Evidence & Engagement Lead (Hampshire Avon)

Hours: 30 hours per week (0.8 full-time equivalent), with potential for full-time.
Location: Primarily home-based, with regular travel throughout the Hampshire Avon catchment
Contract: Fixed term until 31 December 2029, with potential for extension subject to funding

About FLOW

For the Love of Water (FLOW) CIC is a small, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to protecting and improving the Hampshire Avon and its tributaries. We like to think of the river as our only shareholder.

We fund our community engagement and nature recovery projects through profits generated from our specialist river consultancy work, as well as through grant funding. As a Community Interest Company, we reinvest our profits into making a positive difference to our rivers.

Since 2022, we’ve worked with local communities, volunteers and partner organisations to monitor river health, identify pollution and campaign for cleaner, healthier rivers. This includes supporting local groups to secure designated bathing water status at popular recreational sites.

We’re a small, friendly and ambitious team, working closely with a growing network of volunteers and organisations across the catchment.

About the role

We’re looking for someone who can help turn citizen science into real improvements for our rivers.

We have an exceptional network of volunteers collecting valuable water quality data across the Hampshire Avon catchment. We now want to build on this work, strengthen our monitoring programme, and, importantly, use the evidence we’re collecting to drive positive change.

As our Evidence & Engagement Lead, you’ll take ownership of our citizen science programme, supporting and developing our volunteer network while helping to identify pollution problems and opportunities to improve river health.

You’ll work with local communities, farmers, landowners, environmental organisations and regulators to make sure our monitoring is targeted, our data is reliable, and our findings lead to meaningful action.

This is a varied role combining community engagement, environmental monitoring, data management, partnership working and communications. You’ll also help establish a new Riverfly monitoring network, giving local communities another way to understand and protect their rivers.

We don’t expect you to arrive knowing everything about rivers or water quality. We’re looking for someone with excellent organisational and communication skills, plenty of initiative and a genuine determination to make a difference. We can provide training and support to build the technical knowledge you need.

What you’ll be doing

Leading our citizen science programme

• Act as the main point of contact for our volunteer monitoring network, providing guidance, support and regular updates.
• Develop and strengthen relationships with existing volunteers, landowners, farmers and community groups.
• Identify opportunities to expand the monitoring network, particularly in areas where additional evidence could help address environmental pressures.
• Organise volunteer training, meetings and engagement events.
• Ensure volunteers have the equipment, resources and confidence to collect reliable data.
• Maintain accurate volunteer records and ensure compliance with data protection requirements.

Turning monitoring data into action

• Take responsibility for the quality and management of data collected through the RiverHub platform.
• Review monitoring results, identify emerging trends and flag potential pollution incidents or areas of concern.
• Help investigate suspected pollution sources, including coordinating the deployment of continuous water quality monitoring equipment.
• Work with colleagues and partner organisations to ensure monitoring findings are shared with the right people and used to inform practical action.
• Produce clear, accessible summaries and annual reports that communicate what our data tells us about river health.
• Help develop digital tools, including GIS and online dashboards, to make our monitoring results accessible and useful.

Developing partnerships and new opportunities

• Build strong working relationships with local communities, farming groups, environmental organisations and statutory agencies.
• Work with partners through the Hampshire Avon Catchment Partnership, including Wessex Rivers Trust, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, the Environment Agency and Natural England.
• Help establish and coordinate a new Riverfly macroinvertebrate monitoring network across the lower Hampshire Avon and its tributaries.
• Identify opportunities for new monitoring projects, collaborations and improvements to the existing programme.
• Work with national initiatives, including CaSTCo, to support consistent monitoring standards and data sharing.

Communications and programme management

• Lead communications relating to our citizen science programme, including social media, website updates, newsletters and media enquiries.
• Help communicate our findings to a wider audience, making scientific information understandable and engaging.
• Organise and deliver public engagement activities and events.
• Manage the inventory of monitoring equipment, consumables and reagents.
• Plan and prioritise activities, keeping the programme running smoothly and making effective use of available resources.

About you

We’re more interested in finding the right person than someone with a particular qualification or career background. You might already work in conservation or environmental monitoring, or you might come from community engagement, volunteer management, project coordination or another field where you’ve developed relevant skills.

What matters most is your enthusiasm, initiative and ability to bring people together to make a positive difference.

Essential skills and experience

• A genuine passion for protecting the natural environment and improving river health.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the confidence to engage with people from a wide range of backgrounds.
• Experience of working with volunteers or community groups, and an understanding of how to support and motivate people.
• Strong organisational and administrative skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and work independently.
• A proactive approach, with the confidence to take ownership of projects, identify opportunities and drive work forward.
• An ability to build positive relationships with stakeholders, including landowners, farmers and partner organisations.
• Good IT skills, including familiarity with Microsoft Office applications and the confidence to learn new systems.
• A willingness to develop your knowledge of river ecology, water quality and environmental monitoring.
• A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle that can be insured for business use, as regular travel across the rural catchment will be required.
• A suitable home-working environment with reliable internet access.

Desirable skills and experience

Experience in any of the following would be an advantage, but is not essential:

• Citizen science or environmental monitoring programmes.
• Water quality sampling and interpretation of monitoring data.
• Riverfly monitoring or aquatic ecology.
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS), particularly Esri ArcGIS Online.
• Data analysis, visualisation and reporting.
• Working with farmers, landowners or catchment partnerships.
• Knowledge of the Hampshire Avon catchment and the pressures affecting its rivers.
• Website management, social media or public communications.

What we offer

We recognise that flexibility and a supportive working environment are important. As a small organisation, we can offer the opportunity to shape your role and make a genuine contribution to our work.

• Salary: £27,000–£30,000 per annum (full-time equivalent), depending on experience.
• Flexible working: 30 hours per week, with flexibility over how those hours are arranged.
• Location: Primarily home-based, with opportunities to work alongside colleagues at our office in Downton, Wiltshire or with partner organisations.
• Annual leave: 30 days per year (pro rata), including bank holidays.
• Pension: 8% employer pension contribution.
• Training: £500 annual training budget, with relevant training provided in areas such as water quality monitoring, first aid and working safely in water.
• Equipment: Work laptop, phone and all necessary monitoring equipment and PPE.
• Development: Opportunities to develop new skills, build partnerships and help shape the future of our river health programme.

There may be occasional evening or weekend commitments for volunteer activities and community events.

For the right candidate, there may also be scope to increase the role to full-time, subject to funding and organisational needs. We would also consider splitting the role between two suitable candidates.

Contract and other requirements

The role is funded until 31 December 2029, with the possibility of an extension subject to securing further funding.

The successful candidate will be required to provide satisfactory references and evidence of relevant qualifications, where applicable. Any DBS check will be undertaken at the level appropriate to the duties and eligibility of the role.