Catchment Partnership Development Officer

Thames21 is an environmental charity putting healthy rivers at the heart of community life.
Through our environmental improvements, education, research and advocacy efforts we inspire and
influence effective and lasting change by working hand-in-hand with communities and by directly
delivering tangible and measurable improvements for urban rivers.

We are recruiting an enthusiastic and committed individual as a river Catchment Partnership
Development Officer to help deliver integrated improvements for rivers, wildlife and people.
The successful applicant will sit in a team of 6, which between them host or co-host 10
catchment partnerships across the Thames Basin as part of the wider Thames21 Improving Rivers
team. This post provides an exciting opportunity to develop Thames21’s role as a Rivers Trust
to bring together the delivery of a hosted Catchment Based Approach (CaBA) Partnership.
Building climate resilience for future generations in our capital city, this post will focus on
working closely with partners across all sectors to develop, and help secure funding for,
on-the-ground projects to improve the health and condition of the blue/green corridors in line
with the relevant catchment’s catchment action plan.

Key skills for applicants:

• Experience of developing evidence-based environmental improvement strategies.
• Experience of river restoration or catchment management projects leading to delivery.
• Relevant experience of developing funding opportunities.

In return we offer:

• 25 days paid annual leave are available (pro rata) plus public holidays. In addition, the
  Thames21 office. is closed between Christmas and New Year
• An ‘auto enrol’ Workplace Pension Scheme, with an 8% pension contribution from Thames21
• Training allowance
• Thames21 operate a flexitime system of working
• Interest free season ticket loan
• Cycle to work scheme
• Childcare voucher scheme
• Mobile phone and laptop for company use

Purpose of the job

This post is responsible for the strategic development, expansion and implementation of the
catchment-based approach to river, wetland and catchment improvements. The role involves
hosting a CaBA Catchment Partnership group, and working with partner organisations to develop
the partnership through the delivery of four priority themes: –

• Engaging community and stakeholder groups to build the partnership
• Development of river and valley improvement projects leading to delivery
• Fundraising for river and valley improvement projects.
• Sharing information and bringing people together in a way of working that is catchment
  wide, cross boundary and between multiple organisations.

Working with partner organisations the successful candidate will develop, fundraise and enable
delivery of agreed priority projects and themes to deliver a better environment for people and
wildlife. The successful candidates will take a lead on their own river catchment, however it’s
important that they are also prepared to work as part of the wider Thames21 catchment
partnership team with each team member playing to their strengths and supporting the other
officers deliver work in the other catchments.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Work with Catchment Partners and Thames21 support functions, to identify, scope and develop
  environmental improvement projects which are realistic and fundable, thereby enabling the
  implementation of the Catchment Partnership’s Objectives and Catchment Action Plans to meet
  national environmental objectives, as well as the objectives of the Thames21 five-year plan.
• Arrange, host and coordinate Catchment Partnership meetings to share knowledge, news and
  project progress between stakeholders, including production of agendas, minutes and actions.
• With support from Catchment Partners and Thames21 colleagues, lead on the development of
  funding applications to enable the delivery of projects.
• Oversee the delivery of broad-scale, catchment-wide projects that have been developed
  through the catchment partnership.
• Work with Catchment Partners and Thames21 colleagues, to share information between partners
  and stakeholders to ensure that all interested parties are up to date with the latest
  information and knowledge of techniques, opportunities and developments in areas relevant to
  the Partnerships
• Work with Catchment Partners and Thames21 colleagues to engage local communities in their
  river catchment and generate a ground swell of support for and actual delivery of
  river/floodplain to catchment scale improvements and management of spaces.
• Update Thames21 central record keeping databases such as ThankQ, Mailchip etc in line with
  GDPR requirements
• This job description cannot cover every issue or task that may arise within the post at
  various times and the post-holder will be expected to carry out other duties from time to time
  which are broadly consistent with those in this document

Closing date for completed applications: 5pm on 6th October 2023

Interviews will be conducted: in the week commencing 16th October
2023 (subject to change)