Senior Agricultural Officer (Water & Wildlife Friendly Farming)

River Thame Conservation Trust

Founded in 2012, the River Thame Conservation Trust (RTCT) is a charitable environmental organisation dedicated to safeguarding the River Thame, its catchment and wildlife, ensuring that these benefits can be enjoyed by people. We are a team of seven staff supported by a board of trustees, and a vibrant network of volunteers. We collaborate closely with landowners, and a range of statutory, private and charitable bodies, partnership with whom is key to the impact of our work.

The Trust has a strong focus of delivery on-the-ground, with work programmes to improve the habitat and connectivity of the catchment’s watercourses and create new floodplain wetland habitat. Improving our understanding of the health of the Thame’s watercourses, and the impacts they are subject to is also a focus, pursued via programmes to monitoring water quality by-wide citizen science, river fly monitoring, and monitoring to understand fish and mammal populations. The information we glean enables us to target on-the-ground projects, as well as to effectively engage with other organisations and sectors which are essential to solving the challenges the catchment faces. Our role as co-hosts for the Thame Catchment Partnership places us ideally to address those cross-sectoral challenges.

RTCT benefits from being part of a wider family of rivers trusts, under the umbrella of the national body the Rivers Trust. Rivers Trust affiliation provides a basis for knowledge exchange, sharing of resources, and representation to government and other national bodies, through national-level advocacy and campaigns led by the Rivers Trust.

One of the most active and important areas of the Trust’s portfolio is working with farmers to promote water and wildlife friendly farming practices. This has been achieved most recently through our role in facilitating the Thame Catchment Farm Cluster.

With our partners the Freshwater Habitats Trust, we recently completed the Project Development Phase (PDP) of the Defra funded Ock and Thame Farmers Landscape recovery project. This PDP submission is now under consideration by Defra. Should Defra approve the project, RTCT is likely to play a central role in the delivery of this project which will create and enhance freshwater and other habitats across up to 7,200 ha, and over the project’s 20-year term. Progression of the project will be transformational for both the Thame Catchment, and RTCT. The postholder would be expected to play a key role in the delivery of the Landscape Recovery Project.

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced and motivated Senior Agricultural Adviser to lead the delivery of high-impact, farm-based interventions that improve water quality, hydrological processes, biodiversity, and climate resilience across our catchment(s).

Working at the interface of farming, conservation, and water management, you will provide trusted, expert advice to farmers and land managers, supporting the transition to profitable, environmentally sustainable farming systems. You will play a key role in identifying, developing and delivering projects aligned with water and wildlife-friendly farming principles, helping to reduce diffuse pollution, restore habitats, and strengthen ecosystem resilience. You will identify where and how partners and other specialist suppliers can form part of the solution, and seek to secure partnership opportunities and projects as appropriate.

Key Responsibilities

Farm Advice and Engagement

• Build long-term, trusted relationships with landowners, tenant farmers, and agricultural stakeholders.
• Deliver targeted, one-to-one advice to farmers to reduce agricultural diffuse pollution and improve soil and water management.
• Promote and support adoption of nature-based solutions, and regenerative farming practices.
• Identify current conservation value of land holdings, and opportunities for enhancement of wildlife habitats and species.
• Identify funding opportunities through agri-environment schemes, public sector grants, philanthropic funding, offsetting through statutory (e.g. BNG) or voluntary mechanisms, and emerging markets for ecosystem services.

Programme Delivery

• Lead the design and delivery of catchment-sensitive farming initiatives, complimenting the activities of existing initiatives led by others, notably Thames Water, Natural England, and the Environment Agency.
• Identify opportunities for, design and implement on-farm capital works (e.g. farm water storage, fencing, sediment traps, slurry infrastructure improvements).
• Ensure projects meet environmental outcomes for water quality, habitat enhancement, and species recovery.

Technical Leadership

• Provide technical expertise on:
  • Species recovery and habitat creation and enhancement
  • Nutrient & pest management and diffuse pollution mitigation
  • Soil health and erosion control
  • Planning and delivery of Environmentally sustainable farming practices
  • Funding opportunities available to farmers / NGOs to undertake and sustain environmental enhancements, including SFI, Countryside Stewardship and Nature Based Solutions markets

Partnership Working

• Facilitate the Thame Catchment Farm Cluster, and play a leading role in its ongoing development, including through collaboration with neighboring farmer clusters.
• Collaborate with regulators, water companies, NGOs, and local authorities to deliver integrated catchment management.
• Represent the Trust at stakeholder meetings, farmer events, and industry forums.
• Initiate and contribute to partnership bids and funding opportunities.

Monitoring and Reporting

• Track project outputs and environmental outcomes, including improvements in water quality and biodiversity.
• Use data and evidence to evaluate effectiveness of interventions and inform adaptive management.
• Contribute to reporting required by funders and stakeholders.
• Work with the Trust’s Communications staff to promote RTCT’s work with farmers, within the agricultural community and amongst rural and agricultural stakeholders.

Team Leadership

• Mentor, support and line-manage staff within the land use team – Currently one Assistant Project Officer.

Strategic Leadership

• Contribute to organisational strategy and continuous improvement of advisory approaches.
• Secure the long-term viability of RTCT’s farming support activities, through securing sustainable funding sources, and providing a service which is trusted and valued by land managers and funders alike.
• Contribute to wider Trust Strategy, including ensuring farming support activities are complimentary to and achieve synergies with other areas of the Trust’s activities.

Skills, Knowledge & Experience

Essential

• Significant experience advising farmers on environmentally sustainable agriculture.
• Strong knowledge of:
  • Farm businesses.
  • Species and habitats in a farmland context
  • Diffuse water pollution and mitigation techniques
  • Soil management and nutrient planning
  • Organic and non-organic fertilisers
  • Plant nutrient requirements
  • Agri-environment schemes and policy frameworks
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence behaviour change.
• Ability to manage projects and deliver outcomes to time and budget.
• Ability to work flexibly to fit with farming timetables – some evening and weekend working may be required.
• Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel throughout the catchment.

Desirable

• Degree (or equivalent experience) in agriculture, environmental science, or a related field.
• BASIS, FACTS, or similar land-based qualifications.
• Experience working within a catchment-based approach

Personal Attributes

• Passionate about sustainable farming and environmental improvement.
• Practical, solutions-focused, and collaborative.
• Credible and empathetic when working with farmers and land managers.
• Highly organised and able to prioritise effectively.

What We Offer

• Opportunity to drive meaningful environmental change across landscapes.
• Supportive, mission-driven team environment.
• Professional development and training opportunities.
• Hybrid and flexible working.
• Membership of the Rivers Trust Pension scheme.

How to Apply

Please submit your CV and a covering letter outlining your suitability for the role and how you meet the required skills, knowledge and experience to: RTCT Administrative Support Officer Paula Hudson [email protected] by 5pm on Thursday the 18th June. Interviews are scheduled for the 29th of June, in Person in Wheatley, Oxfordshire.