The Woodland Trust is looking for an Engaging Communities Officer to join our Smithills Estate team to manage the coordination and delivery of the Smithills Estate Communication and engagement programme to support our vision of increasing opportunities for public access and participation.
The Role:
• The role will encourage existing and new audiences to explore the Smithills Estate landscape and, in doing so, develop their understanding of its importance, biodiversity, history, and longer-term potential through conservation measures, including a doubling of native woodland cover.
• You will be responsible for line managing two Events and Communications Officers, leading, motivating and developing them to their full potential.
• You will oversee and lead the planning and implementation of the Smithills Estate communications and engagement plan, ensuring it keeps in line with Youth Innovation, Tree Equity, PLANtrees, North regional strategy and links with northern forest. Striving to enhance the youth offer and work towards better inclusion and diversity.
• Assist in fundraising and corporate partnership teams in supporting funding streams, helping to write reports, and gathering important information for bids and major donors.
• Lead all communication channels for Smithills Estate, press, print, interpretation, digital and social media.
• This is a 12-month maternity cover looking to start towards the end of April 2025.
• This role is based in Smithills, Bolton and will require the successful candidate to travel to and from site as well as around the region.
• This role will require an enhanced DBS check as part of our pre-employment checks.
• Weekends and evening work will be required.
The Candidate:
• You have an enthusiasm for the environment and share our core values Grow Together, Explore, Focus and Make it Count.
• You ll have experience being an affective line manager you ll be experienced leading, motivating and developing a skilled team.
• Hands on experience in leading groups and activities in an outdoor setting, including working with young people, vulnerable adults, and schools.
• Experienced in coordinating and delivering a diverse range of events with the ability to tailor them to different audiences and locations.
• Experience in working across a range of teams at a regional level to support existing and collaborations that have the potential to reach and engage new audiences.
• You ll have a collaborative approach, with the ability to work with multiple teams and community groups, building relationships with both internal and external stakeholders effectively.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbally being able to liaise with internal and external stakeholders, especially volunteers using a variety of methods to suite the audience.
• This role does require regular travel. A full clean UK driving licence is required.
Benefits & Wellbeing: Joining our team means you'll be a big part of tackling environmental and climate issues. We take good care of our staff, offering support and training opportunities. We also offer:
• Enhanced Employer Pension
• Life Assurance
• Flexible & Hybrid Working Options
• Generous Annual Leave
• Enhanced Parental Pay
• Employee Assistance Programme
About Us: The Woodland Trust is the UK's leading woodland conservation charity and is dedicated to creating a world where trees and woods thrive for both people and nature. Our mission involves engaging and inspiring individuals to contribute toward tackling the nature and climate crisis through the protection, restoration, and creation of essential woodland habitats.
Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: To achieve our vision of a world where woods and trees thrive for people and nature, we need to better reflect society and the communities we work in. All people, no matter their background, identity, ability, or circumstance, should benefit from trees.
People of colour and disabled people are currently under-represented across the environment and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we particularly encourage you to apply.
Please contact us to discuss any additional support or adjustments you may need to complete your application.
Application Advice: For fairness we keep our candidates personal details hidden from the hiring managers, so they do not see your CV until shortlisting is completed. Make sure that your Personal Statement clearly shows how your skills and knowledge link to the specifications in the job description and you share with us your passion for the role.
Even if you don't meet every requirement of the role, we would encourage you to apply.
Apply Now: If you're ready to make a difference and grow with us, send in your application today. We might close the job opening early if we get a lot of applications, so it's a good idea to apply soon. If we do close the advert early, and you have an application in process, we will email you prior to closing to give you time to complete.
Interviews will be held via Microsoft Teams on Tuesday 11th March 2025.