Communications and Engagement Officer

Salary: £28 – 30K pro rata
Location: Lakeside, Newby Bridge, Windermere, Cumbria (Hybrid working negotiable)
Hours per week: 0.6FTE / 22.5 hrs per week. 
Could also be combined with 0.4 FTE Digital Content Creator role (see separate job spec). 
Fixed term appointment until at least end December 2026 although extension likely. 

Role Description 

The Communications and Engagement Officer role is an exciting opportunity to deliver the comms
and engagement activities for the EU LIFE-funded R4ever
Kent Project. The LIFE R4ever Kent project (LIFE20 NAT/UK/001013) plans to Restore and
Revive the River Kent SAC, so that the species and habitats can Recover, thus making the
designated features more Resilient to environmental pressures. The lead partner is Natural
England and the partnership also includes the Environment Agency and South Cumbria Rivers
Trust. The successful candidate will have excellent communication and partnership working
skills, and be capable of creating and delivering a robust communications and engagement plan
for the project. The river Kent, which partly flows through the Lake District’s World Heritage
Site landscape has some of the UK’s rarest and most at-risk species. It is one of the last
surviving strongholds of the native white-clawed crayfish and home to a small population of the
endangered freshwater pearl mussel. This project aims to move the river Kent towards favorable
condition by using a range of river/riparian restoration and invasive control best practice
methods, whilst engaging local communities and land managers. 

We are looking for a proven communications specialist, who is a team-player and keen to get
involved in project activities. Ideally they will be located in the North West of England with
good access to the South Lakes / South Cumbria area and have a love of the outdoors including a
desire to protect and enhance the natural environment. We are looking for somebody who can
connect with different groups of people using different communication styles, tools, and
techniques to suit the groups they are engaging with. This role involves capturing peoples
attention and sharing our story and key messages. 

Key tasks 

• Responsible for development, delivery and evaluation of communications plans, through close
  working with the existing Partners. 
• Accountable for monitoring and evaluation of agreed communications outcomes to feed into
  progress reports and, where necessary, recommend changes to achieve outcomes. 
• Together with partners, co-ordinate and respond to reactive media enquiries and initiate
  proactive media activity, drafting press releases, selling in stories and identifying potential
  opportunities to generate coverage on priority topics. 
• Protect and enhance the reputation of the project through horizon scanning and issues
  management. 
• Maintain effective working relationships with local and regional media. 
• Organisation of key events and engagement with Project Catchment Management Advisers. 
• Develop digital content to support communications priorities and advise others about
  developing their own content and how to procure additional support if appropriate. 
• Support the management of highly sensitive and contentious issues in partnership with
  colleagues across the Defra group. 

Key skills 

Technical/Specialist Knowledge/Qualifications

• Proven experience in developing and delivering communications plans, including evaluation
  [Essential] 
• Proven creation of innovative social media content and contributing to the design of
  communications plans and campaigns that aim to change public behaviour, displaying strong
  written and verbal communications skills [Essential]
• Evidence using insight to identify target audiences and partners and to inform
  communication objectives, messages and solutions [Desirable]
• Demonstrating tactical delivery across a range of communications channels including
  campaigning, internal communications, broadcast, social or print media [Essential].

Personal Effectiveness

• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the principles of good business communication; and
  put these into practice [Essential]
• Use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage your
  audience [Essential]
• Assess the impact and effectiveness of communication; review achievement of objectives;
  identify lessons learnt and share feedback [Essential]
• Develop your professional expertise by keeping up to date with current evidence and
  research, aiming to develop a broad portfolio of expertise relevant to your specialism to
  enable you to provide holistic advice and to provide support, assurance and challenge across a
  wide range of topics [Desirable] 

Putting People at the Heart of the Environment

• Listen to and understand our diverse partners and customers so that you achieve the best
  outcomes for them and the organisation you represent [Essential]
• Nurture trusting partnerships and collaborate to achieve pragmatic outcomes that help
  deliver the vision, mission and aims of the organisation you represent [Essential]
• Work proactively and collaboratively with stakeholders and partners to identify and secure
  opportunities to deliver gains for people and nature [Essential]

Work Delivery

• Manage and deliver your work to meet agreed targets and deadlines [Essential]
• Plan and deliver events and meetings, including organising all logistics, to meet the needs
  of the host through understanding the objective, whilst considering the cost-effectiveness and
  budgetary requirements [Essential]
• Handle data responsibly, understand your role in good governance, and comply with
  delegations, policies and procedures [Essential] 

About the Freshwater Biological Association 

We are a small environmental NGO with a large remit – understanding and conserving freshwaters
across the globe. Our innovative work on species recovery and citizen science engages hundreds
of people to participate in protecting our vital freshwater ecosystems. Our goal is to increase
understanding, learning and participation in freshwater ecology and this exciting role will
help us achieve that.

You will be joining a small but perfectly formed team of enthusiastic and dedicated people
working in the beautiful English Lake District. This exciting opportunity is being offered on a
permanent basis with a base package including 25 days annual leave plus privilege days (9 days
pro rata), additional paid bank holidays depending on actual days worked, 3% employers pension
contribution, life insurance and personal health & wellbeing programme. 

How to apply

Please send a covering letter and CV to [email protected],
detailing why you would be the best candidate for this role and outlining whether you are
applying for just this role, and whether you wish to be considered for the LIFE R4ever Kent
Communications and Engagement Officer role concurrently. Consider the key responsibility areas
and deliverables when applying. Please also provide at least three examples of content you have
created/delivered and detail how it contributed to the project or any specific
objective/target.

The closing date for applications is 5pm 24th June, 2024 with interviews anticipated w/c 1st
July. Interviews will be held face-to-face at FBA’s offices in Newby Bridge, Cumbria.