
  • Species survival project – assist with ecology surveys
  • Alt Meadows – assist with Water Vole survey and electrofishing
  • NFM projects – assist with walkovers, community engagement work etc.
• Assist other MRT Project Managers if required, and when workload allows

Key skills/experience:

• Scientific background preferable
• An interest in the environment and/or ecology
• Ability to engage with stakeholders, including farmers and the wider community
• Have a full driving licence and access to a car insured for business purposes
• Self-motivated and able to work effectively from home
• Ability to work flexibly, including some early mornings, some evenings and some
  weekends/bank holidays – ecology surveys will be at unsociable hours
• Ideally Merseyside-based to reduce mileage and therefore carbon footprint

Please note that whilst beneficial, no project management or surveying experience is required –
as all necessary training will be provided.

To apply: 

If you wish to apply, please send a CV (no more than two sides of A4) and covering letter (no
more than two sides of A4), outlining how you meet the requirements of the person specification
and job description and why you want to work for the Trust. Please email your application to
the Merseyside Senior Project Manager, Andy Martin ([email protected]).

Applications must be received by email no later than the end of Wednesday 1st May 2024.

Interviews will be held in early May either via Zoom or face-to-face depending on
circumstances.

If you would like more information about the role before submitting an application, you may contact
Andy Martin 07786992444 ([email protected]) or Rebecca Howard 07811207893 ([email protected]).