Role Summary
Job title: GIS and Data Officer
Location of job: Hybrid working – home based within the Severn catchment, with occasional working in SRT Head Office, Martley, Worcester and travel throughout the Severn catchment area.
Post holder reports to: Ecosystem Services Lead
Salary: £25,200 to £31,900 pro rata (9% employer pension contribution)
Position type: Permanent
Working arrangements: Part-time role (22.5 hours per week) with a flexible working approach and potential to increase to full time with additional operational responsibilities for the right candidate.
28 days Annual Leave plus bank holidays. This will increase to 30 days, plus bank holidays, after successful completion of two years’ service.
A generous home working allowance will be provided.
Purpose of the job
Severn Rivers Trust are recruiting for a GIS and Data Officer, whose role it will be to underpin the evidence-based approach taken by the Trust, by managing, analysing and communicating spatial data to inform effective river catchment management.
Working within our Development Team, this position will provide cross-cutting technical support to team members throughout our organisation, meaning you will have the opportunity to input into a broad portfolio of ambitious and exciting environmental programmes. The work will be diverse and fast evolving, including activities such as data collation and analysis to identify opportunities for on-the-ground interventions, working with our operations team to map and monitor delivery, and the production of high-quality graphics and digital outputs to support reporting and communications.
The successful candidate will need to be self-motivated and passionate about securing the ecological resilience of our rivers and wider environment. The role will require skills in problem-solving and innovation, providing technical support and knowledge-sharing solutions to facilitate the use of data and evidence for integrated catchment management across the River Severn catchment.
Our Challenge
The Severn is the longest river in the United Kingdom, stretching 220 miles from its source in the Cambrian Mountains in Powys Wales, through the counties of Shropshire, Worcestershire and into Gloucestershire to the iconic estuary. The culture and economies of the historic settlements across the catchment have been intertwined with the river through commercial navigation, fishing, water supply, and trade. Today, the Severn’s rivers, including important tributaries such as the Teme, the Stour and the Warwickshire Avon, continue to play an essential role in supporting wildlife, wellbeing and economies of the region.
Our freshwater environments are in trouble like never before. The pressures are seemingly endless – sewage pollution, agricultural run-off, habitat loss and major weather events including drought and flooding are all threatening irreversible destruction of our freshwater ecosystems.
Despite the enormity of the challenge, it’s not too late.
Do you want to be part of the river Severn’s recovery?
Our Team
Our work is organised across the following four divisions:
- Operations Team
- Development Team
- Community Engagement Team
- Finance and Administration Team
Our staff have an intimate understanding of the River Severn and its tributaries. We’re proactive and hands on, working with farmers, land managers and communities to deliver ecological restoration at a local level, with catchment-wide impacts.
Our mission is a healthy, resilient River Severn for everyone, and we strive to achieve this by delivering ambitious programmes of work across the following strategic themes;
- Restoring our rivers
- Removing barriers to fish migration to reconnect river habitat.
- Renaturalising our rivers through works such as remeandering and installing woody debris.
- Recovering our land
- Advising farmers to encourage the adoption of regenerative agricultural practices and raise awareness of the crucial relationship between soil management and our water environment.
- Restoring and creating habitat mosaics at a catchment scale including wetlands, riparian woodlands and floodplain meadows.
- Empowering our communities
- Mobilising volunteers to take action for their local water environment through citizen science monitoring and practical conservation opportunities.
- Establishing inspiring learning programmes to upskill and empower the next generation of river guardians.
Our Working Area
The role will be mainly operating from home, with a requirement to travel around our working area. Due to travel requirements it is preferred if applicants are located within or near to the River Severn catchment, or willing to move within catchment upon securing the role.
Role Purpose
Spatial analysis and data presentation to support environmental decision making
- Support staff in spatial data analysis and presentation, in particular the production of materials for farm and land management plans, as well as project output reporting.
- Work closely with colleagues to identify opportunities for spatial data analyses bringing innovative approaches which will enhance the understanding of environmental issues and their solutions.
- Process and analyse data from a variety of sources (e.g. open source, government, citizen science) to support evidence-based decision making and inform catchment management priorities.
- Support the Trust to take a Natural Capital approach, supporting the creation of decision-making tools and evidence, such as risk and opportunity maps for water resources, biodiversity and other ecosystem functions.
- Be responsible for effective presentation and communication of spatial data and facilitate its interpretation, including high quality visual outputs to support stakeholder engagement, reports and decision making.
Data and Development
- Work closely with the Ecosystem Services Lead and wider Development Team to develop and build upon systems for collecting, monitoring and reporting data relating to the organisation’s strategic goals.
- Contribute to the development of the Trust’s consulting arm, Severn Rivers Ecology, through the production of maps for consultancy reports, particularly relating to Biodiversity Net Gain.
- Be responsible for holding and maintaining datasets for the Trust, its partnerships and trading arm, including data assurance and quality control.
- Attend relevant training, workshops, meetings and conferences on behalf of the Trust to share knowledge and best practice in GIS and data management.
Support and Training
- Support staff to collect, collate, present, analyse and refine environmental information to facilitate decision making.
- Support colleagues in the development of their own GIS and data management capabilities.
Other duties:
- In addition to the above you will play a key role in the Severn Rivers Trust’s Development Team helping to deliver our 3-year strategy.
- You shall lead by example in prioritising health and safety and wellbeing by taking responsibility for yourself participants volunteers and colleagues.
- You shall comply with Severn Rivers Trust’s Health & Safety and Safeguarding policies and defined standards of behaviour at all times.
- You may be required to carry out other duties and tasks as required from time to time for the efficient operation of the Trust.
Person Specification
| Skills and Experience | Essential | Desirable |
| Minimum of a relevant degree level qualification e.g. GIS, Geography, Environmental Science or equivalent professional Experience | ü | |
| Higher degree involving GIS or at least two years’ work experience in GIS | ü | |
| Competent in processing remotely sensed datasets for GIS analysis | ü | |
| Advanced desktop and online GIS skills (preferably ESRI & QGIS) | ü | |
| Ability to overcome technical problems and find innovative solutions using own initiative | ü | |
| Experience running spatial models in GIS, e.g. SCIMAP, flood modelling | ü | |
| Strong analytic skills in reviewing and synthesising data and evidence | ü | |
| Experience of using computer programming languages e.g. Python, R, including data processing or visualisation | ü | |
| Skilled in clearly presenting spatial data to a variety of audiences | ü | |
| Excellent organisational skills and able to work to tight deadlines, in particular working remotely | ü | |
| A good level of knowledge and understanding of environmental datasets relevant to catchment management | ü | |
| A good understanding of catchment management, hydrology or environmental management | ü | |
| A good understanding of ecosystem services and natural capital markets, particularly Biodiversity Net Gain | ü | |
| Proven ability to work in a team with a range of partners | ü | |
| Experience of working in partnership with a range of organisations and sectors to achieve common goals | ü | |
| A keen interest in the environment | ü | |
| Ability to conduct oneself professionally, with integrity, tact and diplomacy | ü | |
| Able to manage and prioritise a demanding workload independently with high levels of self-motivation and enthusiasm | ü | |
| Experience using IT software including email, MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel and videoconference apps. | ü | |
| A full UK driving license, with access to a personal vehicle insured for business purposes, and ability to drive SRT work vehicles. | ü |
Application Process
For further information or to discuss this post please contact Lloyd Cockram our Ecosystem Services Lead.
For emails enquiries: lloyd.cockram@severnriverstrust.com
To chat or WhatsApp: 07923 220391
Deadline for applications: Midnight Sunday 14th April 2024
Interview date: week commencing Monday 29th April 2024
To apply for this role please forward a CV and Cover Letter to recruitment@severnriverstrust.com.
Your CV should be no longer than 2 A4 sides and should present all of your relevant work history, education and training.
Your cover letter should be no longer than 2 A4 sides, and should summarise how your skills and experiences enable you to meet the requirements of this position, as set out in the Role Requirements and Person Specification sections of this job description.
We will respond to all applicants with an email message to confirm receipt. Unfortunately, we cannot offer feedback on candidates who do not reach the interview stage.
Thank you for your interest in this role with Severn Rivers Trust!
