JOB DESCRIPTION: TNR Outdoor Learning Officer and Team Leader (0.8 FTE 12 months, with
potential for renewal)
REPORTS TO: Chair of Trustees
RESPONSIBLE FOR: Part-time Learning and Outreach staff and Part-time Reserve
Manager (job share)
SUMMARY
This Outdoor Learning Officer and Team Leader post is part funded through Tewkesbury Nature
Reserve’s successful bid to the Ernest Cook Trust. The title of TNR’s project is: “Nature Guardians for Tewkesbury:” Promoting care for wildlife and water through inclusive outdoor
learning activities for children, young people and families (hereafter ‘Nature Guardians’). The post holder will work with staff, TNR Management Team and the Board of Trustees to design
and deliver an integrated programme of learning and outreach on, and through, Tewkesbury Nature
Reserve. The post also has line management and development/leadership responsibilities for
TNR’s staff.
About TNR: Within Tewkesbury, Tewkesbury Nature Reserve (TNR), an independent
environmental charity, combines concern for nature and community interests, with potential to
be a living laboratory (44 ha) for outdoor learning. Urban floodplain nature reserves bring
particular challenges with competing interests (nature, farming, recreation, infrastructure,
floods), and diverse communities with different drivers, knowledge, skills and values. Acting
as unique ‘green lungs’, they have potential to intertwine recovery for nature and humans. This
project aims to step-change development and delivery of TNR’s Learning and Outreach Strategy.
TNR’s objectives are set out in its Strategic Plan 2023-2028. This post focuses on leading
Objective 4: “Develop the reserve as a learning environment, offering a range of
learning opportunities tailored to different ages, interests and needs, especially children,
youth and older people.”
As TNR has moved from a focus on implementing infrastructural changes for wildlife enhancement
to engaging communities in using the reserve as a resource for varied learning activities
linked to environmental awareness and knowledge, health and wellbeing and wider resilience
building.
Job purpose:
This senior post has two main functions – (1) delivery of Nature Guardian provision for
different ages of children, young people and families; (2) a team leader role with
line-management responsibility for part-time staff in learning and outreach and reserve
management.
Our Reserve offers a valuable outdoor laboratory within Tewkesbury, a flood town, for
children, young people and their families to explore opportunities/challenges of bringing
together nature, farming, flooding and people in a community-embedded, blue-green setting. TNR
is distinctive in having its own space to connect nature and learning. We want to develop a
stimulating, sustainable programme of EDI focused, free outdoor learning activities that bring
nature, arts and crafting, citizen science and growing plants/vegetables together, tailored to
the age of local children and youth. Activities would build from early years Nature Guardians
through KS1/2 and KS3 groups, extending our Community Garden Group. This offers continuity of
young people’s relationships with the Reserve while developing their environmental
knowledge/skills and attitudes. Such learning for sustainability will develop ALL children’s
eco-stewardship. We will encourage young people to share their learning in their communities,
starting with their families.
With its growing number of part-time staff, the Trustees are looking to appoint a lead
staff member who can line manage and develop, inspire and lead staff and support any interns on
the reserve.
It is anticipated that 0.65 FTE time is allocated to the Outdoor Learning Officer role and 0.15
FTE is allocated to the Team Leader role.
The role will suit an enthusiastic and inspiring leader of outdoor learning, who also has some
knowledge of reserve management. The appointee will be a good communicator with a passion for
working with different communities and making a real difference to and through the environment.
Ability to engage and communicate effectively with diverse people and communities is essential.
The post holder will also play an active role in planning for the future of TNR, including
making collective decisions on any further shaping of the natural environment and the use and
management of the reserve for nature and people.
Initially offered as a 12-month 0.8 FTE contract, it is hoped that the position will be
extended for up to three years with successful delivery and if further funding is secured.
KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Work with local primary and secondary schools and colleges
1. Develop learning resources for children, young people and families, working with local schoolteachers with different specialisms.
2. Lead on, and facilitate, the involvement of local schools and colleges on the Reserve, working with relevant staff.
3. Lead the re-development of Nature Guardians (with Forest Schools ethos) for KS1 and KS2 on TNR, working with local primary schools.
4. Lead the development of new Senior Nature Ranger provision for KS3.
5. Lead and support school staff in running school activities on TNR.
6. Monitor and evaluate participation of schools and colleges and children, young people and their families in both formal and informal learning.
2. Provide a leadership and management role to TNR staff
1. Line manage TNR’s part-time learning and outreach and reserve management staff. There are currently five part-time staff – a total of 2.1 FTE.
2. Provide support to interns or placements learning green skills within TNR. There are no interns or placements at present but we plan to have one part-time intern (of 4-6 months duration) per year if we can secure funds.
3. Identify and monitor delivery of staff training needs.
4. Work with staff to co-ordinate learning and outreach provision, staffing and delivery as appropriate across projects.
5. Chair TNR’s Management Team and co-ordinate its bimonthly meetings –with support from TNR’s Reserve Managers (job share).
6. Represent staff at the bimonthly Board of Trustees (evening meetings).
7. Co-ordinate bimonthly reporting to the Trustees on staff activities.
3. Project management and sustainability
1. Manage budget for the Nature Guardians programme.
2. Undertake planning for post and project legacy.
3. Support the reporting to funders in a timely manner.
4. Work with TNR Trustees and TNR Management Team on follow-on bid opportunities to continue outdoor learning activities.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential requirements
Training and experience
1. Relevant undergraduate qualification, e.g. teaching, outdoor education, geography, environmental management, ecology or another related discipline.
2. A good level of experience of working in and with schools, including a teaching qualification or a proven track record/ equivalent work experience.
3. Experience working in community outreach and engagement, particularly with disadvantaged or underrepresented groups.
4. Experience of communicating water and environmental management issues to school children and community groups of diverse interests, abilities and ages.
5. Experience of delivering in partnership with other organisations.
6. Demonstrable experience of successful budget and time management.
Knowledge and Understanding
1. A strong interest in environmental issues, and ability to demonstrate applied knowledge of some of the following: water, rivers and catchment management, ecology, environmental conservation.
2. Knowledge and understanding of how environment fits into the National Curriculum.
3. Knowledge of how to communicate effectively with different audiences using different media.
4. Excellent knowledge of MS Office, email, social media platforms (Facebook, X and Instagram), and any web CMS programmes.
5. Understanding of good record keeping and how to fulfil funders’ requirements.
Skills, Abilities and Personal Attributes
1. Experience of line managing staff.
2. Excellent organisational skills.
3. Proven ability to work in a team with diverse partners.
4. Excellent communication skills for both internal and external audiences; excellent interpersonal skills.
5. A natural leader and able to hold the attention of a range of audiences.
6. Willingness to learn and turn hand to whatever is required.
Miscellaneous
1. Commitment to equality of opportunity.
2. Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends.
3. Full driving licence.
Desirable requirements
Training and experience
1. Forest Schools training or equivalent.
2. Relevant first aid training.
3. Experience of successfully raising funds for environmental learning projects.
4. Experience of editing a Wordpress, or similar, website.
First aid training will be supplied if the successful applicant does not have a current certificate. You will need to be prepared to have a full DBS check for working with young people.
Salary: £35,000 per annum pro rata (i.e. £28,000 per annum)
Contract period: The position is 0.8 FTE or 4 days a week on a fixed-term
contract for 12 months, with a possibility of extension subject to performance and funding. The
appointment will be subject to a three-month probationary period during which no holiday can be
taken unless in exceptional circumstances and by prior arrangement.
Termination of employment: The period of notice to terminate the appointment will be four weeks by either party (one week during the probationary period).
Driving licence and vehicle: A full driving licence and your own transport are required.
Hours of work: The basic working week is 30 hours. Due to the nature of the work, you will be required to be flexible and work outside this normal work pattern for which time off in lieu can be taken. You will not be eligible for payment of overtime for any additional hours worked but Tewkesbury Nature Reserve operates a system of “time off in lieu”.
Annual Leave: Annual leave entitlement is 20 days plus public holidays.
TNR’s Strategy (2023-2028) can be downloaded here. #J-18808-Ljbffr