Specialist Lead – Monitoring and Evidence

About the role

We’re looking for a strategic and proactive Monitoring and Evidence Specialist Lead to help establish South East Rivers Trust as a leader in evidence-led river restoration and catchment management.

This is a unique opportunity to lead the development of our data and evidence function, ensuring robust monitoring, analysis and insight underpin how we prioritise, design and deliver our work. You will play a key role in helping SERT become a truly evidence-led organisation, embedding monitoring and evidence across project development, delivery and decision-making.

Working across teams and catchments, you will help strengthen our understanding of impact and build the systems, frameworks and culture needed to make evidence central to everything we do. Externally, you will help position SERT as a recognised leader in conservation evidence, championing best practice and helping to shape how evidence is used to inform river and catchment restoration.

What you’ll be doing

• Leading the development and implementation of SERT’s monitoring and evidence strategy.
• Developing and embedding monitoring frameworks to evaluate the impact of our projects and programmes.
• Using evidence and insight to inform project prioritisation and investment decisions.
• Working with colleagues to ensure monitoring and evidence are integrated into project design, delivery and adaptive management.
• Overseeing data management, quality assurance and reporting approaches across the organisation.
• Supporting project development and funding bids through the provision of robust evidence and analysis.
• Building organisational capability through leadership, training and support.
• Developing relationships with partners and promoting best practice in monitoring, evaluation and conservation evidence.

About you

You’ll be passionate about using evidence to improve environmental outcomes and comfortable working across teams to turn evidence into practical insight and action.

You’ll have:

• Experience leading or coordinating environmental monitoring, evaluation and evidence programmes.
• Experience using evidence to inform strategy, prioritisation, project development and funding or investment decisions.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to turn data and evidence into practical insight and action.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• The ability to influence, support and build capability across a wide range of colleagues and partners.
• A proactive and collaborative approach, with a passion for continuous improvement, learning and innovation.

Why work with us?

You’ll be joining a supportive, values-led organisation where your work really matters. We offer flexible hybrid working, opportunities to build experience, and the chance to be part of a team making a positive impact for the environment.

Site locations

The SERT region, covers the south east of England, extending from Hampshire in the west to Kent in the east, with the northern border being south of the Thames, extending down to the English Channel.

Our office is based in Leatherhead which you will be required to attend up to 4 times a month.

The amount of travel required depends on the role, and can be extensive. Most travel for an individual will be to work on project sites, which can be remote, or attending external meetings within the SERT region. The geographical range and frequency of travel is role dependent.

To support travel costs, SERT pays mileage at the current HMRC amount for travel within the SERT region. We do not pay mileage, time or any other costs for travel outside the SERT region, nor for any commutes to the office. Toll charges cannot be claimed.

Application process:

• Closing date for applications: 29th June 2026 11.59pm
• In person interviews (at our Leatherhead office): 14th July 2026
• We reserve the right to close this job advert early

For further information on the application process see our FAQ’s