Local recruitment: Action Silk Stream Project Officer 

Action for Silk Stream Project Officer

Job Description

Salary:                       £27,000-£30,500, 35 hours per week

Contract length:      Fixed term to March 2027

Location:                   Thames21 offices/ home working/ various sites in the Silk Stream Catchment

Responsible to:        Engagement Manager, Head of Engagement and Education.

THAMES21

Thames21 is the leading charity for London’s rivers and those throughout the Thames Basin. We connect people by putting healthy rivers at the heart of everyday life. We restore rivers, increase resilience of our rivers and communities to a future climate, educate and empower the community and campaign for positive change for the good of people and their local rivers.

We’re a small, dynamic charity is looking for a key member of the team to help deliver our exciting Action for Silk Stream Programme.

Innovative Flood Resilience

Action for Silk Stream is one of 25 national programmes which are supported by the Flood and Coastal Innovation Resilience Fund and which aim to test and demonstrate innovative and practical flood resilience measures and activities. The evidence and learning developed through this programme will inform future investments and programmes in how to deliver healthier more climate resilient rivers, catchments and communities.

Action for Silk Stream

This 6 year programme started in 2021 and aims to use a combination of nature based solutions to address multiple sources of flooding, improve water quality, enhance biodiversity and improve the amenity value of public spaces. Interventions will be spread throughout the Silk Stream catchment and will include constructed wetlands, river restoration and integrated sustainable drainage systems.

The project will raise awareness amongst residents of the Silk Stream catchment of the causes of local flooding, how nature-based solutions can be used to build flood resilience and about how individual and businesses can protect their properties (Property Flood Resilience).

The involvement and integration of local communities and businesses within this programme is critical to its success and will occur at every stage of the programme from its conception, through its development, delivery and legacy.

Your role

The post holder will join Thames21’s Engagement and Education team and work together with our, Engagement Manager, Head of Improving Rivers, Evidence Manager and River Restoration Manager. The role will be to lead on the planning, organisation and delivery of a long-term innovative programme of community engagement focussed on building understanding and awareness of flood risk and potential solutions.  Working with the project team the post holder will facilitate the development and delivery of nature-based solutions to improve flood resilience across the catchment. The role will support collaborative design approaches, monitor benefits and evolve these processes to enable enhanced roll-out in future flood resilience programmes

As well as traditional engagement and participation techniques such as regular dialogue with community groups and volunteering activities, a number of innovative engagement techniques will be trialled, including community mapping and co-design. These activities aim to build long-term relationships and understanding of the catchment and facilitate communication between communities and multiple stakeholders to build local flood resilience as well as, improve the environment and our rivers.

Main duties and responsibilities

1. Work with the project team to plan and deliver a programme of volunteering and community engagement activities in the Silk Stream to enable a greater understanding of flood risk and the multiple benefits that nature-based solutions provide;
2. Work with the Engagement Manager to plan and facilitate co-design workshops that bring together local residents and the wider project team to synthesise local knowledge with technical expertise, to create collaborative designs for project interventions;
3. Deliver a series of practical volunteering activities for residents to get involved with the project including wetland planting river restoration and river care events;
4. Co-ordinate a variety of citizen science activities to investigate and gather evidence of river quality across a range of indicators and to inspire involvement & knowledge exchange;
5. Develop engagement materials that will enable people to learn about their local environment, local environment, climate change impacts and flood risks within the catchment, with a view to helping them take or support action to become more resilient;
6. Recruit, support and retain volunteers and community groups to secure long term sustainable involvement in the project;
7. Work with the Thames21 Training Officer to encourage volunteers to take Thames21 training courses and support trainees to form independently active groups;
8. Work closely with project managers and partners to ensure the programme of activity is coordinated and supports the achievement of project targets;
9. Represent Thames21 and the at relevant forums;
10. Maintain clear records of progress, ensure all administration and statistical information is kept, and regularly uploaded information onto the Thames21 CRM database;
11. Support the development of appropriate funding opportunities for the sustainability and further development of this work in liaison with the project team and Thames21 support;
12. Regular co-ordination with Thames21’s Communications Team to ensure key milestones are recognised and volunteer opportunities are publicised;
13. Attend Thames21 Team Meetings and liaise with Thames21 staff, including experience other projects through annual ‘project exchange’ days;

This job description cannot cover every issue or task that may arise within the post at various times and the post-holder will be expected to carry out other reasonable duties from time to time which are broadly consistent with other Thames21 activities and with those in this document.

Person Specification

It is essential that in your application you give evidence or examples of your proven experience in each of the following criteria including the competencies.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• 25 days paid annual leave are available pro rata plus public holidays.  In addition, the Thames21 office is closed between Christmas and New Year
• Thames21 operate a flexitime system of working.
• Thames21 have an ‘Auto Enrol’ Workplace Pension Scheme with NEST
• Laptop & Mobile phone for company use
• Childcare voucher scheme is available
• The postholder must be willing to travel sensibly throughout London

If you are interested in applying, please email your CV and covering letter of no more than two sides, stating your suitability for the position to: recruitment@thames21.org.uk

Thames21 is committed to achieving a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We welcome and encourage applicants from all sections of the community regardless of their sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, or religious belief. Thames21 will only recruit within the stated salary band for this role.

Deadline for completed applications: 3^rd February 2023

Interviews will be held on: week commencing: 13^th February 2023