Environmental Ranger

As an Environmental Ranger, you’ll be the face of South East Water primarily based at our Arlington Reservoir local nature reserve.

It’s a hands-on, varied role where no two days are the same—one moment you’ll be managing site biodiversity, and the next you’ll be engaging with our visitors.

Occasionally, you'll also get the chance to assist our Biodiversity Delivery Ranger, helping out with practical projects that keep our company estate thriving and our environmental goals on track.

Part Time - 26 hours per week - Wed to Sat work pattern

Main responsibilities:

• Answer all customer enquiries and where necessary transfer any enquiries to the relevant department.
• Daily maintenance and checks of safety boat and jetty.
• Manage and supervise members of the public visiting the site when required ensuring that they follow the site bylaws.
• Weekly water sample collection and level data gathering and recording.
• Ensure that fences, gates, stiles and other onsite furniture is repaired and replaced where necessary and clear of over-hanging vegetation.
• To keep the lodge, office and toilet area clean and tidy, undertaking daily cleaning of these areas.
• Undertake scheduled inspection and maintenance of tools and equipment used for grounds maintenance.
• Assist the Environmental Team with baseline SSSI surveys.
• Daily patrols of the reservoir to ensure that the site is litter free, hazard free and that the public are under control and only present in areas designated for public use.
• Daily emptying of litter bins in public amenity areas to ensure that the site is maintained litter free and free from vermin.
• Undertake weekly health and safety checks for the public amenity areas of the site reporting all findings and remedying any potential hazards where possible.
• Encourage site visitors and where necessary their animals not to swim in the reservoir, or to allow dogs to roam the site off leads. Where problems result to raise any issues with the team leader.
• Daily opening of the public car park, public toilets and Visitor Centre building ensuring that all facilities are locked at the end of the day.
• Weekly checks of site signage to ensure that they are intact and maintained reporting any issues to the team leader.
• Twice yearly overhaul of safety boat, buoys, lifelines and other equipment utilised on the site by the public.
• Warden the car parking area at Arlington, ensuring payments for parking have been made, issuing where necessary parking tickets for non-payment.
• Daily checks of car parking machines to ensure they are operational and report issue to the team leader.
• Through wardening of the site, ensure that the public utilise the site in a safe manner and only access the parts of the site which are open to the public.
• Ensure that leaflet holders are kept stocked with company literature.
• Ensure that the bird hide at Arlington is clean, safe to use and stocked with company literature.
• Undertake grounds maintenance grass cutting and hedge cutting and to ensure that the site is clean, tidy and safe from over-hanging branches/brambles.
• Keep Environment team pool vehicles and other equipment clean and tidy.
• Lead guided walks and carry out practical biodiversity enhancement tasks, including leading volunteer groups, as directed by the Team Leader and Biodiversity Manager.
• On occasions carry out safety inspections at Ardingly Reservoir.
• When required you will support the Biodiversity Delivery Ranger to deliver practical biodiversity enhancements to meet biodiversity commitments and statutory environmental targets across the company's estate.

You'll need:

Skills / Qualifications / Experience

• Experienced in managing and negotiating with members of the public.
• Able to multi-task, working as a team and under own supervision.
• Committed to delivering excellent customer service.
• Relevant experience to include knowledge and experience of operating and maintaining grounds maintenance equipment such a mower and strimmer would be useful together with practical maintenance skills.
• Hold a valid driving licence.
• Interested in the environment and countryside spaces.
• Able to swim 25 meters unaided.

It will be a bonus if you have:

Skills / Qualifications / Experience

• Previous experience using grounds maintenance equipment would be beneficial.

Employees are required to be flexible and to be prepared to perform duties and other tasks within their capabilities. The nature of our business is such that the contents of any job profile are subject to change from time to time.

We want to be the water company people want to be supplied by and want to work for.

We know the communities we serve are diverse. We recognise creativity comes from diversity not similarity. That’s why we are enthusiastic about creating inclusion across age, race, gender, ethnicity, religion and identity. You will experience our dedication to equal opportunities and fair treatment for all: through your recruitment, employment and career progression with South East Water.

Benefits package:

• Excellent Stakeholder pension scheme, up to 10% employer contribution.
• 5 weeks holiday plus bank holidays per annum, increasing to 6 weeks with length of service.
• Flexible annual leave policy to buy or sell holiday leave.
• Paid volunteering days.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Health cash plan.
• Life assurance.
• Wellbeing related benefits.

What can you expect from your recruitment?

• To apply for this position, please submit your CV on our career’s website.
• It is necessary for you to have the legal right to work in the UK when you begin employment with South East Water.
• Additionally, as part of the employment offer, you will need to pass background, identity, and employment referencing checks.

If this sounds like the opportunity you’ve been looking for, apply now!

South East Water kindly asks that recruitment agencies refrain from submitting CVs to our employees or associates without explicit invitation from our HR Resourcing team. CVs sent on a speculative basis will not be acknowledged and will not assume any responsibility for fees or commissions in the event that we hire a candidate who applied directly or subsequently introduced by an instructed agency.

Compensation package:

£17,434.40 p.a. (pro rata)