Project Manager - River Enhancement (Fish Passage)

Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust (YDRT) is dedicated to the conservation and restoration of rivers and their catchments within the YDRT catchment area. We work collaboratively with local communities and action groups, national parks, and various environmental organisations to deliver impactful projects that restore our rivers, enhance biodiversity, improve water quality, and increase resilience to climate change.

We’re offering an exciting opportunity to join our team as a Project Manager, where you’ll play a pivotal role in restoring Yorkshire’s rivers by removing barriers to fish passage.

The ideal candidate will be passionate about the water environment and bring practical experience in river restoration, particularly in the removal of fish passage barriers and contractor management.

You’ll be working within the Great Yorkshire Rivers partnership, a collaborative initiative between Yorkshire Water, the Environment Agency, and The Rivers Trust. The partnership’s vision is:

“By 2043, this leading and innovative partnership will have addressed all artificial barriers negatively impacting fish populations in Yorkshire, allowing recovery of our native fish species and helping rivers and their communities to thrive.”

Yorkshire Water has committed £7.3 million to addressing barriers across the region between 2025 and 2030.

During the first few months you will develop a strategy for removing barriers in our catchments, prioritising weirs and other barriers for removal or modification, conducting walkovers to ground truth priority areas, as well as identifying and delivering any ‘quick wins’

As the project progresses, you will be optioneering and designing barrier removal or mitigation measures and securing funding for their delivery.

Partnership working is a fundamental part of working at YDRT; the Project Manager will collaborate closely with a range of organisations including the Environment Agency (EA), Yorkshire Water, landowners, Yorkshire Dales National Parks Authority and Nidderdale National Landscapes.

The candidate will be comfortable talking to a range of people which may include farmers and other landowners, specialist groups, volunteers, governmental organisations and other environmental practitioners and will be able to explain complex technical data to non-practitioners.

The Project Manager will manage all aspects of their projects, ensuring they are delivered on time and to budget.

The Project Manager will also promote the project through the Trust’s website, social media, and newspaper articles, working closely with YDRT’s Communications & Marketing Officer.

The role will involve hybrid working, mainly from home, when not on site, as well as hot-desking at the Trust’s office in Pateley Bridge.

The post holder will be flexible, with the occasional evening and weekend working. The post-holder will work well both alone and as part of a team of paid staff and volunteers.

Salary: £38,563 - £42,262
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Probationary period: Four months. During the probationary period, the contract may be terminated with one week’s notice.
Annual leave: 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
Term: 18 months initially with potential for extension
Pension: Contributory pension. The Trust contributes 9% salary.
Location: The Trust has an office in Pateley Bridge. The successful candidate will have a hot desk available in the office but is not expected to work from the office every day.

More Details:

Key Responsibilities & Competency Details can be found on our website.

Applications must be received no later than 9am Monday 29th September 2025.

Successful applicants will be invited to interview in person on Monday 6th October, more information will be provided if shortlisted.