Farm Advisor / Senior Farm Advisor

Job Title: Farm Advisor/ Senior Farm Advisor

• Post Grade: 3-4
• Purpose: To deliver high quality farm advice across several farmer engagement projects. To develop LRT’s future farmer engagement programme.
• Reports to: Trust Manager
• Location: Hybrid. Working from home and from LRT’s office near Kirkby Lonsdale. Arrangements are flexible, with the general aim of working from the office 2-3 days per week. Frequent site work will be required at locations across LRT’s operational area.
• Hours: Full-time 37.5 hours per week. Flexible working hours.
• Salary: £27,352 - £40,630
• Contract: 12 month fixed term contract (with potential to extend)

The Lune Rivers Trust is a small but ambitious environmental charity dedicated to the protection and enhancement of all the rivers and tributaries in the Lune catchment. We cover a large area, from Tebay in the north, to Ingleton in the east and Pilling in the south. We have secured funding from the Environment Agency, United Utilities, Wyre Council, and RSPB Cumbria Connect to support our ongoing farmer engagement activities.

A recent staff departure has left a gap in LRT’s delivery capacity to provide farm advice and farmer engagement. Our experience over the last 6 years has proven the benefits of farmer engagement and particularly our approach to it. We believe that there are considerable opportunities to continue to develop our farmer engagement programme and secure additional funding. We are seizing this as an opportunity to step up our capabilities and are seeking a Farm Advisor to join our team. We are open to considering candidates across a range of levels of experience so are advertising this role as a Farm Advisor/ Senior Farm Advisor. For context, a Farm Advisor could be someone just starting out on their career, perhaps coming from a farming background and recently graduated in an environmental subject. A Senior Farm Advisor would typically be professionally qualified (e.g. FACTS) and have several years of experience delivering high quality farm advice.

The duties and responsibilities will be tailored to the successful candidate. A Farm Advisor would work closely with other members of the team, to learn how the Trust operates and to develop their skills and knowledge in delivering farm advice. They would be coached on how to develop projects and how to manage time and funding.

A Senior Farm Advisor would take on a more prominent role in leading the farm advice programme, developing strategies and securing funding. Whilst oversight would rest with the Trust Manager, it is anticipated that a Senior Farm Advisor would have significant leeway in deciding the strategic development of the farmer engagement programme. Initially a Senior Farm Advisor would not have direct line management responsibility for other LRT staff members, but this would be open to review in the future depending upon a Senior Farm Advisor’s performance and the development of the programme.

This is an exciting opportunity to join our team and make a direct contribution to developing our future programmes. It would be a perfect first job in the environmental sector for someone from a farming background, or a next step for someone who has cut their teeth with providing farm advice and is ready to further develop their career.

We have quoted a salary range for a Grade 3 or Grade 4 post. The salary offered will depend upon the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate. For a Farm Advisor with little prior experience, the salary offer will be near the lower end of the stated salary range. Conversely, a well qualified and experienced Senior Farm Advisor will be towards the upper end of the salary range.

We operate a flexible working hours/ Time Owed in Lieu system. We also work a mixture of based from home, based from our office near Kirkby Lonsdale, and on site across our catchment. Arrangements are reasonably flexible, with the general aim to be in the office 2-3 days per week.

We envisage this to be a full-time role. However, we are aware that some candidates may wish to combine the role with running their own farm business. Hence we are open to considering whether this role could be carried out on a part-time basis. If part-time, it would need to be a minimum of 50%-60% (i.e. 2 ½ - 3 days per week). If you would like to explore this possibility, please mention it in your application.

Duties and Responsibilities

• To deliver/ lead LRT’s farm advice activities, providing high quality farm advice to individual farmers/ landowners.
• To work closely with LRT’s Senior Engagement & Project Manager to develop and deliver a coordinated approach to farmer engagement and provision of farm advice.
• In coordination with LRT’s Senior Engagement & Project Manager, set up and lead/ facilitate local farmers groups.
• In close cooperation with LRT’s Trust Manager, help to develop a strategic approach to expand LRT’s farmer engagement activities.
• Establish contact with farmers in LRT’s operational area and enrol interested farmers on to projects.

Person Description

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate that they are exceptionally self-motivated and are passionate about improving the environment and working with farmers and landowners. For the Farm Advisor end of the scale, they must have some previous experience in delivering farm advice or come from a farming background. At the Senior Farm Advisor end of the scale, they must have considerable previous experience in delivering farm advice. They must be a good communicator with a strong background in project development and delivery within the environmental sector. A good knowledge of the Lune catchment and the functioning of river catchments would be beneficial.

Essential

• Degree level or equivalent related experience in agriculture/land management or relevant environmental topic.
• Experience/ extensive experience in providing farm advice (6+ years for a Senior Farm Advisor).
• Knowledge/ in depth knowledge and understanding of agriculture and farming practices.
• Knowledge/ in depth knowledge of agri-environment schemes such as Catchment Sensitive Farming capital grants and Sustainable Farming Incentive.
• Proven success in applying for and securing agri-environmental grants (Senior Farm Advisor).
• FACTS and BASIS (Soil & Water) qualified (Senior Farm Advisor).
• Proven experience in preparing farm assessment reports such as Farm Infrastructure Audits and Nutrient Management Plans (Senior Farm Advisor).

Desirable

• Knowledge and experience of upland management systems and upland habitats.
• Experience of financial and time management.
• Lives in, or is relocating to, the Lune catchment.

If you would like more information or an informal chat about the post, please contact Tim Pitt (Trust Manager) on 079 49 24 26 55 or [email protected].

Closing date for applications: Midnight on Sunday 9th August 2026.