Nature Improvement Area Programme Manager
Context
The Trust operates throughout the traditional county of Yorkshire (i.e. all of the Yorkshire and Humber region except North Lincolnshire) from the Humber to the Pennines and from the Dales and Moors to the urban conurbations of the south. It is the second oldest of the 47 Wildlife Trusts which work in partnership together covering the whole of the UK. The Trust’s principle vision is to work for a Yorkshire rich in wildlife, valued and enjoyed by people.
The Trust seeks to realise this vision through the objectives identified in the Development Plan and Business Plan. Activities that the Trust undertakes to achieve the plans are nature reserve management of 95 reserves covering 2,500 hectares scattered across the region, specialist projects in river and wetland management, community development and environmental education activities, publicity and promotion and campaigning and policy work.
The Trust employs 100 staff (equivalent of 86 F/T staff) and, crucially, enjoys the support of 34,000 members. The staff work through five teams: administration & finance; development; and three conservation delivery teams – north and east, south and west and policy. Each team has a manager who reports to the Chief Executive who is responsible for the operations of the Trust and, in turn, reports to the Board of Trustees who govern the organisation.
The Trust engages more than 600 dedicated volunteers and voluntary trainees in its work. They make a huge contribution by giving time, skills, knowledge, enthusiasm and local ownership to our vision. All employees are expected to encourage, develop and support volunteer involvement wherever possible.
The Humberhead Levels partnership brings together Local Authorities, Agencies, NGOs and IDBs to take forward biodiversity, heritage and ecosystem services benefits within the National Character area which also benefit local communities and the economy. The partnership has been successful in securing Nature Improvement Area funding from Defra and Natural England and will deliver a £1.5m programme of works over the next three years. The Programme Manager will manage and co-ordinate delivery of the programme in liaison with all the partners. The Programme Manager will also work at a national level to promote the NIA and foster support from a range of partners and funders to further develop the NIA programme.
Our 2020 vision for the Humberhead Levels can be pictured as:
6.30 am, June 1 2020: The sun is rising through the mists that lie low across the mires, which stretch as far as the eye can see. It reflects in the myriad small pools surrounded by carpets of emerald green Sphagnum Moss and the nodding white heads of the cotton grass. What a difference the new water management processes have made to Thorne Moors. Now, more the 20% of the total area is returning to the kind of vegetation that will once more begin to lay down new peat. From one of the pools, a nymph has emerged and is slowly casting away its aquatic life to become a beautiful adult Emperor dragonfly. Overhead the slow beat of huge wings as a flock of 20 Common Cranes move from their regular roost site out into the surrounding fields to feed. In the distance a bittern booms. Not an unusual sound now that the local population has at least fifteen calling males. They’re breeding regularly in three new reedbeds within the nature improvement area, that did so much to connect all of this nature together. The regular management regimes, funded by the local reed stem briquette market are making a huge difference. Twenty-one people are employed harvesting the reed and making and selling the briquettes, a regular cottage industry.
Its several hours since the Nightjars stopped churring. More than 70 pairs now, up thirty percent in recent years. What a cacophony they make on the new woodland clearances where timber has been taken to feed the increasing local market for wood fuel. That private contract, taken out by the local consortium, is worth £130,000 a year. And who would have thought that the bare tracks scraped in the peat where the bigger trees were hauled out by heavy horses, have provided more records of the Mire Pill Beetle than the previous ten years combined.
Yesterday’s open day at the new washland site was a great success. The kids enjoyed pond dipping in the permanent pools and that brief appearance by the dog otter had everyone excited. It’s not really surprising of course. Now that all of the local watercourses are showing improved water quality from the continuing programme of riverside habitat creation, the population is doing well. So are the Water Voles. What was most pleasing though was the huddle of local farmers discussing the merits of their new wildlife and irrigation ponds, getting as competitive over their populations of Great Diving Beetles and newts as their predictions of a bumper harvest. There were at least four new holdings signed up with the local company to get their ponds in place.
Four thousand hectares of SSSI and Local Wildlife Sites in or heading for favourable condition, five hundred hectares of new wetland, the network of high quality river and drain habitats linking all of the sites together are now complete and on a regular management regime. The key wetland sites are monitored annually by volunteers under the new monitoring framework scheme, here modelled on the WEBS programme, but extended to habitat quality and key species. All of the information is now fed back and collated through service agreements with the Local Record Centres. It would not have been possible without the hard work and enthusiasm of the Humberhead Levels Partnership, getting it all started, and the focus and status provided by the Nature Improvement Area.
This is the vision; the Nature Improvement Area Programme Manager’s job is to make it happen.
Nature Improvement Area Programme Manager
Job Description
Outline
Responsible to: Director of Operations (SW)
Other Key Working Relationships: Humberhead Levels Partnership Executive, Project Partners, Defra and other NIA Managers
Responsible for: Volunteers, trainees and contractors
Based at: This post will be based at either 1 St. George’s Place, York or Potteric Carr, Doncaster – depending on the successful applicant.
Brief
The NIA programme manager is responsible for managing a large programme of works consisting of a number of multi partner projects. The role is also responsible for representing the NIA at a national level and working with the Humberhead Levels Partnership, Defra and others to monitor, evaluate and develop the NIA Programme.
Duties
Promote the Humberhead Levels NIA at a regional and national level
· Liaise with partners on publicity for the programme
· Provide a single point of contact for requests for information about the NIA
· Provide input to the national NIA Monitoring Framework
· Represent and promote the NIA at local, regional or national meetings, conferences and seminars as appropriate
· Raise the profile of the Humberhead Levels and gain wider recognition and support for the work of the Humberhead Levels Partnership.
Support monitoring and evaluation of the Humberhead Levels NIA
· Support the development of a Monitoring and Evaluation programme
· Where appropriate support the development of working groups and task and finish groups associated with the NIA
· Ensure key information is disseminated via NBN, Bars and other recommended platforms
Manage the NIA Programme Effectively
· In liaison with the Chair of the NIA Steering Group, arrange steering group meetings and provide input to agenda and meeting notes
· Attend other HHL meetings as appropriate
· Ensure partner compliance, particularly with procurement rules, legal obligations and consents
· Collate and submit quarterly grant claims to Natural England
· Track all programme spend and grant income, including ‘match’ grants presented by partners
· Submit written reports to Natural England and the Executive, twice yearly and report quarterly at the Executive meetings
· Provide additional support to partners where requested or where recommended by the executive or lead body
· Communicate effectively with all partners
Develop the NIA programme
· Work with the HLP Funding Group and partners to develop complementary funding opportunities
· Ensure adequate sources of match funding are available through discussion and agreement with partners and their funding officers, bringing in additional partners as necessary
Other
· Promote the NIA, HHL partnership and partner organisations whenever possible
· Abide by all Trust policies
· Undertake other duties as requested by your line manager and in line with the post
Nature Improvement Area Programme Manager
Person Specification
Experience
· Experience of managing complex, multi-objective programmes with significant (+£1m) financial responsibility / · E· Experience of working within a conservation charity or other voluntary sector role / · D
· Experience of working with partners from a wide range of organisations / · E
Knowledge and Understanding
· Understanding of European reporting procedures / · D· A general understanding of marketing and fundraising / · D
· An understanding of landscape scale conservation / · E
· An understanding of legislation and policy relevant to the role / · E
Skills and Qualifications
· An ability to lead, understand, guide and inspire partnerships and a wide range of partners / · E· An ability to communicate complicated concepts, foster support and influence outcomes through excellent written and verbal communication skills and a high degree of emotional intelligence / · E
· An ability to develop strategic and operational plans, delegate tasks, prioritise work, identify and manage risk and manage own workload and time with limited supervision / · E
· An ability to think strategically and creatively to solve problems and make good decisions / · E
· Educated to degree level or equivalent and with appropriate additional qualifications / · D
Personal Qualities
· Affinity with the partnership and Trust’s vision, values and organisational culture / · E· Ability to cope well under pressure / · E
· High standards of professional and personal integrity / · E
· A strong interest in environmental issues and nature conservation / · E
Nature Improvement Area Programme Manager
Terms and Conditions
Salary: / £26000 p.a.Hours: / 35 working hours per week, Monday to Friday. The nature of the post’s duties may from time-to-time require evening and weekend work. Paid overtime is not available, but time off in lieu will be given.
Holidays: / 25 working days per annum in addition to normal public holidays.
Pensions: / On satisfactory completion of the 6 month probationary period the employee will be eligible to enter the Trust’s group stakeholder pension scheme and the Trust will contribute up to 6% of salary to this scheme.
Childcare Vouchers: / The Trust operates a Childcare Voucher Scheme. Details of which are available on request.
Employee Assistance Programme: / The Trust provides paid staff with access to an Employee Assistance Programme. This is a confidential service which aims to provide staff with support for a range of issues. Further details are available from the HR and Training Manager.
Notice Period: / Generally 4 weeks
Place of Work: / The post will be based at the Trust’s headquarters at York or at Potteric Carr Nature Reserve in Doncaster, depending on the successful applicant
Travel: / Public transport is encouraged although pool vehicles are available. In exceptional circumstances the use of the officer’s own vehicle may be necessary for business use for which a mileage rate of 27.5p per mile will be paid.
Training: / The Trust is fully committed to personal development and training.
Closing date: / 9am on Monday 8 October 2012
Interview dates: / Wednesday 17 October 2012
120907, Filing Location 120907 NIA Programme Manager DRAFT v1 JS.doc