Biosphere Communities Project Coordinator

The Biosphere Communities programme is a National Lottery Climate Action Fund initiative led by the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere to empower people - especially young people - to design and deliver community led climate and nature action. Working through place-based Climate & Nature Hubs and an on-the-ground team of Community Animators, the project co-designs activities with local groups, develops green skills and pathways into green careers, and connects communities with land and water managers to explore practical, nature-based solutions. Current hubs include Bideford, Appledore, South Molton, and Ashreigney & Chulmleigh, with additional hub locations to be confirmed over the next six months. The project’s outcomes focus on broader and better-connected participation, stronger local capacity, nature-rich places, and a resilient community network across the Biosphere.

As Project Co-ordinator, you’ll provide inspiring, adaptive leadership across this partnership ecosystem - holding the delivery plan and budget, enabling co-design and learning with communities, stewarding monitoring and evaluation, and coordinating a bank of specialist partners (361 Energy, Beaford, Earth Action North Devon, Exmoor National Park and North Devon Voluntary Services, Westcountry Rivers Trust), as delivery partners. You’ll champion a bottom-up, asset-based approach that keeps youth voice central; broker relationships with demonstration sites; and help shape a legacy of volunteering, citizen science, skills, and careers - drawing on the Biosphere’s unique setting as a living laboratory where people and nature thrive together.

Overview of the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere

The North Devon UNESCO Biosphere is a world‑renowned living landscape showcasing the harmony between people and nature. Designated in 1976 and expanded under new UNESCO guidelines in 2002, it spans over 5,262 km² of diverse environments, including dramatic coastlines, estuaries, rich farmland, moorland, and internationally significant dune systems. At its core lies Braunton Burrows, the largest sand dune system in England and one of the most iconic dune environments in the Northern Hemisphere.

The UNESCO designation is held by a Partnership of approximately 35 organisations, bringing together local authorities, environmental bodies, businesses and community groups to steward this globally important landscape. Supporting this collaborative structure, the North Devon Biosphere Foundation, a charity, serves as the implementing arm of the Partnership – delivering projects, securing funding, and helping turn strategic goals into action. The purpose of the Biosphere Reserve is to be a world leading example in linking people and place and nature.

Looking ahead, the North Devon Biosphere is guided by its new 2026–2036 Strategy, which sets an ambitious direction for the next decade. This strategy builds on strong local partnerships and places an even greater focus on nature recovery, climate resilience, community wellbeing, and a thriving green economy.

Today, the Biosphere continues to act as a model for sustainable living – connecting people with nature and inspiring a positive future for the region.

Deadline for applications is 11.59pm on Sunday 1st March 2026.