People & Places Officer

Are you passionate about making nature matter and seeing local people as crucial in shaping
nature’s recovery? As part of Cumbria Connect, our new large-scale nature restoration project,
we want to make space for nature an essential part of the fabric of local communities to ensure
that people and nature can thrive together in the face of ecological, climate, economic and
social challenges. Therefore, we seek an experienced, creative and enthusiastic new team member
to help us create opportunities to involve people and let their voices help shape nature
restoration.

About the Role

The People & Places Officer is a key role in Cumbria Connect. Funded through the Endangered
Landscape Programme, this partnership between the RSPB, landowners, farmers and other
environmental organisations seeks to restore and revitalise nature across 33,000 ha of
north-east Cumbria (including parts of the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks).
The People and Places Officer will lead our work with local communities, connecting people and
places with nature and building relations with farming and non-farming communities. This
includes listening, collaborating with communities, and co-designing innovative and creative
opportunities to connect to nature. You will also lead our citizen science and volunteering
opportunities programme giving communities a share in how our work is helping to bring back
nature.

Essential skills:

• Excellent interpersonal skills with an ability to get alongside and engage with a diverse
  range of people
• Good verbal and written communication and IT skills, including use of online media
• Creative skills & out-of-the-box thinking
• Strong planning and organisational skills
• Experience of volunteer recruitment and management
• Experience of community engagement, e.g. organising events and workshops, community
  listening, arts engagement, working with schools
• Partnership working to deliver shared outcomes

Desirables:

• Knowledge and experience of community organising, participatory, co-creative and/or
  creative approaches and methods
• Experience of delivering citizen science, ecological monitoring and/or science engagement
  programmes
• Experience of working with rural upland communities, including farming communities
• Experience of delivering novel ways to connect with nature to attract non-traditional
  audiences

Additional Information

This is a Fixed-Term, Part-Time role for 22.5 hours per week until end of September 2027.

The RSPB reserves the right to extend or make this role permanent without further
advertising dependent on business needs at the end of the contract term.

We are looking to conduct interviews for this position from 4 September 2023. For further
information, please contact [email protected].

As part of this application process you will be asked to provide a copy of your CV and complete
an application form including evidence on how you meet the skills, knowledge, and experience
listed above.

We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB, in which everyone
feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve our vision of creating a
world richer in nature, we need more people on nature’s side and more diverse people. People of
colour and disabled people are underrepresented across the environment, climate,
sustainability, and conservation sectors. If you identify as a person of colour and/or
disabled, we are particularly interested in receiving your application. Contact us to discuss
any additional support you may need to complete your application.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by the
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

The RSPB is a licenced sponsor. This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship – the
successful applicant must have a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK to be offered an
employment contract.

Before applying for this role, we recommend reading through the candidate guidance notes.