The Upper Axe CIC (The Magdalen Environmental Trust)
Closing date: Not specified, apply soon!
The River Axe needs some work
Flowing through the borderlands of Dorset, Somerset and Devon, the Axe boasts an SAC and asuite of SSSIs, but its habitat value is surprisingly limited, and after heavy rain, the watercan be thick with silt and phosphates. The channel is so wide and so deep that even in spatethe river rarely floods. All its destructive energy stays within the banks, leading to evermore erosion and turbidity. This poor and deteriorating condition is likely to be due to amixture of natural and manmade causes.
But all is not lost. There is a strong will to save the Axe and the habitats it supports, andthis is represented in the DEFRA funded Landscape Recovery project. The project has beenrunning since early 2023 and has made considerable progress. 30 farms and estates areproject partners in a single strategy of land use transformation, habitat creation and riverrestoration. The project operates to nature’s timescale – 20 years minimum, and has thepotential not only to significantly improve the local environment in and around the Axe, butalso to act as a template for on how to fix a broken lowland river.
The project has 2 distinct phases:
* The Development Phase 2023-2024, (this is where we are now), in which a single coherentplan will be developed across the project area for environmental improvements andsustainability, and for social outcomes and incentives for the project partners. The plan willbe well researched, costed, and with principal contractors identified and budgets agreed.Private sector investment will be secured, or routes to this investment will be identified. Itwill end with a submission to DEFRA for approval to go on to…
* The Implementation Phase in which capital works will be carried out, social outcomes willbe delivered and the project will be monitored evaluated. Further private sector funding islikely to be needed throughout this period. We anticipate this will go on for 25 years.
We are now seeking a Manager to help the project team complete the Project DevelopmentPhase, culminating in an inspiring detailed proposal to DEFRA for long term investment, and theprovision of long term support for sustainable land use in the catchment.
Project Aim:
To unite farmers, landowners and communities to take collective action to restore a vibrant,resilient freshwater ecosystem to the river Axe, while also improving the sustainability offood production and community engagement with their natural environment.
Hours We are open to either full time (37.5 hours per week) or part time employment.
Location The post is based in the office at the Magdalen Environmental Trust, (TA204PA). The post holderis expected to travel locally around the partner farms, and on occasion, further afield formeetings.
Remuneration £35,000 - £40,000 per year, pro rata (£2,916 – £3,333 per month at full time)
Duration This should be considered a temporary post, with the good potential of becoming permanent.
Currently, the post is funded until the end of December 2024, although Defra have committed toa limited extension in this funding (estimated 3 months) during which time we will negotiatethe arrangements for the following 20+ years.
Assuming we are successful in forming an agreement with Defra, new job roles will be created tocarry out the project’s Implementation Phase, and there is the strong potential that theManager will have a skills set that is transferrable to one of these positions.
How to apply
We are taking applications on the application form in our recruitment pack, which you can find via this link:
There is no closing date for this position – we will keep it open until we have found andappointed the right candidate. We appreciate this puts pressure on applicants to apply quickly,so if you would prefer to send a quick email stating that you intend to apply, before puttingthe work into the application, you are welcome to do so.
Job Description
Day to day coordination of the Axe Landscape Recovery Project, including the work of a range ofpartners and subcontractors.
Collaborating with others on the project team in order to complete the remaining DevelopmentPhase objectives:
* Come to agreements with landowners that support sustainable farming and environmentaloutcomes
* Liaison between riverbank landowners and contractors assessing and quoting for in-channelriver restoration works
Maintain communications with our steering group and stakeholder agencies, and open a dialoguewith local authority Planning departments.
Work with the company Director on preparations for the Implementation Phase, which will startin 2025.
Make arrangements with key organisations the community engagement, including already identifiedlocal community groups and farms with educational specialisms (with support if required).
Assist with writing, and gathering information for, the 6 interlinked proposals required byDefra
* Land Management Plan
* Business and Blended Finance Plan
* Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
* Site Access Plan
* Stakeholder Engagement Plan
* Project Management and Governance Plan
Person Specification
* Excellent interpersonal skills, empathy and confidence in communicating.
* An understanding of people, empathy with their views and with the ability to inspire new ideas.Strong negotiation skills.
* Demonstrable ability to pull together large volumes of complex information, summarise them,form conclusions and follow up on those conclusions
* Meticulous and able to work independently to a very high standard.
* IT literate in Microsoft Office applications
* A driver with access to a vehicle, able to drive in connection with employment
* Understanding of environmental issues and sustainability, particularly in relation to farmingand freshwater ecology.
* Experience and / or demonstrable skills in private sector fundraising, encouraging strategicrelationships with profit-making companies.
* Demonstrable ability to plan and coordinate a long term, large scale and multi-faceted capitalprojects
* Experience of managing a budget and procuring & managing contractors
* Demonstrable skills and experience in using social media
* Understanding of, and experience in:
o Farming
o River and riparian ecology
o Ecology in the farmed landscape
o Funding for environmental & social projects
o Volunteering projects and community engagement
Good luck and I look forward to reading your application.
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