Community Ecologist

Are you enthusiastic about providing ecological advice to communities and individuals to support community-led action to create, restore and enhance wildlife habitats? Do you have the skills to deliver training for a range of audiences, both in person and online? Do you have knowledge about Community Nature Reserves, Local Nature and Climate Action Plans, and a passion for UK wildlife? Then we would like to hear from you.

Brief description of role

Avon Wildlife Trust (AWT) is seeking an experienced Ecologist to provide high-quality advice, training and practical guidance to communities and organisations, supporting them to create nature-rich neighbourhoods across the region.

You will be an effective and inspiring communicator, able to use your expertise to inform and inspire a diverse range of people to take meaningful action for nature that supports a growing movement of Community Nature Reserves in South Gloucestershire.

In addition, you will mobilise citizen scientists and connect people with nature through guided walks and talks, across the West of England.

Who are we?

Avon Wildlife Trust is a charity working to protect and restore wildlife in Bristol, Bath and the West of England (former county of Avon). We want to enable nature to recover on a grand scale, with more abundant wildlife in our cities and countryside. We work with schools and communities, landowners and volunteers, people of all ages and backgrounds - to develop wildlife-rich places and wildlife-rich lives. We create, connect and care for places rich in wildlife, champion the value of nature, and inspire people and communities to care for wildlife. The Trust is supported by more than 17,000 members, 650 volunteers, manages over 30 nature reserves and is one of 46 Wildlife Trusts in the UK.

Avon Wildlife Trust values diversity. We are committed to creating a movement that recognises and truly values individual differences and identities. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures. We also have robust child safeguarding policies, and this role requires two work references and an enhanced DBS check.

Benefits

• Pension with 5% employer contribution
• Life assurance
• Hybrid working
• Wellbeing support including Employee Assistance Programme
• Employee Discounts and Cycle Scheme
• Wildlife Trusts Diversity networks
• Paid volunteering day
• Training and development
• One free AWT course day per year
• Minimum 33 days of holiday (25 annual leave + bank holidays) pro rata
• The opportunity to make a real and positive difference to nature

Part time, 30 hours per week, usually four days a week
Fixed term - 10 months

The role is being advertised at 30 hours per week for 10 months, we are applying for funding to increase the role to full time (37 hours per week) and to extend the contract to be up to 2.5 years in total, but this is not guaranteed. We hope to know by interview stage if the funding bid has been successful.