The Rivers Trust is a leading environmental charity and the umbrella body of The Rivers Trust movement, comprising over 60 independent local charities. Our vision is for wild, healthy, natural rivers, valued by all. We are at a critical point in our history as we expand to deliver projects to protect and replenish this critical part of the natural environment, and our research and expertise is now needed more urgently than ever as water supply and quality move up the public agenda.
We are looking for a Catchment Technical Specialist – Integrated Catchment Planning and Environmental Markets Lead to lead this aspect of work for the North East Catchments Hub.
The North East Catchments Hub is an exciting new collaboration, created by a strategic partnership between The Rivers Trust and Northumbrian Water, and supported by environmental partners and catchment partnerships in the North East of England, to drive integrated catchment management and catchment and nature based solutions in the region. The Hub is recruiting a number of Subject Matter Experts to support its programme to 2025.
This position offers a unique opportunity to make a lasting and far-reaching impact for the North East and influence national conversations around integrated catchment planning and catchment nutrient balancing approaches. You will be the Hubs Subject Matter Expert on Integrated Catchment Planning and Environmental Markets to ensure that we develop evidence-led integrated catchment plans that tackle nutrient loading by working across the agriculture and water company sectors.
You will work with other roles across the Hub to lead the identification and design of catchment and nature based solutions, at a catchment scale, to address nutrient loading. You will work with partners and stakeholders to take an integrated planning approach to this, procuring external support where required. You will assess the multiple benefits of these schemes and explore market led approaches to develop a co-funded approach to delivery. You will support the capacity and capability building of delivery partners to enable delivery. You will support regional and national discussions by linking with the national Mainstreaming Nature Based Solutions project funded by Ofwat.
This is a full-time, home-based role. Some travel to the North East will be required, and potentially nationally on infrequent occasions. We are a welcoming and supportive organisation, and are keen to receive applications from all groups, communities, and personal circumstances.
The salary for the role is £31,867 – £37,178 per year (pro-rata for a part-time position)
The main job responsibilities are:
- Lead and support the development of catchment opportunity mapping for priority catchments. You will work with other Subject Matter Experts across the team and wider project partners to combine desk-based analysis, partnership activity (including farmers and land-owner) and data and evidence collated as part of the project to identify and collate opportunities that reduce nutrient pollution.
- Lead on the modelling and interpretation of diffuse (nutrient) pollution models (including, Farmscoper and SAGIS) to help set nutrient reduction targets and estimate nutrient reduction potential from catchment and nature based solutions (C&NBS) developed.
- Coordinate input from across the North East Catchments Hub team to agree the scope of catchment and nature based solutions (C&NBS) interventions for priority catchments. Identify and procure external technical advice and support, where required.
- Undertake multiple benefits assessments of agreed C&NBS interventions, with a view to building co-funding models to support delivery of the programme of work identified.
- Scope co-funding and green investment opportunities across the North East and undertake a gap analysis to make best use of current green finance projects and identify additional targeted work.
- Lead on producing co-funding and green investment plans for priority catchments. Initiate these plans where possible. Ensure that a regional and national approach is considered.
- Advise and support development of the ESRI Hub and Storymaps to ensure they meet the needs of the North East Catchments Hub.
- Link into the national Mainstreaming Nature Based Solutions Ofwat project to ensure that this approach is learning from and influencing the national discussion.
- Build effective and proactive relationships with relevant specialists in partners organisations, including The Rivers Trust, Northumbrian Water, local Rivers Trusts (Tweed, Northumberland, Tyne, Wear and Tees) and their catchment partnerships, Environment Agency, Stantec, Jacobs and Mott MacDonald, where required.
- Support conversations with project and external stakeholders, to agree an evidence led approach to nutrient management in the North East.
- Support in identifying capacity and capability constraints in project team and delivery organisations and developing solutions.
- Contribute to reporting cycles as necessary.
To apply, please send your CV with a covering letter or statement to show how you meet the following criteria (applications may not be considered if this not included):
- A working knowledge of integrated catchment management planning systems and catchment nutrient balancing approaches.
- A working knowledge of diffuse (nutrient) pollution models (including, Farmscoper, and/or SAGIS).
- An understanding of the following areas with practical experience in at least three of them and an aptitude to upskill quickly in others:
- Farm level priority mapping
- Diffuse pollution models (i.e., Farmscoper)
- Ecosystem service analysis/quantification, including Biodiversity Net Gain and nutrient neutrality
- Interpretation of data into practical format for farmers involved
- Soil and pinpoint database
- ESRI Hubs and Storymaps and how they can be used in integrated catchment planning
- Working knowledge of environmental market approaches and practical experience in development of them.
- Excellent data interpretation skills, reflecting the need to use the data to inform and influence stakeholders.
- Strong collaboration skills, experienced in working in cross sector teams with the water industry, government bodies (particularly the Environment Agency) and eNGOs.
- Ability to work with uncertainty, plan adaptively and work at pace.
- Strong personal commitment to opening the sector to under-represented groups and communities
- All applicants must have the right to work in the UK and be based in the UK.
The following are helpful and may be used to decide who to invite for interview, please include them if you have them:
- Existing relationships and networks with some of the key stakeholders identified above.
- Track record of successful project delivery and meeting funding requirements.
- Experience of identifying capacity and capability constraints and developing solutions / delivering training to address them.
- Experience of working from home.
You will also be expected to follow all Rivers Trust policies, including GDPR, EDI and Health & Safety and contribute to an inclusive and respectful working culture at all times. It is essential that you have access to secure and private accommodation suitable for working for home, and a reliable broadband connection.
If you have any questions which aren’t answered on our website or on the Recruitment FAQ, please contact anna.gerring@theriverstrust.org – please don’t use this email address to apply as we can only accept applications made through this system.
Closing date: Sunday 22nd October 2023
Interviews: Scheduled for between Monday 6th November – Friday 17th November. Please let us know in your application if there are any dates in this time frame that you are unavailable.
