JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE:Marine Policy Officer (MPO)

0.8 FTE (28 hours required). Fixed-term to September 2016

REPORTS TO:LINK Marine Task Force and Task Force Convenor

LOCATION:Edinburgh (initially Dunkeld)

CONTRACT TYPE:Thirty-three month, fixed-term contract

JOB PURPOSE:One of two LINK marine posts, working togetheron behalf of LINK Marine Task Forcewith decision-makers and other stakeholders at all levels;to ensure the robust and timely implementation of Scotland’s National Marine Plan, future Regional Marine Plans and new nature conservation Marine Protected Areas to ensure they help deliver the sustainable development, protection and, where appropriate, recovery of Scotland’s seas.

FUNDING:This post is funded mainly by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, with contributions frommember organisations of LINK’s Marine Task Force.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

Based on sound science, the purpose of the role is to ensure that the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 and UK Marine & Coastal Access Act 2009 are together implemented to deliver for Scottish waters:

  1. Marine Protected Area network – Scotland is required to establish an ecologically-coherent network of well-managed Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by 2016. Foremost is securing designation of the ‘best 29’ MPA proposals, then the designation of MPAs arising from the remaining four MPA search locations and thereafter making a robust case for the further sites needed to complete the network and ensure ecological coherence.
  2. A National and Regional Marine Planning system, underpinned by Marine Ecosystem Objectives, that protects and, where appropriate, enhances the health of Scotland’s seas and ensures they achieve Good Environmental Status by 2020. Sectoral plans and policies, on for example renewable energy, aquaculture and fisheries, must integrate with the new marine planning system.
  3. Marine Ecosystem Recovery – ensuring that together the MPA network, the new marine planning system, and other wider seas measures such as fisheries management tools, are all well-managed in order to enhance the current extent of Priority Marine Features and MPA search features and contribute to enhancement of wider marine ecosystem health and the goods and services the sea provides.

The MPO role complements afellowMarine Policy & Engagement Officerrole, supporting the project. The MPO rolehas greater emphasis on scientific evidence-base and development of policy in line with Marine Task Force discussions, where the Policy & Engagement role will focus and lead on communications, public support and engagement. A degree of overlap and flexibility is important.

Both roles will be line-managed by the LINK Marine Task Force Convenor.

The MPO will be expected to deliver in each of the following three areas of planning, communication & coordination, and representation.

PLANNING

  • Maintain a thorough grasp of current marine policy issues
  • Work with Marine Policy & Engagement Officer in identifying key elements of technical policy work needed in relation to establishing an ecologically-coherent network of well-managed Marine Protected Areas and an effective marine planning system (nationally and regionally) that protects and, where appropriate, recovers our seas
  • Help oversee the timely delivery of technical policy work, including where necessary project-managing workcommissioned on behalf of LINK Marine Task Force
  • Participate fully in contributing to these and other activities as required to secure delivery of Marine Task Force objectives for marine legislation

COMMUNICATION CO-ORDINATION

  • Provide support and specialist scientific knowledge on the key features of the UK and Scottish marine legislation to the Marine Task Force and to external audiences including parliamentarians, civil servants, media and other NGOs
  • Working closely with Marine Task Force, Marine Policy & Engagement Officer and UK colleagues, and at times also with LINK’s parliamentary staff, prepare detailed written briefings, consultation responses and other papers as necessary for use with audiences including media, stakeholders, government and parliamentarians
  • Act as spokesperson for Marine Task Force with key stakeholders at meetings, workshops, conferences and other events.
  • Work closely with UK and other devolved colleagues in the Links network on all elements of delivering MPAs, marine planning and licensing requirements in Scottish and UK waters
  • Provide Scottish material to colleagues and administrations in other parts of the UK, ensuring devolution compatibility and compliance
  • Work with the Marine Policy & Engagement Officer and LINK Parliamentary staff on press releases, media events, LINK websites and to help deliver a lobbying presence at party conferences and help arrange seminars and workshops as necessary

REPRESENTATION

  • Represent Marine Task Force externally as agreed to government, agencies, industry and the public at Scotland and UK levels
  • Advocate for agreed LINK Marine Task Force policy lines/positions on identified priority issues at appropriate forums and steering groups and to officials in government and statutory organisations

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

  1. Reports to the LINK Marine Task Force Convenor and Task Force
  2. Will work closely with the Marine Policy & Engagement Officer, Marine Task Forcemember bodies and WWF Scotland team, especially with policy and advocacy staff, to achieve Marine Task Forcepolicy and advocacy objectives
  3. Will work with LINK’s Parliamentary Officer and parliamentary staff in the wider LINK network
  4. Will form part of the overall LINK staff team, taking part in team meetings and contributing to team discussions
  5. Will be expected to form good working relationships with officials in government and its agencies, local government and a range of other stakeholder organisations with interests/roles in implementation of marine legislation and marine policy
  6. Will work with staff and marine project teams in the other Links across the UK, to ensure mutual consistency with policy issues for which this post has lead responsibility in Scotland.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This is a 0.8 FTE role(28 hours). The workload will consistently require this level of commitment.

It is a fixed-term contract, running to 31 October 2016 and reporting to the Marine Task Force Convenor.

Salary will be circa£25,000per annum, pro rata, depending on skills and experience.

Employer pension contribution of 8% of basic salary is payable from the end of a satisfactory probation.

Annual leave isbased on an FTE of 20 days' annual leave and 10 public holidays and calculated pro rata.

All approved expenses incurred in pursuit of LINK business will be reimbursed.

APPLICATIONS

For informal enquiries, contact Calum Duncan (Marine Task Force Convenor) on or Jen Anderson (LINK Chief Officer) at

See Job Description and Person Specification and Application Form at

To apply, complete the Application Form, detailing experience and skills relevant to the post and describing the nature, extent and level of that experience. You should include the names of two individual referees, one of whom should be your current, or most recent, employer. Submit thecompleted application by email to Jen Anderson, Chief Officer, by 13thNovember 2013.

CLOSING DATE & INTERVIEWS

The closing date for all applications is5pm on Wednesday 13thNovember 2013.

Shortlisted candidates will be contacted by 21stNovember with an invitation to attend for interview.

Interviews will be held onWednesday 27thNovember 2013 in Edinburgh.As part of the interview, candidates will be asked to give a short presentation to the panel on a topic outlined at the time of the invitation to interview.LINK can make a modest contribution to costs incurred by candidates in attending for interview. Candidates wishing to claim should provide travel receipts to staff.

FURTHER BACKGROUND

This work builds on LINK’s marine project of six years’ duration and environmental NGO advocacy over the last twelve years. That effort has focussed very much on building awareness of environmental and sustainability issues in the marine environment during development and passage through Holyrood of the Marine (Scotland) Bill (now the Marine Scotland Act 2010) and on implementation of that; also on related issues in the UK marine legislation (Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009). The project is linked to projects in England, Northern Ireland and Wales (many also supported by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation among other Trusts).

The fellow Marine Advocacy Officer is basedwith the RSPB Scotland (partly in their HQin Edinburgh).

Scottish Environment LINK is the network for Scotland’s voluntary sector environment organisations and is the collective voice of that community. Established in 1987, LINK provides a forum for its member organisations to meet, exchange information and develop joint positions and initiatives. Member organisations work through task forces involving members and sometimes co-opted organisations, on specific policy areas, developing common positions and advocacy strategies for promotion to other interests, the public and decision-makers. LINK comprises over 30 organisations representing a membership of around half a million people who care about the environment and how it is managed. See membership at Core work is supported by a small staff (3.7 FTE) including (in Perth) Chief Officer, Finance & IT Officer, Development Officer and (in Edinburgh) Parliamentary Officer and Parliamentary Office Administrator.

The network’s policy priorities, decided by the members annually, inform the work of staff who work together with task forces and campaigns groups to provide advice, support and coordination as needed to deliver the overall work programme. Various membership events are organized each year including seminars and training days, members’ Congress (November), AGM, strategic planning meetings, and a festive reception in (December). LINK is supported by an active President and an accessible Board of Trustees ( of whom are also involved in collective work through LINK on behalf of their organizations.

Fundraising for LINK’s core and project work is carried out to a range of funding bodies; LINK’s core work is currently funded by the Membership (through subscriptions) and by Grants from Scottish Natural Heritage, the Scottish Government, the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and Gannochy Trust, among other sources. LINK operates an environmental policy in relation to procurement, travel and energy use which staff and members work together in promoting. LINK aims to be an equal opportunities employer.

Scottish Environment LINK

2 Grosvenor House

Shore Road, PERTH PH2 8BD

Tel 01738 630804

Web

October 2013

LINK is a Scottish Charity under SC000296 and a Scottish Company Limited by guarantee and without a share capital under SC250899.

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