Carbon Farming Project Manager - (Fixed-Term)

Job Description

Introduction: Core aims of the role are to manage the Carbon Farming Project, improving our understanding of reducing carbon emissions in agriculture whilst assisting in nature recovery, within a profitable and productive farm business. To lead on a set of case studies working with farmers to understand how carbon auditing tools work for their farms, accounting for carbon emissions alongside nature conservation. Lead on continuing the progress of the agroforestry trial at hope farm, including tree maintenance and monitoring. This trial’s core aims are to improve our understanding of how well agroforestry delivers for carbon, farm business, and nature in this context. Producing advisory outputs to stakeholders of the carbon farming project. Assisting on day-to-day work at Hope farm.

Key Result Areas:

• Work with a Project Team and external stakeholders to set and deliver outputs and objectives of the project within the project timeframe.
• Support the biological and soil monitoring on the farm to assess the impact of land management changes on biodiversity and soil carbon.
• Building effective internal relationships with site managers of other participating RSPB farmed sites. Through discussions and joint working with appropriate colleagues, to ensure effective project delivery.
• Act as a source of informed scientific advice to colleagues across the organisation as required.
• Manage volunteers in helping to achieve core aims of the project, including working with farmers to undertake carbon audits, and practical work to progress on farm trials.
• Manage handover to ‘business as usual’ by formally bringing the project to an end, preparation of any follow on actions required and communicate to others where relevant.

Internal:

• Work closely with the Hope Farm project team to ensure that elements of the project are being managed appropriately.
• Act as a technical for RSPB volunteers helping to undertake work involved as part of the project.

External:

• Work with farmers participating in the project to assist in conducting the case study carbon audits and to translate technical or practical outputs into the advice for the farmer.
• Work with local recorders and representatives of local specialist/interest groups to support delivery of project and wider organisational objectives, so that advice delivers for reducing carbon emissions and nature.

Essential skills, knowledge and experience:

Essential Knowledge:

• Conservation management on farm land.
• Relevant ecological knowledge.
• Carbon emissions in agriculture
• Relevant Bsc, Msc or equivalent experience of ecology, carbon or farming
• Arable agricultural knowledge, UK based or similar

Essential Skills:

• Communication and interpersonal skills.
• Individual and team management skills.
• Record keeping/data management.
• Organisational including time management and prioritisation.

Essential Experience:

• Working with staff or volunteers.

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Biological monitoring.
• Livestock agricultural knowledge
• IT and database (Merlin).

How we expect you to work:

The RSPB has seven key competencies that are important to our organisation’s success. We expect all employees to demonstrate these competencies in everything that they do.

In line with these competencies, the following behaviours are essential upon appointment to this particular role and will need to be part of what you do for you to add value to the RSPB:

Direction: You set clear work priorities for people

Energy: You show a personal interest in team members

Capability: You demonstrate an interest in your own personal development

Relationships: You form productive internal partnerships

Change: You share new ideas with colleagues

Advocacy: You speak positively about the RSPB with colleagues

Performance: You place your main focus on important priorities

Performance: You consistently deliver results on time

Additional Information:

This role may involve lone working.

The role is based in a remote and rural location with some opportunities to work from home

This role may require occasional travel within the UK.

This role may require occasional overnight stays away from home.

The RSPB works for a healthy environment for all and we therefore expect you to take action in accordance with our Environmental Policy and objectives. Together we can make a positive difference for our world.

In the RSPB, volunteers are a major resource and make a vital contribution to the RSPB’s aim to take action for the conservation of wild birds and the environment. Employees are responsible for encouraging, developing and supporting volunteers in their work for the RSPB.

This is a 12 month Fixed-Term Full-Time role for 37.5 hours per week.

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 as soon as possible. For further information please contact georgina.bray@rspb.org.uk

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.

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

Before applying for this role, we recommend reading through the candidate guidance notes attached to the top of this advert.