An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the ‘Life on the Edge’ project as a Community Officer. This position is hosted by South Devon National Landscape.
Hours: Full-time
Contract Type: 5 year fixed-term until March 2029
Salary: £30,825-£33,945
Location: Totnes/Agile
This Community Officer role will work alongside other specialists in the Life on the Edge project team and South Devon National Landscape team, and will involve organising a wide range of community projects, events and activities.
It will communicate and implement a pioneering nature connection and species recovery project and support local community and business engagement in achieving nature recovery. The project seeks to improve the health and wellbeing of local people, inspiring and supporting them to take positive action for nature along the South Devon coast.
Life on the Edge is a multi-partner project that aims to restore viable populations of some of the UK’s rarest invertebrates and plants living along the South Devon coast between Berry Head and Wembury, including the last known colony of the Six-banded Nomad Bee. This bee faces imminent extinction unless action is taken. The project will also enable the recovery of over 30 other threatened invertebrates (including the Long-horned Bee, Short-necked Oil Beetle, and Moon Spider) and 30 rare or declining plant species, including Autumn Squill, Slender-fruited Bird’s-foot Trefoil and Goldilocks Aster.
The project aims to provide 675 ha. of new and improved wildflower-rich grasslands along the coast of South Devon between 2024 and 2029 and to engage people in the area in the conservation and appreciation of the threatened species and habitats of the coast.
The role will carry a diverse range of duties to involve communities in researching, recording, understanding, and celebrating local distinctiveness and change in the project area.
The Community Officer will lead on devising and delivering effective, impactful community engagement projects within the Delivery Phase of the Life on the Edge project. It will involve working closely with key stakeholders including local communities, project partners, educational establishments, volunteers, community and special interest organisations, to establish strong working relationships to achieve project outcomes.
The post holder will develop and utilise effective partnerships with organisations and individuals that can positively contribute to the project’s five-year delivery phase, and project legacy.
The Postholder will:
• Act as a facilitator and leader in developing community-based activities about Life on the Edge target species, with learning, exhibitions and fieldwork engaging a wide range of community groups and organisation.
• Organise the programme of community activities delivering environmental awareness and education, which will include events, arts, photography, recorded history, and practical conservation projects.
• Manage the events programme with campaigns and projects promoting species conservation, bringing in specialist tutors and experts to provide tuition in managing the buildings, landscape and features of the Project area.
• Deliver targeted community engagement programmes to achieve project outcomes.
• Organise, plan and deliver interpretive materials.
• Involve a wide range of partner organisations and specialists.
• Ensure that the project work is appropriately evaluated, recorded, documented and archived using website and other media.
• Support the development of community-led environmental projects through assistance with funding, technical information, advice and contacts.
NB: The list of duties is not to be regarded as exclusive or exhaustive; there will be other duties and requirements associated with the post and you may be required to do.
How to apply
For more information and to apply, visit South Devon National Landscape recruitment page.
Please note that this role is not hosted by Buglife but with a partner organisation on the Life on the Edge project.
Main Image Credit: Long-horned Bee (Eucera longicornis) © Steven Falk
