National Trail Volunteer and Project Coordinator

National Trail Volunteer and Project Coordinator

Job reference: OCC615185

Salary range: £32,076 – £34,834 per annum

Location: Unit 1 Sutton Farm, Sutton Lane, Sutton, OX29 5RD near Oxford. Covering Thames and
Ridgeway National Trails passing through Oxfordshire and neighbouring counties.

Hours: 37 per week – we are open to discussions about flexible working 

Contract type: Permanent

Help us deliver our vision to make the Thames Path and Ridgeway wonderful trails for
all to visit.

About us

The Thames Path and Ridgeway National Trails are part of a family of sixteen National Trails.
National Trails are managed to provide the public with high quality long-distance walking,
cycling and horse-riding experiences. We are a small but friendly team looking after the trails
with the aid of our fantastic volunteers.

We maintain and install signage, gates, and small bridges up and down the trails, as well as
carrying out extensive summer mows. We also engage with local communities and look at new and
exciting ways to promote and enhance the trails and the environments they go through.

About the role

A rare opportunity has arisen, and we are looking to appoint an energetic, personable, and
resourceful individual with experience of working with and supervising volunteers carrying out
practical countryside work. The postholder is responsible for managing our Volunteer Scheme so
that the two National Trails meet Trail Quality Standards and volunteers feel safe, motivated,
and adequately trained and equipped.

The post involves working in scenic farmed countryside along the rural Thames Path from the
source in the Cotswolds to the edge of London, and along The Ridgeway in the chalk hills of the
Chilterns and North Wessex Downs National Landscapes. The postholder has use of their own work
truck and manages a workshop space and equipment dedicated to the Volunteer Scheme. This base
is currently in Sutton where the postholder will be working closely alongside Oxfordshire
County Council staff who share the workshop.

The work addresses the needs of walkers, cyclists, horse riders and less able users. The role
leads in attracting and retaining volunteers to promote, maintain and enhance the Trails. Tasks
include surveys, making signs, clearing vegetation, installing gates, mowing and carrying out
surface patch repairs. There will also be opportunities to develop new opportunities and
contacts, such as attracting different types of people to volunteer with us and delivering
broader objectives through practical tasks.

This post is principally funded by Natural England with the support of local authorities
outside London. For more information on the National Trails Click Here

About you

Have you come through a countryside apprenticeship scheme or gained plenty of practical
experience of working with volunteers in the Countryside, then this is the role for you. With
your strong people skills and high level of organisation you will find a satisfying and
rewarding job working alongside hardworking volunteers.

Rewards and benefits

• Culture of flexible working
• Technology to support agile working where role permits
• Up to 33 day’s holiday p.a. plus bank holidays
• Option to ‘buy’ additional holiday
• Employee Assistance Programme including access to health and wellbeing support
• Membership of the Local Government contributory pension scheme, with an employer’s
  contribution of up to 19.9%
• Enhanced family friendly policies
• Local and national discounts for shopping and travel
• Great learning and development opportunities to support your ongoing development

Would you like to know more?

Please click here to view the Job Description and Selection Criteria 

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Hannah Gutteridge, Thames Path
Manager on 07704664299.

Application Procedure

To apply, please complete an online application form by clicking either of the Apply
Now buttons at the top and bottom of this advert. This includes a section asking you
to explain how you meet the selection criteria, as specified in the job posting. You may attach
a cover letter and/or CV to your application form, however it is not mandatory.

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at this stage of the recruitment process, please contact the Recruitment Team using Recruitment Application Enquiry
Form.

Closing date: Sunday 26 May 2024.

Interview date: Thursday 30 May 2024.