As a Catchment Advisor, you will manage and deliver catchment-specific projects and advice to protect raw water quality and quantity across Cheshire and North Wales. This full-time role involves engaging with farmers and landowners, carrying out fieldwork, and utilizing GIS tools to assess environmental risks.
Requirements
A further education qualification in Agriculture, Land and Water Management, Environmental Science, or a closely related discipline.
Demonstrable experience working in or alongside the agricultural sector.
Strong working knowledge of diffuse water pollution issues.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and GIS (particularly ArcGIS).
Full UK Driving Licence.
Skills & Responsibilities
Stakeholder Engagement: Communicate effectively with farmers, landowners, and local authorities to promote sustainable land management practices and deliver workshops.
GIS & Mapping: Use geographic information systems and ArcGIS to assess, monitor, and map environmental risks and support project planning.
Fieldwork & Sampling: Carry out catchment investigations, incident response activities, and environmental sampling to evaluate the effectiveness of solutions.
Report Writing: Produce clear, concise, and impactful reports detailing findings and progress for both technical and non-technical audiences.
Potential transition routes: People from environmental consultancy, agricultural advisory, or farm management roles may bring relevant advisory and ecological skills, alongside meeting mandatory driving and communication requirements.
Job description
The Role
To manage, deliver, monitor, and report on catchment-specific advice and projects aimed at improving and protecting raw water quality and quantity in both groundwater and surface water sources.
Key Responsibilities:
Engage with stakeholders active in UU’s drinking water catchments (e.g., farmers, landowners, local authorities).
Implement targeted interventions and best practices to reduce pollution risks.
Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of catchment-based solutions.
Report on progress and outcomes to internal and external stakeholders.
What You Will Be Doing:
Provide tailored advice and support to farmers, landowners and other land managers to promote sustainable practices that protect and enhance water quality.
Develop farm management plans and support applications for environmental stewardship and improvement schemes.
Carry out catchment investigations, fieldwork, incident response activities, and environmental sampling to assess risks and validate interventions.
Analyse and report findings, presenting evidence and delivering engagement activities, workshops and events to a wide range of stakeholders and community groups.
Monitor, assess and map environmental risks using tools such as GIS, ensuring delivery of actions aligned with Drinking Water Safety Plans and environmental programme objectives.
What We Are Looking For:
A further education qualification in Agriculture, Land and Water Management, or Environmental Science (or a closely related discipline).
Excellent understanding of UK agricultural and land management practices, with demonstrable experience working in or alongside the agricultural sector.
Strong working knowledge of diffuse water pollution issues, including nutrient runoff, pesticide use, and sediment control, with practical experience in catchment management strategies.
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and geographic information systems (GIS), particularly ArcGIS, for mapping, spatial analysis, and project planning.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce clear, concise, and impactful reports for technical and non-technical audiences with a Full UK Driving Licence .
Highly organised and self-motivated, with the ability to prioritise tasks effectively, manage multiple projects, and inspire collaboration among
About the Team:
The team works across approximately 125,000 hectares of non-owned catchment in Cheshire and North Wales.
Works collaboratively with a wide range of partners, stakeholders, and regulators to improve raw water quality and safeguard water resources.
Acts as the critical link between land management and water treatment, ensuring that upstream interventions support downstream water quality outcomes.
