JOB DESCRIPTION
Community Education Officer [Part-time]
Old Park Hill BLF Reaching Communities
‘Hill at the Heart: Communities on the Up’ Project
Job Title:
Community Education Officer - Old Park Hill
Function:
To develop and deliver the Community Education Programme of
the KWT’s Big Lottery Fund Reaching Communities Project
Responsible to:
The Project Manager, working closely with the Community
Engagement Team
Responsible for: Tutors and Volunteers including some element of the Volunteer
Trainees work
Kent Wildlife Trust
Kent Wildlife Trust is one of the largest of the 47 Wildlife Trusts, which together make up the
Wildlife Trusts Partnership. We are supported and governed by our 31,000 members, and
have the simple aim of protecting Kent’s wildlife for the future. To this end, we own or manage
some 65 nature reserves covering over 8,100 acres; we campaign and lobby politicians,
decision makers and landowners to ensure site protection and good habitat management; and
we run a full programme of community engagement and education work with schools,
colleges and adult groups. The Trust also has five Visitor Centres.
The Trust operates from its headquarters at Tyland Barn, just north of Maidstone. The 85
professional and support staff work within five sections of Reserves, Conservation, Policy &
Evidence, People Engagement, Marketing and Membership, Finance and Support Services.
Visit our website to see the range of our activities – www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk.
Old Park Hill BLF Reaching Communities
‘Hill at the Heart: Communities on the Up’ Project
Old Park Hill is one of the Trust’s newest nature reserves situated on the outskirts of Dover
Town adjacent Whitfield Village. The reserve covers some 36 ha [90 acres] of old chalk
grassland with peripheral woodland. The Trust established Old Park Hill as a nature reserve
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under a leasehold agreement with the Dover Harbour Board in 2011. Prior to this the site had
largely been neglected for many decades with consequent loss of habitat due to alien scrub
invasion, particularly by aggressive non-native species such as Holm oak and sycamore and
the encroachment of anti-social activities including fly-tipping, vandalism and off road motor
bike riding.
The Trust aims to restore species rich chalk grassland by engaging with the local communities
around Old Park Hill through the Big Lottery Fund Reaching Communities Project over the
next three years.
The project will enable local people to gain:
 Improved health and wellbeing through increased positive connection with nature
locally
 A stronger sense of ownership of the natural environment
 Increased confidence and improved skill sets through project volunteering, training and
education
 Local children and young people will have improved life chances through family and
group learning opportunities
The Project will employ a part-time team of three who will work closely with other Trust staff,
local partners and the local community to deliver access to nature through education and
training programmes and voluntary opportunities focus on Old Park Hill Nature Reserve and
the Old Park Community Centre in Whitfield where the Project Team will be based – in the
heart of the local community.
Job Purpose
This post is key to the development and delivery of the Old Park Hill Reaching Communities
Project. The post holder will work closely with the Project Manager, the Community Education
Team Leader and Town & Country Housing Group staff based at the Old Park Community
Centre.
This post will be a real opportunity to develop a compelling engagement programme with
communities in the local area and make a real difference to their quality of life through the
participation, engagement and involvement with the improvement and nature conservation of
the Reserve. This programme would be supported by Tutors and volunteers as well as
provided by outside contractors and so the post holder would need to co-ordinate these
individual.
The post will be responsible for recruitment of tutors and volunteers to support the successful
delivery of the programme.
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The principal duties are listed below. This is a post which will use to the full a broad mixture of
skills built on wide, hands-on experience. The qualities of the individual appointed to the post
will play a large part in determining the nature of the job.
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Principal Duties
1. Work with the Project Manager to develop an action/delivery plan for the
engagement programme to ensure successful outcomes and reporting.
2. Work with partners, stakeholders and other Trust staff (particularly the Community
Education Team Lead) to support the effective delivery of the programme.
3. Work with project partners and the local community to deliver strategic
project/programme objectives.
4. Support the recruitment, training and management of the Volunteer Trainees and
the contractors for the programme.
5. Inspire and lead the tutor and educational volunteer team.
6. Gather appropriate data that will ensure effective and robust evaluation of the
individuals, the community engagement activities and the overall programme is
possible.
7. Reporting to Project Manager and manage budgets within the scope of the
engagement programme.
8. Lead on the planning and management of the events and activities, engaging
contractors and tutors when required. Lead aspects of events or activities as
appropriate to skills and knowledge.
9. Ensure effective marketing and promotion of the different events to the key
audiences.
10. Support the peer learning of participants within the project, encouraging knowledge
transfer and skills exchange and enabling project participants to increase skills and
confidence through involvement in learning opportunities.
11. Support local people to increase their positive connection with nature and each
other through regular attendance on the project’s programme of activities.
12. Ensure that all site and activity risk assessments are produced and followed in
accordance with national legislation and Kent Wildlife Trust H&S Policy. Have due
regard to health and safety issues, including ensuring that all works by volunteers
conform to Health and Safety best practice (i.e. as a minimum are in accordance with
the Health and Safety at work act 1974).
13. Share with all staff a common duty to recruit members and volunteers, raise funds and
enhance the good reputation of KWT wherever the opportunity arises
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Skills, Qualifications & Experience
The post holder will:
Essential
Have a track record of engaging communities and
people from different backgrounds.
Experience of working with a wide range of
partnership or organisations.
A range of knowledge and experience of using
different methods of communication to engage a
wide range of audiences
An interest in nature conservation
Have the ability to work as part of a team but also
independently
Skills in leadership and mentoring of others
Experience of managing staff or volunteers
Experience of supporting skills development in
others
Good administration skills, with an ability to work to
deadlines, skills in MS Office (Word, Excell and
Outlook)
Effective planner with good time management skills
Event management skills, including engaging with
contractors
Have an ability to think creatively, developing new
ideas to further the aims of the project and
programme – especially for the participants
Have an understanding of the Trusts role as a
conservation body.
Skills in using digital media for communicating with
audiences
Desirable
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Personal Qualities
Desirable
Essential
Well presented with a friendly and professional
manner
Have an attention to detail
Good people skills, interpersonal
Have a determination to succeed
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Enjoy working in all weathers
Enjoy innovative thinking developing new ideas
A flexible approach to problem solving
Seek sunlight and joy in all things
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Other Considerations
1. The post is advertised as a part-time post at 2.5 days/week but flexible, part-time
arrangements will be considered providing that they apply throughout the year.
2. The post is offered on a fixed-term.
3. Appointment will be subject to a six month probationary period.
4. No person shall be treated less favourably than another on the grounds of sex, sexual
orientation, marital status, race, ethnic or national origin, religion, colour, age or
disability.
5. Appointment is conditional upon receipt of satisfactory references
6. The Trust operates a no smoking policy
7. Kent Wildlife Trust is an equal opportunities employer and applicants for staff
vacancies shall be short-listed for interview and appointed purely on the grounds of
their suitability for the post as laid out in the advertised job description
8. All staff share a common duty to recruit members and volunteers and enhance the
good reputation of the Trust whenever the opportunity arises
9. KWT aims actively to enhance, wherever possible, the opportunities for people with
disabilities to experience, understand and enjoy the natural environment. All staff
share the responsibility in achieving this. Further information is available from the
Head of People Engagement
10. Under Section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, all staff have a legal
responsibility to:
a.
take all reasonable care of their health and safety while at work;
b.
ensure as far as reasonably practicable the safety of other persons,
whether other employees or members of the public, who may be
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c.
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adversely affected by their own actions
co-operate with the Trust to enable it to discharge its obligations
satisfactorily
Employment Package
All posts within the Trust operate within pay bands. The relevant band for the Community
Education Officer post is Points 11 to 16 on the Trust salary scale. At full time rates these
are £21,956 to £26,366 with annual increments of c. £500. Part time workers are paid
on a pro rata basis. The point on the scale at which applicants start will depend on skills
and experience. Finances permitting, these bands are updated once a year to allow for
the rate of inflation. Incremental rises also happen annually depending on available
finances and performance.
Normal working hours are 18.75 hour week over 2.5 days, which will involve some
evening and weekend working. Some flexibility will be possible within the demands of the
post. Overtime is not paid, but time may be taken off in lieu. The KWT holiday allowance
for full time workers is 23 days a year plus 8 days’ statutory holidays.
After 3 months in post, eligible staff will be automatically enrolled into a workplace pension
scheme. Trust will contribute 9% of gross salary provided the employee contributes a
minimum of 4%.
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Procedure for Applicants
Applications
Applicants should read the Guidance Notes carefully before completing the application
form – clearly and in black ink please (for copying purposes). Please DO NOT send
your CV.
If you wish to discuss this post, please telephone Mary Blackwell on 01622 662012
The closing date for applications is mid-day on 14th March 2015
Interviews
Interviews will be held on 21st March and will include a 10 minute presentation and a
30 minute task prior to interview.
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