Ecologist

About the Trust 

We're one of the UK’s biggest charities and we care for 2,000 miles of canals, rivers, docks and reservoirs because we believe life is better by water. We're looking for people who support our cause and want to make a difference for future generations. Could this be you?

Along with our waterways we also manage museums, archives and the country's third largest collection of historic buildings, as well as the nature and wildlife that calls our canals home. All of this enables us to provide wellbeing opportunities for millions of people each year. 

Currently, we have an opportunity for an experienced Ecologist to join our Environment Team West Midlands, within the Operations Directorate. The Ecologist will cover the West Midlands region.

The Environment Team supports the work of the Trust as a whole, while conserving and seeking to enhance the environment of the inland waterway network. Working with the Environment Manager West Midlands and a team of ecologists and environmental scientists, you will provide professional technical support on ecological issues to multi-disciplinary teams. This includes area operations teams, asset engineers, geotechnical specialists, project managers, contract managers, contractors, community engagement managers, fund raisers and the communications team. This is to ensure compliance on all areas of work conducted by the Trust and delivery of the Trust’s strategy and policy. The work will include undertaking habitat and species surveys, and advising on good practice, nature recovery, and biodiversity net gain.

The Canal & River Trust is a large landowner with blue and green corridors, has opportunities to work with our colleagues volunteers and contractors and stakeholders habitats across the landscape, carry out environmental enhancements and support biodiversity. This can help reconnect people with the nature on their doorstep, as well as offering them opportunities to get involved.

The role will be home-based, with the expectation to undertake field work and attend the main regional hub in Birmingham for collaborative working. This is a regional role, requiring travel mostly within the West Midlands region, with occasional travel across the canal network in other regions. The successful candidate must be able to travel to attend meetings or field work throughout the region.

Key accountabilities: 

• Provide expert ecological support and advice across a range of Trust activities in the West Midlands region to ensure regulatory compliance and best practice wherever possible.
• Liaise with colleagues involved in designing, commissioning and delivering works to ensure that relevant environmental processes are understood and implemented.
• Liaise with external regulators and stakeholders at local and regional level in relation to ecology and habitat management.
• Facilitate implementation of the Trust's Environmental Management System and Standards.
• Carry out ecological surveys to inform works. 
• Create habitat improvement plans and method statements to inform works delivery. 
• Create Site Management Plans for the designated sites owned by C&RT.
• Provide technical advice to volunteer groups and/or work with Trust volunteer leaders in delivery of objectives, ensuring an engaging experience for participants. 
• Deliver awareness training, toolbox talks and facilitate practical training for Trust colleagues, contractors, volunteers and stakeholder groups. 
• Record environmental incidents, working with colleagues to respond to and manage any actions/issues.
• Attend site meetings with volunteer leaders and contractors to inform works. 
• Carry out site monitoring during and after habitat restoration works to audit the works and implement mitigation as necessary. 
• Adhere to UK statutory environmental policies and internal Trust environmental procedures. 
• Contribute to delivering local and national promotional materials.
• Scheduling of works within tight timescales and seasonal limitations. 
• Adhere to reporting requirements of funders and internally within the Trust. 
• Manage work in accordance with the Trust’s Health and Safety policy and defined standards to ensure compliance. 
• Display the Trust values and behaviours at all times. 
• Ensuring that diversity and inclusion are integrated into all aspects of Trust life and promoting inclusion by challenging behaviour, practices, actions, or decisions that are counter to the objectives of the Trust’s policies and values. 
• Comply with Canal & River Trust Health & Safety policy and defined standards, report incidents, accidents and near misses. Assess the risks and make adjustments to work methods where appropriate. Ensure all equipment (PPE, plant, materials etc.) is appropriate for the task. Consider your own and others behaviour. 
• Safeguarding - To be aware of your own responsibilities regarding safeguarding and to support our commitment to providing safe environments and working practises that promote and protect the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults at risk at all times. 

About you 

Essential

• Hold a degree in ecology or a related subject. 
• Proven experience in application of specialist knowledge within a business environment. 
• Able to influence/negotiate effectively with internal and external contacts to achieve desired outcomes. 
• Comprehensive knowledge of, and practical experience of operating within UK environmental policy and regulatory frameworks.
• Experience in a wide range of priority species survey techniques, preferably with at least one protected species licence (or working towards)
• Competency in a wide range of habitat assessments including woodland, scrub, grasslands and freshwater 
• Passionate and effective advocate for nature recovery. 
• Proven evidence of continuing professional development. 
• Excellent organisational abilities. 
• Good standard of effective written and verbal communication skills, with a proven ability to present technical information to non-technical audiences and able to adapt style and content as appropriate. 
• Reliable and flexible. 
• Self-motivated and show initiative. 
• Full, clean UK driving licence with access to own car for business use.
• Membership of CIEEM
• Knowledge of GIS

In addition to the specialist expertise and professional qualifications you bring, it is also essential that you have an ability to engage with a variety of stakeholders across the organisation and wider and communicate effectively to protect and promote the Trusts’ waterways environment and ecology and enjoy working with volunteers and community groups.

If you have any questions about the role please contact [email protected] 

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient suitable applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible. 

What we offer:

Compensation is made up as follows: £33,677 + £390 per month Car Cash allowance. Additionally, we also offer:

• 25 days paid holiday in addition to statutory leave.
• Competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, where we will double your contribution to a maximum of 10%. 
• Access to a variety of personal development & growth courses and opportunities 
• Free access to specialist counselling on a range of issues – health; financial; lifestyle; well-being; domestic & neighbourly matters. 
• Access to a range of employee benefits including – store discounts; boating holiday discounts; holiday purchase scheme. 
• Expansive maternity/paternity provisions.
• Progressive access to learning tools and CPD. 
• Paid volunteering leave, volunteering for local community project work (dependent upon service) 

We care passionately for our waterways, and as importantly, for those who look after and use them. We strongly believe that a diverse workforce brings with it a diversity of ideas, thinking and ways of working which enhances what we do as a Trust. We are striving to represent the diverse communities that we are a part of and welcome applicants from across all sectors of the community.

All candidates will be treated on the basis of their merits, skills and abilities and solely by being assessed against the requirements for the job. 

At the Trust, we empower our people to flow and thrive both on and off the water. Our colleagues enjoy a variety of benefits that enhance their lives while working in a place that positively impacts others. We take pride in our people, protecting heritage and preserving wildlife, and we’re all about the future of our colleagues and the future generations who love and use our network. Inspired by people, we harness the different ways of working and thinking, ensuring our teams grow and reach their full potential.

Navigate your future and lock in your career as we keep our canals open and alive.