Location
Westcountry Rivers Trust office, Stoke Climsland, Cornwall. Hybrid working with an expectation to work regularly from the office and travel to sites across the delivery area.

Hours
37.5 hours per week

Salary
£42,400 per annum

About the Role
This senior role will strengthen the technical and operational leadership of Westcountry Rivers Trust's Rivers and Fisheries Team at a pivotal time. You will lead a portfolio of fisheries projects focused on fish passage, barrier removal, monitoring and conservation, supporting the Head of Fisheries & Ecology in developing the team's work, including sharing line management of key team members. This is an opportunity for an experienced fisheries professional to apply their expertise at scale, lead complex projects through the full delivery cycle, and make a measurable difference for fish and rivers across the Southwest.

You will manage projects or work packages within larger schemes requiring specialist fisheries input. The role involves travel within the Southwest and occasionally further afield to represent the organisation at events. You will maintain regular CPD in fisheries management, fish biology, fish passage, river restoration and morphology, and manage your own workload and that of a team in a dynamic delivery environment.

Westcountry Rivers Trust is a grassroots organisation established in 1994 to restore and protect rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal areas for people, wildlife and the local economy. The Trust works with landowners, communities, businesses, farmers and water companies using the best available science and an ecosystems approach to catchment management. The Trust employs around 75 people and delivers multi-year projects supported by a wide range of funders.

Benefits
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing up to 30 days for long service
Additional leave at Christmas
9% pension contribution after three-month probation period plus Life Assurance cover
Cycle to Work Scheme
Specsavers Eyecare Vouchers
Supportive policies including hybrid and flexible working

Experience
- Background in fisheries science, management, conservation and fish passage
- Previous experience leading or supervising a team
- Proven project management and delivery experience
- Experience working outdoors in aquatic and remote environments
- Knowledge of NEC contracts and CDM regulations (Desirable)
- Good understanding of Health and Safety standards and codes of practice
- Proficiency with MS Office suite; experience with ArcGIS and CAD (Desirable)
- Strong understanding of fisheries legislation, law and statutory requirements
- Experience in fish migration, barrier assessment, prioritisation and optioneering (Desirable)
- Experience leading, designing and conducting fisheries and ecological monitoring and surveying

About you
- Ability to plan and manage workloads including delegation and supervision
- Excellent communication and teamwork skills, able to share technical information effectively with stakeholders
- Skilled in contract management, procurement and tendering
- Knowledge and use of CDM regulations and NEC4 contract training
- Experience managing monitoring and survey programmes
- Experience with fish passage projects and experimental/field study design
- Experience mentoring and training others

Qualifications
- Minimum Level 6 qualification (bachelor’s degree) in a relevant subject and/or Level 3 diploma with a minimum of 10 years' experience
- Fisheries related qualification(s)
- Electrofishing trained and Electrofishing Team Leader trained
- Professional membership of a relevant organisation with ongoing CPD

Essential criteria unless otherwise indicated as Desirable (D)