Volunteer Coordinator, Seawatchers Mon Project

The Sea Watch Foundation is a long-established national UK marine environmental research charity concerned with monitoring the numbers and distribution of whales, dolphins and porpoises in the seas around the British Isles, as well as investigating the conservation threats that they face. In the 1970s, its Director developed cetacean “Citizen Science” in the UK, with a special partnership between scientists and trained volunteer observers drawn from all walks of life, which has led to one of the largest and longest-running cetacean sightings databases in Europe.

The Sea Watch Foundation has recently received funding through the Volunteering Wales Main Grants Scheme administered by the WCVA to fund the Sea Watchers Môn project. The project aims to strengthen and support the network of volunteer marine mammal observers on Ynys Môn. The Volunteer Coordinator will recruit and support the volunteers through a structured programme in marine mammal survey methods and ID skills. Volunteers will be supported through this programme to become confident independent observers and will explore how this contributes to their wellbeing. The project also encourages residents to take care of and learn more about their local coastal areas through events such as beach cleans and rock pooling sessions. The Volunteer Coordinator will work with other local organisations to plan and deliver a range of volunteer workdays to share information and enthuse participants about their local coastal areas.

Minimum Requirement: Experience in marine mammal surveys and knowledge of UK cetacean species. Own vehicle for project activities, all mileage on outreach activities will be reimbursed.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Confident Welsh speaker
• Event organisation
• Community outreach and networking
• Highly organised and conscientious
• Strong interpersonal skills

Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to write and express oneself to enthuse others through the written word and face to face
• Public speaking experience
• Experience of posting on social media platforms and reporting metrics
• Knowledge and passion for UK marine mammals

JOB DESCRIPTION

Duties include:

Training sessions

Organise, prepare, and run training sessions both in person and online going through marine mammal identification and survey protocols. Oversee budgets and costs, manage marketing around the events and oversee general logistics such as basic catering and venue booking etc.

Supervised surveys

Arrange surveys with volunteers at various sites across Anglesey, supporting them during surveys until they are confident to conduct independent surveys. Keeping track of volunteers’ monthly hours, targets, progress and wellbeing goals.

Reporting

Deliver regular updates to the Project Manager and contribute towards reporting to funders and Sea Watch Foundation Trustees. Maintain comprehensive records of all expenses, mileage, purchases, event attendance and metrics.

Outreach

Represent Sea Watch Foundation at events across Anglesey, delivering talks to community groups. Creation of promotional materials such as leaflets, posters etc. Run all Sea Watch Anglesey social media pages (Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok), posting regularly about project activities and updates. Keep track of Sea Watchers Môn Forum group (on Facebook), where volunteers share updates and communicate.