Volunteer and Citizen Science Coordinator

Are you a dynamic individual who enjoys working with people? Well organised and great at communicating? Are you able to build relationships, enthuse, motivate & lead volunteers? Do you wish to make a real difference to the health of our riverscapes? This could be the role for you. 

Purpose of the job: 

To oversee & lead WSRT's volunteer and citizen science program, coordinating, planning & delivering events, working closely with WSRT staff, volunteers, community and other organisations to take action for our riverscapes.

Principal Responsibilities: 

• Recruit, train, support and coordinate a community of 250+ volunteers to undertake citizen science in the Arun & Rother catchment (including water quality testing, Riverfly, outfall safari, Soil Guardians and INNS mapping and management)
• Ensure compliance with the Trust’s Health and Safety policies and procedures for all volunteering activities, and help to continually review and improve these policies and procedures where necessary
• Ensure that volunteers have a rewarding experience, listening to them, providing feedback and valuing their contribution to the Trust. Find the right role for volunteers utilising their unique skills and building new skills, celebrating successes and acknowledging their vital contributions.
• Deliver practical volunteering work parties eg. INNS removal
• Field test, compare and review and improve the efficacy and accuracy of citizen science methodologies and water chemistry equipment.
• Collate, store and analyse data and produce visualisations to communicate data evidence to others.
• Provide baseline and monitoring data evidence to the Arun & Western Streams Catchment Partnership to target restoration strategies and inform catchment-scale planning
• Collaborate with academic research and empower Citizen Science groups to participate in project development and review.
• Identify and engage with other monitoring being undertaken in the catchment.
• Assess the impact that citizen science data has on triggering interventions on the ground, i.e. water sensitive farming, integrated wetlands, improved sewage/water management
• Produce reports and updates on the project; internally, on the website and through social media.
• Organise and run training and volunteer engagement events, including our popular film nights and talks
• Investigate and develop ways to expand the volunteering programme, eg. through a corporate volunteering offer
• Maintain a GDPR compliant volunteer management system.
• Support the communication and promotion of the volunteer and citizen science programme.

Benefits 

• You will be a member of a small, dynamic, passionate, and supportive team, joining WSRT and the catchment partnership at an exciting time of growth.
• 10% Recharge policy – WSRT team members are encouraged to take 10% of their working week for mental and physical recharge, getting out into the catchment to explore a new area, further their knowledge or enjoy a river-related activity.
• 25 days holiday, plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time staff) and Christmas to New Year shutdown.
• Flexible working.
• Employee assistance programme (counselling, specialist legal and financial support).
• Pension scheme (3% employee, 5% WSRT).

Want to know more?

We welcome informal discussions if you would like further information about this role or working for WSRT. You are welcome to speak to our current Volunteer Coordinator, our Project Manager or CEO.