Project Officer – River Enhancement and Engagement

Salary: £28,500 per annum
Contract: Full time, fixed term (18 months)
Location: Our offices in Greengates, Bradford
Reports to: Project Manager
Interviews: provisionally Monday 16th March

About us

We are the only charity dedicated to improving the health and resilience of the River Aire and its catchment. Working with communities, landowners, local authorities, and partners, we restore habitats, enhance biodiversity, and support a thriving river environment. Our projects span river restoration, community engagement, climate adaptation, and now large-scale wetland creation. We are looking for an enthusiastic, proactive and approachable person to join our team. This is a hands-on role for someone who thrives on connecting with people and delivering conservation works in and around our rivers.

About you

You will be responsible for supporting the Project Manager, and the successful delivery of projects related to the improvement of the river, infrastructure, and natural flood management. Currently this sits under two areas of work:

• River Enhancement: partnership projects to improve habitat, fish passage, and water quality along the River Aire.
• People and Rivers: practical conservation volunteering opportunities and outreach with volunteers and community groups.

Both areas of work are funded by partners including the Environment Agency, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Yorkshire Water, and the National Lottery; and involve working with multiple other partners including the Wild Trout Trust, City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council and local landowners and volunteers.

Key Responsibilities

Project Management

• Support the capital delivery of works relating to fish passage/weir removals, in-channel restoration, wetland reconnection and improvements, and NFM.
• Monitor progress against agreed outcomes and ensure project goals are met.
• Assist the Project Manager in tracking project budgets and forecasts, ensuring financial controls are adhered to.

Key Stakeholder Liaison

• Serve as a point of contact alongside the Project Manager for our key partners in these projects including the Environment Agency, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Bradford Metropolitan District Council and Yorkshire Water.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with landowners, stakeholders, and external partners.

Planning and Environmental Management

• Assist in planning permission processes including Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) and environmental permitting and consenting, ensuring projects meet regulatory and environmental requirements.
• Support the implementation of Natural Flood Management (NFM) activities and work with the wider staff team on inhouse delivery.
• Utilise knowledge of geology and environmental sciences or draw support from other organisations and experts to guide the technical aspects of projects, particularly in relation to weirs and NFM.

Community Outreach and Delivery

• Provide support on the day of delivery activities such as in-channel and bankside debris removal, litter picks, invasive weed clearance, tree planting, hedgerow maintenance, wildflower meadow care, and footpath improvements.
• Serve as a key point of contact for local communities on the day of works, providing support, guidance, and answering any questions that arise.
• Work closely with the Practical Conservation Officer to deliver volunteer conservation opportunities for local community members.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

• Proven experience in environmental conservation ideally within water-based infrastructure, or natural flood management.
• Practical experience of delivering conservation works.
• The ability to report on projects using up-to-date data and GIS
• Experience in contractor management and dealing with external stakeholders.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to interact with landowners and
• project partners.
• A willingness to learn and proactively seek out new knowledge and skills.

Desirable Criteria

• Knowledge and experience of managing weirs, related engineering and geological work.
• Experience in planning permission and permitting processes for river restoration including biodiversity net gain (BNG).
• Degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant field (e.g., Environmental Science, Engineering, Geology, Project Management).
• Knowledge of the Aire Catchment, the challenges it faces and the associated technical aspects of river management.
• Certificates of competence in machinery e.g. chainsaws.
• Experience of project management.
• Experience and / or an understanding of compliance to Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM)

Benefits

25 days annual leave plus public holidays, flexible hybrid working, pension scheme, Employee Assistance Programme, professional development opportunities, and the chance to lead a major landscape-scale restoration initiative.