Catchment Coordinator
Western Sussex Rivers Trust
Do you love our rivers? Are you well organised and a great communicator who can build effective relationships for action? Can you assimilate new information quickly? 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:
As hosts for the Arun and Western Streams Catchment Partnership, the Western Sussex Rivers Trust aspire to further harness the potential of this expert group, widening its scope, increasing our collective influence and delivering more projects to create tangible improvements in our riverscapes. The Catchment Coordinator will be a key role to make this happen.
The Catchment Coordinator will facilitate and host the Catchment Partnership, working with the partners to explore ways to make the partnership even more effective and impactful. We’d like to diversify the partnership, bringing in new organisations and increasing our influence as a trusted source of expertise, strategic leadership and action. We are guided by our Catchment Management Plan. The Catchment Coordinator will be responsible for ensuring this is a valued and useful document.
This role will work closely with the new Catchment Partnership Project Manager (starting in January 2026), who is responsible for planning and delivering an ambitious pipeline of collaborative projects.
Both roles are funded by Southern Water, one of the many catchment partners who share the ambition to drive forward action for the partnership and our rivers.
Principal Responsibilities:
- Plan, organise and facilitate Catchment Partnership meetings and field visits.
- Send regular email updates to the partners.
- Review the existing structure and engagement of the Catchment Partnership, and with partners explore new ways of structuring and engaging the partnership to make it even more dynamic and effective.
- Diversify the partnership, bringing in new partner organisations.
- Strengthen the Catchment Partnership as a trusted source of expertise and strategic leadership, increasing its influence.
- Establish, support and facilitate sub-groups or task and finish groups to explore specific topics important to the work of the AWSCP or deliver projects, such as Coastal, Water Resources, Research etc.
- Lead AWSCP public-facing campaigns and communications with support from other WSRT staff and contractors.
- Support the Catchment Partnership Project Manager to build and deliver a shared project pipeline and plan.
- Build upon the existing Catchment Management Plan assimilating this project pipeline. Ensure the Management Plan is regularly reviewed and evolves as a live document with excellent buy-in from partners and stakeholders.
- Monitor progress towards shared aims and objectives using mechanisms developed and agreed with partners.
- Further develop and maintain the AWSCP website.
- Raise the profile of the AWSCP and its work across all relevant audiences including the public, attending occasional public events to inform local communities about the importance of catchment conservation and engage them in projects.
- Develop and maintain an online resource library accessible to all partners.
- Develop an in-depth understanding of the catchment, including its ecology, hydrology, and environmental challenges. Stay updated on relevant scientific and environmental developments.
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, so if you would like further information about this role or working for WSRT please do get in touch!
About Western Sussex Rivers Trust
We're the Rivers Trust for Western Sussex, a team striving to protect and restore resilient, vibrant riverscapes for wildlife and people.
We’re a small but passionate team, packed with knowledge, experience and, most importantly, a strong love for rivers and wildlife.
Working closely with partners across our catchment area, our focus is on working collaboratively to help improve river health, enabling the wildlife who live here to thrive, and ultimately ensuring these precious habitats are here for generations to enjoy.
In a nutshell we:
- Apply a Catchment Based Approach, focussing on partnerships across sectors throughout the whole of the riverscape.
- Monitor water quality and quantity, and deliver projects directly which enhance habitats for wildlife and the enjoyment of rivers for people.
- Engage with a huge range of local people, businesses, community groups and farmers groups.
We're the Rivers Trust for Western Sussex, a team striving to protect and restore resilient, vibrant riverscapes for wildlife and people. We’re a small but passionate team, packed with knowledge, experience and, most importantly, a strong love for rivers and wildlife. Working closely with partners across our catchment area, our focus is on working collaboratively to help improve river health, enabling the wildlife who live here to thrive, and ultimately ensuring these precious habitats are here for generations to enjoy. In a nutshell we: Apply a Catchment Based Approach, focussing on partnerships across sectors throughout the whole of the riverscape. Monitor water quality and quantity, and deliver projects directly which enhance habitats for wildlife and the enjoyment of rivers for people. Engage with a huge range of local people, businesses, community groups and farmers groups.
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