Job Purpose

*** Part time - 18.5 hours per week ***

 The daily structure of weekly working hours can be discussed further at interview stage. 

We're the charity who look after and bring to life 2,000 miles of waterways across England and Wales, because we believe that life is better by water. Every role across the Trust plays its part in transforming our canals and rivers into spaces where local people want to spend time and feel better, bringing wellbeing benefits to millions.

We currently have an opportunity for an experienced Ecologist to join our Yorkshire & North East (YNE) regional team, as part of our High Risk Asset Projects taking place over the next 5 - 6 years. 

The Trust is currently offering an opportunity for an experienced ecologist to join our YNE regional team, focused on our High Risk Asset Projects, that include reservoirs, canal embankments, aqueducts and culverts.

The role will involve working with other specialist teams to review projects on high risk assets, ensuring the Trust manages the waterways safely whilst protecting our natural heritage, adhering to environment legislation and delivering biodiversity net gain.  The role will be both demanding and very rewarding, working in a unique environment with priority habitat and species of conservation concern and public interest.

The Canal & River Trust maintain a unique landscape, with our waterways providing key opportunities for both green and blue infrastructure projects across the country. Some of our most iconic and protected species occur within our region, so the |trust is looking for the right combination of infrastructure experience combined with biodiversity mitigation, compensation and enhancement delivery. As well as working with specialists in their field, the role will also require key stakeholder and community engagement relating to our natural environment, to ensure our priority works are fully understood and supported.

Our aim is to support the work of the Trust as a whole, while conserving and enhancing the environment of the inland waterway network. Finding simple and innovative solutions/methods of work to ensure that the modern-day use of the waterways, their historical importance, the Trust’s legal obligations and strategic priorities are met through sustainable development, conservation and enhancement of the natural environment.

Working alongside the Heritage & Environment Manager and other specialist colleagues in the team including a Senior Ecologist, you will provide technical support to the business on ecological issues through a number of multi-disciplinary teams including asset engineers, geotechnical specialists, project managers, contract managers, contractors,  community engagement managers and and the communications team. 

The post holder will ensure that high risk asset and infrastructure projects are planned and delivered on time whilst protecting and enhancing the natural environment.  Ensuring that the Trust works to the highest standards, best practice guidance, most recent amended  legislation requirements and key Trust values. 

Location & coverage

 The role will be based working from home, with the allocation of a nearby Hub for collaborative working in Leeds.   

 This is a regional role and there will be an expectation that the successful candidate will be able travel to attend meetings or fieldwork throughout the regional waterway network. 

 See our network here (https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network).

 Knowledge, Skills/Qualifications & Experience

Key Accountabilities:

• Provide expert ecological support & advice across a range of Trust business activities in the Yorkshire & North East region to ensure compliance with environmental regulatory requirements & corporate environmental standards.
• Liaise with colleagues involved in specifying, commissioning and delivering works to ensure relevant environmental processes are understood and being implemented.
• Liaise with external regulators & stakeholders at local and regional level to protect and promote Trust interests in relation to environmental management.
• Facilitate implementation of the Trust’s Environmental Management System, monitoring & reporting on compliance with regulatory requirements & corporate environmental standards. Sharing experiences with the wider business.
• Contribute to the development of the Trust’s Environmental Management System & corporate environmental standards, in consultation with other Trust colleagues.
• Record all environmental incidents and work with environmental team colleagues to respond to and manage the actions/issues including the liaison with regulators.
• Help maintain environmental awareness and competency levels across the delivery teams.
• Contribute to delivering local and national publicity, feature articles for websites and events as well as assisting the wider environment team deliver increased levels of volunteering. 
• Comply with Canal & River Trust’s Health & Safety policy and defined standards. Undertake risk assessments, report incidents, accidents and near misses.
• Provide a point of contact for basic technical queries internally and externally. Respond as appropriate by providing advice and reference to relevant information sources or escalate to senior team members.
• Using SAP and GIS systems, ensure all relevant information and analysis is input in a timely and accurate manner.
• Undertake preliminary studies/investigations, making site visits and working outside as appropriate.

Skills & Experience

We are looking for someone with a strong understanding of Ecology and with relevant experience. You may be a graduate member or working towards your associate membership of CIEEM or an equivalent body (CIWEM or SocEnv) Additionally we require the successful candidate to offer the following skills:

Essential:

• Degree or equivalent experience in related discipline. 
• Comprehensive practical understanding of current environmental legislation.
• Experience of a wide range of priority species survey techniques, with at least one protected species licence.
• Competency in wide range of habitat assessments including woodland, scrub, grassland and freshwater.
• Valid UK driving licence – essential; you will need to be able to move across the region regularly to deliver your work successfully. 
• Experience of working efficiently within a business environment, delivering ecological support and advice To technical and non-technical clients. 
• Good standard of effective written and verbal communication skills with a proven ability to present technical information to non-technical audiences.
• Proficient in the use of a personal computer and business applications software eg MS Office.
• Sound knowledge of health and safety good practice & procedure. 

Desirable: 

• Mitigation, development and advanced protected species licence holder for at least one or more species.
• Specialist knowledge and field survey competency in a particular biological group.
• Freshwater botanical skills. 
• Practical experience/understanding of protecting, managing and enhancing statutory protected sites and county wildlife sites. 
• Comfortable in conducting media and comms as a way of improving stakeholder and community engagement. 
• Ability to lead community and  citizen science events.

In addition to the specialist expertise and professional qualifications you bring, it is also essential that you have an ability to engage with a variety of stakeholders across the organisation and wider, and communicate effectively to protect and promote the Trusts’ waterways environment and ecology and enjoy working with volunteers and community groups. 

To Apply:  click on the "Apply for this job" button and follow the process - complete the application form & upload current CV.

Interviews:  Initial interviews will be conducted virtually by MS Teams.   

If you have any questions about the role please contact CRT.recruitment@canalrivertrust.org.uk