Weald to Waves Project Lead

Job Description

Location: Hybrid working role based at Knepp Wildland, Horsham, with regular visits to sites across Sussex

Employer: Knepp Wildland Foundation is an independent charity set up to catalyse nature recovery across Sussex, and beyond.

Working Hours: Full-time, with scope to consider a 4-day week.

Salary: £38,000-40,000 pro rata, dependant on experience.

Weald to Waves is a visionary 100-mile nature recovery corridor across Sussex. As a land manager-led initiative, we bring together farmers, communities, schools, businesses, councils, and services to create, connect and conserve a ribbon of nature-rich landscape from the forests of the High Weald to the kelp forests of the Sussex Bay. We want the corridor to serve as a proof of concept for restoring biodiversity and ecosystem health, balancing the needs of sustainable agriculture with ecological and social resilience.

Launched in 2021, Weald to Waves is coordinated by the Knepp Wildland Foundation and represents a wide network of projects, strategies, and groups across Sussex. It is a nationally significant initiative, attracting funding and interest from a range of actors with influence over our natural world.

As the project takes shape, we are looking for a dedicated and experienced Project Lead to develop and deliver on a comprehensive strategy for the corridor, represent the project at regional and national levels, build up our partnership networks and manage a growing project team.

Key Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with team and partners to plan and implement landscape recovery at scale, while effectively measuring its impact.
• Act as the primary liaison with project partners, steering committee, and wider stakeholders, fostering connections cross agriculture, government and business, infrastructure and services, education and civic organisations to ensure the successful development of the project.
• Nurture relationships with national and regional landscape recovery and stewardship schemes, representing the project in relevant working groups.
• Explore and develop new opportunities within emerging natural capital and ecosystem services markets.
• Establish and embed new tools and technologies for planning and monitoring land use and connectivity.
• Oversee our land manager advisory network, when needed assisting with site visits, advising on nature recovery actions and strategies, and signposting to potential funding sources.
• Collaborate with the Partnerships Lead to secure grants and funding for capital works and project delivery.
• Take the lead in public communications and visibility by commissioning and creating content, liaising with the press, and representing the project through interviews, presentations, social media, and public speaking.
• Manage the day-to-day organisation and administration of the project, ensuring smooth operations, good financial health, and impact tracking and reporting.
• Facilitate the formation of working groups and external liaisons to further project objectives.
• Establish and grow well organised volunteer networks.
• Assume direct management responsibilities for 2-3 project staff, providing leadership and guidance to develop a warm and collaborative working culture.

Qualifications and experience required:

• At least 3 years’ experience in project and staff/volunteer management roles, ideally in the field of nature and landscape recovery.
• Previous engagement with land managers and farmers.
• Prior experience in successful community mobilisation; a background in movement-building and campaigning would be desirable.
• Strong communication skills with proven ability to engage with the public, press, and government entities.
• Exceptional networking and relationship-building capabilities, with a demonstrated track record of successful partnerships.
• Familiarity with government landscape recovery and stewardship schemes, as well as ecosystem services markets, would be helpful.
• Proven ability to manage project budgets and reporting.
• Confident navigating new technologies.
• A proactive and collaborative approach to problem-solving.
• Comfortable with independent working.

Candidates will need their own vehicle and must have the right to work in the UK.

To apply, please submit your CV outlining your relevant experience and a video of no more than 3 mins explaining your interest in the role and what you would prioritise in your first year in position.

Documents and video to be shared with or sent to Alex@Wealdtowaves.co.uk

Application Deadline: 29 November 2023, 5pm. Interviews week of 11th December.

Knepp Wildland Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and experiences. If you require this information or wish to submit your application in a different format, please let us know.