Programme Manager (Communities and People)

We are inviting candidates for this new and exciting role to build capacity within the team to further develop our communities and people focussed work.

The role needs to fundraise, develop, manage and be responsible for our people focussed work programmes which foster connections with nature and connections with each other. This will include developing our strategic plans into funded delivery projects, overseeing and fundraising for our existing programmes of work - (Walk in the Park, people focussed elements of Wild Strathfillan, In Step with Nature and Active Travel).

The role will involve working in close collaboration with local communities, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority and a range of public, private, health, education and voluntary third sector organisations.

The post holder needs to have a background in strategic development, community engagement, fundraising, volunteer development, programme and line management. A strong interest or working knowledge of health and wellbeing, active travel and a proven track record of working in partnerships or with stakeholders.

This role is a two year fixed term contract:

• Hours: 37 hours per week
• Pension: Employer contributes 7% of salary
• Annual leave: 28 days plus 10 days public holidays
• Reporting to: Trust Director
• Location: Blended home and office-based working with desk space at National Park Authority offices in Balloch. Expectation of regular time spent Killin, Crianlarich and Tyndrum.
• Start date: The successful candidate would ideally be able to start in December 2024.

Application process:

Please complete our online application form and Diversity and Monitoring form available from our website and forward to [email protected]. Please note CV’s alone will not be accepted.

• Closing date for applications: Monday 21st October 2024 at 12pm noon.
• Interviews will be held: 31st October 2024

Background

Loch Lomond and the Trossachs Countryside Trust is an environmental, and health and wellbeing charity, working to support and enhance wellbeing and resilience in landscapes, communities and people. We deliver projects, encourage participation, and collaborate with others to create more sustainable, healthy and active communities, places and partnerships. Our vision is for our landscapes and communities to be connected and thriving.

Our flagship projects are our health walk programme - Walk in the Park, Wild Strathfillan - an ambitious nature restoration initiative, Active Travel - supporting National Park Communities and our new initiative - In Step with Nature.

Walk in the Park is a highly successful programme of health walks within communities within the National Park. The weekly programme of walks, strength and balance sessions provides a supportive and social environment for people to be regularly physically active and improve their health, sense of wellbeing and confidence. We also organise group walks and summer eventing walks. All these activities are predominantly led by our fantastic volunteers and managed by our Walk in the Park team. The Countryside Trust is committed to the continued development and enhancement of this programme, to enable more people to experience and benefit from it. Over time we anticipate that our work will be expanded to reach new communities and individuals.

Wild Strathfillan is a landscape-scale nature restoration initiative located in the north of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. Recently, the initiative has been successful in securing funding from NatureScot’s Nature Restoration Fund and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, to deliver nature restoration, skills development, volunteering and community focused projects. The initiative aims to place local people at the heart of the plan for this landscape and we are supporting local communities to gain new skills and knowledge so that can become involved. Plans also include support for local land managers to develop skills to support the restoration and stewardship of nature on their land.

The focus for our Active Travel work is behaviour change. Working with local communities to support and deliver a range of activities and events to encourage more walking, wheeling and cycling. The Trust loans out e-bikes, supports local businesses through our Cyclists Welcome Scheme and works across communities to bring capacity and expertise. In Step with Nature is based on noticing and being mindful in nature. We have plans to further develop this project work.

Key responsibilities and tasks

Programme Development and Management

a. Communities

• Lead the development of Walk in the Park, Active Travel, In Step with Nature, volunteering and our wider community focussed work. This includes responsibility for fundraising, budget setting and overall delivery.
• Establish a monitoring and evaluation programme which enables the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs Countryside Trust to document and measure the positive impacts of being connected with nature including health and wellbeing, behaviour change and awareness of nature.
• Maintaining existing and developing new relationships with key local contacts and key stakeholders both based within and external to the National Park to broaden and develop relationships with. Be an ambassador for our work and an advocate for our communities.
• Understand, and contribute to, developments in relevant subjects, maintain relationships and to respond to opportunities when they arise.
• Responsible for chairing advisory groups. Key contact for funders and external Steering Groups.
• Based on the strategy, establish new activities, develop themed walks and further expansion of the current programme. Working with the team to set priorities, identify new audiences, partners, activities and funding sources to enable the growth and development of the programme as outlined in our 2023- 2030 strategy. This includes focusing on our Nature Connections and Connected Lives work streams (eg active travel, cyclists welcome business scheme and supporting walk in the park and strength and balance programme development).

b. Wild Strathfillan

• Overall management people engagement programme of work: ‘The People and Nature of Wild Strathfillan’. This includes project management, monitoring, reporting and evaluation. Lead on liaison, engagement and project delivery with community groups, in particular the Stories of the Land project.
• In conjunction with the Nature Restoration Project Development Manager, lead on establishing and delivering our planned local community tree & specialist plant nursery. (estimated to be 30% of time in year one).
• Lead on developing our volunteer programme including Nature Ambassadors, conservation volunteering, tree nursery volunteers and ad hoc activities.
• Support the wider project team and partnership as required, including the Steering Group and working groups, working with project partners to identify opportunities supporting undergraduate students undertaking projects or placements with the Trust.
• Ensure a pipeline of current delivery activity information is provide to the comms officer to produce regular newsletters and local newsletter articles.
• Further development of the community tree nursery programme and building links to a wider network of nurseries.
• Lead on developing pilot projects to establish proof of concept to build bigger programmes of work.

c. Staff & Volunteer Management

• Line management and development of our Nature Connection and Connective Lives staff (currently four staff)
• Lead the further development of our volunteer programme to enable the full potential of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs Countryside Trust’s engagement projects. This includes working with the Senior Health Walk Coordinator to ensure charity wide coordination.
• Responsible for overall oversight of volunteering.
• Responsible for ensuring the team has sufficient resources and capacity to deliver the agreed programme of work and responsible for maintaining all equipment allocated to the team.
• Accountable officer for team’s health and safety.

d. Fundraising and Financial Management

• Lead on fundraising to enable the continued delivery of current projects as well as the establishment of development projects as listed as within the Trust’s Strategy Delivery Programme.
• Development of new projects within the National Park through stakeholder liaison, an awareness of new emerging funding and development opportunities.
• Full financial management and budgeting of the Trust’s connected lives and people engagement activities.
• Key contact and responsible officer for all claims and approvals by funders.

Person Specification

Relevant Experience | Essential

• Experience of working in a community setting and community engagement
• Track record in managing the delivery of complex projects on time, to budget and in line with agreed outputs and outcomes.
• Track record in the strategic development of new project initiatives.
• Track record in fundraising for environmental/ community projects including experience of developing funding proposals to augment existing work programmes and implement new ones
• Experience of line managing and developing staff and volunteers.
• Experience in evaluation projects and activities.
• Experience of budget and financial management and reporting. Experience of contract management.
• Experience of stakeholder engagement and partnership working
• Educated to degree level or equivalent with experience in a related field.

Relevant Experience | Desirable

• Working knowledge of nature conservation, health and wellbeing in an outside setting and active travel.
• Experience of working with a National Park Authority, local authorities, private and voluntary sector organisations, and local communities.
• Experience of working in a remote rural setting.
• Experience of working in the Third Sector.

Skills | Essential

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to speak passionately and authoritatively to a variety of audiences and writing reports for Boards, funders and other key partners.
• Excellent numeracy skills, able to understand, interpret and present project budget information.
• Excellent people management, negotiation, problem solving and relationship building
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships with a wide variety of people. Proven ability to outreach to individuals and groups and build relationships and partnerships.
• Excellent project management, work planning and organisational skills.
• Excellent computer skills.

Skills | Desirable

• Training in project management systems
• Project evaluation using statistical and/or qualitative data.

Qualifications | Required

• Evidence of a high standard of written and spoken English.
• Current full clean drivers’ licence with access to a vehicle.
• Right to work in the UK for next two years.

Personal Attributes & Qualities | Essential

• Committed to the purpose, values, and aims of the Countryside Trust.
• Confident, enthusiastic, and able to motivate a team and volunteers.
• Tactful and sensitive to the needs of individuals and stakeholders. Active listener with strong empathy and compassion.
• Highly professional with high standards of work.
• A strong commitment to supporting the wellbeing and sustainability of individuals and communities across the National Park.
• Ability to think creatively with foresight
• Flexible and adaptable approach to work with a positive, can-do attitude.
• Team worker, committed to delivering shared objectives and contributing to team spirit.
• Happy to travel to rural locations (will require the use of a suitable vehicle and Full Driving License, or available public transport).
• Able and willing to work weekends and evenings on occasion.
• Ability to keep information confidential.
• Ability to work on a range of projects in tandem.

Personal Attributes & Qualities | Desirable

• Interest in horticulture/ silviculture/ ecology, wildlife conservation, natural sciences etc
• Interest in healthy walks, the health and wellbeing benefits of nature and being active.

Working with the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs Countryside Trust

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