Community Engagement Development Officer

Subject to successful receipt of grant funding, which we expect to receive confirmation of in September 2025, Nevis Landscape Partnership are seeking to employ a Community Engagement Development Officer for the Nevis Nature Networks partnership project.

About Nevis Landscape Partnership

The Nevis Landscape Partnership is a community organisation working in partnership to enhance the environmental and cultural qualities of the Nevis area whilst providing opportunities for all to enjoy and appreciate it. We aim to do this through the delivery of The Nevis Strategy 2020-40.

We launched a landscape-scale nature restation project in 2024, the Nevis Nature Network. Through this project, we are working in partnership with the largest landowners across the Nevis landscape to restore, expand, and connect native habitats across the 9000-hectare (22,000 acre). Our iconic project area attracts about half a million visitors every year. It encompasses the tallest mountain and the second tallest waterfall in the UK and supports a vast range of rare habitats and species. We are located in the heart of the temperate rainforest zone, which means that there is huge potential for restoring this internationally important habitat.

We recently finished a development phase project which allowed us to identify what would be required to maximize the ecological potential of this landscape. We worked closely with our landowning partners to gain a deeper understanding of our biggest ecological challenges and investigate the feasibility of solutions. NLP and our project partners are now ready to (funding dependant):

1. Create a collaborative 10-year woodland restoration strategic plan – prioritising rainforest restoration.
2. Begin delivering the highest priority woodland restoration actions e.g. Rhododendron ponticum removal and collaborative deer management.
3. Create a 5-year strategic plan for community outreach and engagement.
4. Deliver rainforest themed community outreach and engagement events.
5. Investigate the feasibility of delivering a community Rhododendron ponticum removal project in Fort William and across the wider landscape.

About the Role

For over two decades, NLP has worked with communities of place (Fort William, Glen Nevis, local landowners, visitors) and communities of interest (conservation volunteers, mountaineers, nature enthusiasts). We are looking for an experienced, proactive and creative Community Engagement Development Officer to help us to strengthen and deepen our ongoing relationships with the communities that care about the Nevis Landscape.

The role will focus on points 3, 4 and 5 above. It blends strategic planning with hands-on delivery - from shaping our membership and investigating a community rhododendron removal project to running volunteer events and delivering education sessions to local schools.

Key Liaisons

This role will report to the Nevis Nature Network Project Manager and be managed by the NLP Manager. You will also work closely with the Engagement Ranger, Board of Directors and project partners.

You will engage with our stakeholders to allow them to input into the development of the strategic plan. You will also engage with wider stakeholders and members of the public during events.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Planning:

• Develop a 5-year community engagement strategy to guide future work and ensure that resources are used effectively and efficiently
• Investigate the potential for wider community rhododendron removal project.
• Be guided by the The Nevis Strategy 2020-40 whilst identifying clear priorities for action in the short term.
• Identify what is feasible for our small yet ambitious charity to deliver.
• Identify funding pathways for the resulting strategic plans.

Deliver Community Engagement:

• Plan and deliver outreach events to raise awareness of our work and encourage ongoing engagement.
• Facilitate community input e.g. through community surveys.
• Run rainforest restoration volunteer work parties with our Engagement Ranger.
• Design and deliver rainforest themed school outreach sessions with our Engagement Ranger.
• Engage people through social media.
• Develop our charity membership schemes to secure long-term support.

Partnership Working:

• Consult with multiple stakeholders, balancing priorities and maintaining productive relationships.
• Represent Nevis Landscape Partnership at events, in meetings and in the media.

Requirements

Essential:

• Ability to create strategic plans.
• Strong relationship-building and partnership-working skills.
• Proven ability to work with a wide range of stakeholders and incorporate diverse inputs.
• Experience delivering engagement events and practical volunteer events.
• Proven ability to engage diverse audiences with nature and nature restoration projects.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to self-motivate and deliver work with tight timelines and with set budgets.
• Knowledge of how to secure funding for community engagement work.
• Available to work in the Nevis Area on a regular basis as required throughout the project.
• Availability to do occasional weekend work as required for events.
• Ability to overcome challenges and drive progress.
• Competent with IT.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of the Nevis landscape and local communities.
• Understanding of conservation and habitat restoration.
• Specific knowledge and interest in native woodland restoration and Scotland’s Rainforest.
• Experience of using social media to engage new audiences.
• Experience working with young people and a member of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme.
• Full driving licence and access to a vehicle.
• First Aid Outdoors Trained with valid certificate.
• Capable of field working in remote locations with challenging terrain.
• Experience using QGIS (used for our rhododendron removal projects).
• Experience working with charity membership programmes.