Policy/Research Jobs in West Midlands
England’s National Parks represent our finest landscapes, famed for their spectacular beauty, varied wildlife and rich cultural heritage. National Parks are critical to supporting local communities, providing access to green spaces for the nation, and helping to tackle the dual challenges of climate change and declining biodiversity.
National Parks England’s purpose is to be the collective voice for English National Park Authorities, helping us to achieve our purposes through influencing policy. We are a small team, working with a much wider team of colleagues across National Park Authorities.
As Senior Media and Communications Officer within NPE you will support a range of the policy and influencing work of National Park Authorities for a range of campaigns and projects including our work on Generation Green and the Protected Landscapes Partnership.
You will work alongside the wider team to ensure effective communication through the media to influence public opinion and political change. As well as high quality media relations, the post will support delivery of public relations activities, and support wider public affairs and stakeholder relations.
The successful candidate will have excellent media, public relations and integrated communications skills gained within a policy and influencing environment and will be confident to play both lead and supporting roles on a wide range of projects. They will have excellent writing and editing skills, an understanding of what makes media worthy content, and experience of building relationships with journalists. The post holder should also have experience of as supporting stakeholder engagement with those in and around government and in working with a range of project partners.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
We are looking for an enthusiastic Nature and Wellbeing Manager to lead our exciting new project expanding RSPB's flagship 'Nature Prescriptions' Programme into Wales building on the expertise and experience of our Scottish and English colleagues.
Nature and Wellbeing Manager
Reference: APR20247410
Location: Flexible in Wales
Salary: £32,022.00 - £34,377.00 Per Annum
Hours: Full Time, 37.5 Hours per week
Duration: Fixed Term, 22 months
Benefits: Pension Scheme, Life Assurance Scheme, 26 days' Annual Leave
We have a wealth of evidence that individuals with a greater connection to nature experience improved mental wellbeing, greater vitality and happiness, and deeper life satisfaction. Research also shows that increasing your connection with nature can positively impact a range of conditions, including stress, anxiety and depression, as well as outcomes for some physical health conditions too.
RSPB 'Nature Prescriptions' are designed to encourage and prompt people to connect to nature in support of their goals for better wellbeing. We believe that everyone, no matter where they live or the challenges they face, has the right to access nature, and to feel this strong connection to the natural world. Inspiring and enabling healthcare professionals and others in the NHS to prescribe nature, is a key route for the RSPB to enable more people from more diverse communities to access the natural world. In so doing we hope that those who feel more connected to nature, will want to act to save it.
Working with healthcare professionals and local communities in Cardiff and surrounds, you will use co-design to create materials in different formats that will support those who need it most. This is a great opportunity to work with a brilliant team of friendly and enthusiastic colleagues across the UK who have successfully implemented this approach elsewhere.
We're looking for a someone who is:
- Passionate: About connecting people to nature to improve their health and wellbeing.
- Courageous: In sharing this passion to enthuse healthcare and other professionals.
- Inquisitive: A natural curiosity to explore and understand and meet people where they are.
- Bold: Willing to contribute innovative ideas, particularly when addressing health inequalities.
- Collaborative: Fosters a collaborative, enjoyable and solution focused way of working with partners.
- Comfortable Challenging the Status Quo: Nature Prescriptions offer a way of improving wellbeing outside of the typical medical model of healthcare.
Key tasks will include:
- Lead the development of and promote the delivery of three new RSPB Nature Prescriptions to people living in diverse communities within Cardiff and the surrounding area.
- Develop relationships with key stakeholders in the NHS, health care and social care professionals to inspire and enable them to feel engaged and supported to co-create and prescribe a Nature Prescription, and to connect RSPB with the health sector to help create doors for future work.
- Engage with local healthcare professionals and community groups to co-design Nature Prescriptions materials with local people, community groups and healthcare professionals so that they reach a large diversity of people, and those that need and can benefit the most.
- Develop the project plan and ensure that the right governance structure for project management is in place and RSPB internal project management practices are followed, so that the project stays on track, comes in on budget and risks are identified, escalated, and managed within tolerances.
- Work with local environmental networks to build a picture of nature-based activities available and identify opportunities for partnership working.
- Lead on developing ways to evaluate and measure the impact of the project, including engaging with those prescribing and local communities to gather stories and case studies that demonstrate the benefits to wellbeing and connectedness to nature.
- Build internal relationships with RSPB employees and volunteers working with nature prescribing and nature and wellbeing across the UK.
- Develop a strategy and plan for Nature and Wellbeing work legacy aiming to learn from the work done in Scotland and England and from the communities and health care professionals in Cardiff and surrounds to support development of future work in Cardiff and beyond.
Essential skills, knowledge and experience:
- Experience of working within or alongside the health and wellbeing sector.
- Project management experience with experience of leading on and developing and delivering projects with diverse communities.
- Experience of developing external partnerships and balancing the needs of multiple stakeholders.
- Experience in delivering workshops or training, ideally with a co-design element.
- Excellent verbal and written communicator able to communicate nature and wellbeing messages in a way that is understood by a range of audiences and that engenders their support.
- Excellent planning and organisational skills with the ability to manage and deliver a varied workload.
- Skilled in using Microsoft 365 suite including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Teams.
Desirable skills, knowledge, and experience:
- Experience of SharePoint management.
- Experience of recruiting and managing volunteers.
- Welsh speaker or learner.
Closing date: 23:59, Friday 17th May 2024
We are looking to conduct interviews for this position from 3 June 2024.
Interested?
If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.
The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
The RSPB is a licenced sponsor. This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship - the successful applicant will need to have a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK in order to be offered an employment contract.
As part of this application process you will be asked to provide a copy of your CV and complete an application form including evidence on how you meet the skills, knowledge, and experience listed above.Contact us to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application.
No agencies please.
We're Hiring! Green Space for Health Programme Director (Maternity Cover)
This is an exciting senior role for an environmentally committed leader to cover maternity leave. We are looking for someone who can take strategic oversight of our Green Space for Health programme and provide effective management of the project and its staff.
- Home-based with monthly travel to Oxford (expenses covered)
- Full time (37.5 hours per week)
- Salary: £42,230 per annum (plus contributory pension)
- Fixed term for 8 months (with potential to extend to 12 months subject to funding)
- Apply by midnight 19th May 2024, interviews will take place w/c 3rd June
About the role
This is an exciting senior role for an environmentally committed leader to cover maternity leave. We are looking for someone who can take strategic oversight of our Green Space for Health programme and provide effective management of the project and its staff.
Our Green Space for Health programme helps to realise the value of green space for physical and mental health, both at healthcare sites and in the wider community. Our flagship project, the NHS Forest, promotes tree planting and woodland creation at NHS sites, supporting and encouraging sites to plant and maintain trees through offering free trees and advice. We support NHS sites to develop their greenspace for the benefits of patients, health staff and communities, while improving biodiversity and combatting climate change. We do this by encouraging green space enhancements such as meadow areas, vegetable growing, orchards and therapeutic gardens, as well as supporting the delivery of nature-based interventions for health.
The Green Space for Health Director will oversee the development of the NHS Forest and other Green Space for Health projects, delivering the programme strategy. This will include managing the Green Space for Health team, overseeing the delivery of our funded projects including budget management, coordinating reports to funders and trustees, and taking a strategic lead on the development and funding of the Green Space for Health programme in consultation with other stakeholders. See the full roles and responsibilities below.
The Green Space for Health Director will deliver our programme strategy through fulfilling the following responsibilities:
- Provide line management for the Green Space for Health Team’s 5 staff members. This will include one-to-one meetings, appraisals and regular team meetings.
- Oversee the delivery of the Green Space for Health funded projects, including NHS Forest tree planting projects and our Nature Recovery Ranger programme.
- Raise income for, monitor and oversee the programme budget in consultation with CSH’s fundraising and finance team.
- Coordinate reporting on the programme, including liaising with funders and producing reports for funders and for CSH’s board of trustees.
- Oversee the development and delivery of Green Space for Health training course, working with Green Space for Health staff and with administrative and strategic support from CSH’s education team.
- Work with the team to coordinate the NHS Forest Advisory Group.
- Build partnerships that will further the development of the programme and contribute to fundraising in line with the programme objectives.
- Act as a spokesperson for the programme, including making presentations, responding to media requests and participating in relevant national policy fora, including for the purposes of wider policy development.
- Be an active member of CSH’s senior management team, helping to develop CSH as an organisation, including strategy, employment and oversight.
For more information, please see the full job description and person specification attached or visit our website.
Closing date: 19th May 2024
Interviews: w/c 3rd June 2024
Policy Officer
(UK wide)
£28,831 per annum (pro rata for part time hours)
(Ref: SUS4232)
Full Time 37.5 hours per week – happy to talk flexible working
Base: Sustrans offices, home based or hybrid. Will need to travel to our Bristol hub for team meetings in person once a month.
About the role
This is an exciting opportunity to join Sustrans as part of the Policy and Public Affairs team, during an election year, delivering a number of vital pieces of research designed to improve walking, wheeling and cycling and transport more broadly.
As the Policy Officer, you will lead on delivering two key policy projects for Sustrans with support from our Head of Policy and Senior Policy Officer. You will help develop evidence, policy and practice working closely with colleagues to maximise long-term opportunities to help increase transport choice for people.
We offer true hybrid working, a flexible mix of working from home and occasional travel to a nearby office hub with an expectation of a monthly team meeting in Bristol and occasional travel for project related activity.
This role will require travel and work at locations as necessary to undertake projects on behalf of Sustrans.
About you
You should have proven experience of conducting qualitative and quantitative research across a variety of issues and in writing for policy and public audiences.
We also ask that you are experienced in working autonomously but also as part of a team and with funders, partners and agencies to deliver work.
You will be skilled in presenting arguments and clearly communicating complex information to a range of audiences in an accessible and persuasive way, in person and in writing.
Sustrans has a long-term commitment to being a charity for everyone - reducing inequality, valuing diversity, enabling inclusion and ensuring all people are treated with dignity and respect. We aim to be a truly inclusive employer and welcome applications from people from all parts of the community, in particular from under-represented groups.
What we offer
In return we can offer true hybrid working to suit individual circumstances and a flexible, supportive and rewarding working environment.
Wellbeing
28 days’ leave per annum plus bank holidays for full-time working
Ability to buy an extra week of annual leave (pro-rata for part-time staff)
Staff volunteer days
24/7 free, impartial and confidential support service
We are members of the Green Commute Initiative and Cycle Scheme who both offer cycle to work schemes
Financial
Group Personal Pension scheme with a 6% or 7% of basic salary contribution being matched by Sustrans
Bike, computer and season ticket loans
Discount benefits
London Weighting Allowance of £4,530 for all those living within a London Borough (32 local authority districts plus the City of London)
Death in Service benefit – 3 x annual Salary
Family Friendly
Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
Flexible Working practices (full time hours are 37.5 per week, Monday - Friday)
Additional information
Closing date for the receipt of completed applications is 23:59, 19 May 2024.
Interviews will take place in via MS Teams during the week commencing 27 May 2024
About Sustrans
At Sustrans you'll be part of a movement to make it easier for people to walk and cycle.
We're all here to change things! You’ll be part of an incredible community of talented, passionate, creative, problem solvers all working together to change things for the better. We act locally and think big - we have a vision of a society where the way we travel creates healthier places and happier lives for everyone.
You'll be questioning the status quo and daring to imagine a different world. You'll work on exciting, impactful projects that will stretch and empower you and you'll be rewarded by seeing the difference you make to people, communities and the planet.
We believe including everyone is central to who we are and what we want to achieve, we welcome difference and pride ourselves on creating a culture where you can be yourself and where your wellness is supported.
You'll be guaranteed to make friends for life and work with a team that is incredibly flexible, supportive, ethical and fun.
Head of Policy & Evidence
Salary: £39,025 - £44,174
Location: Shrewsbury, Shropshire - some flexible working offered
Full Time, Permanent
35 hours per week
Closing Date: 20 May 2024
1st Interviews: 5th June 2024
Second interviews: 13th June 2024
This is a new role, to expand and enhance our policy and evidence work in support of the Trust’s strategic goals so that we can demonstrate the impact of our programmes and provide the evidence for effective campaigns on key decisions for nature.
What you will be doing:
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Expand and improve impact measurement across the trust, and report on our impact to trustees and to partners.
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Represent SWT in the development of Shropshire’s local nature recovery strategy and nature recovery network.
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Lead on evidence-based campaigns on key regional issues, and support campaigns at national level.
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Oversee the development of SWT’s geographical information systems (GIS) and databases as part of the national digital strategy.
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Help the Trust to achieve net-zero by 2030 and inspire others to do the same.
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Respond to significant planning applications.
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Refine and embed SWT’s ‘theory of change’.
What we’re looking for:
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Strong analytical skills, including a good understanding of quantitative and qualitative research, are essential.
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The ability to work collaboratively across teams and departments, and with external partners, is essential.
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Significant knowledge of conservation, ecology, climate and/or public health policy are desirable.
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Experience of strategic planning including the use of theory of change is desirable.
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Experience of carbon accounting is desirable.
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An understanding of the local authority planning system is desirable.
Why work for us - benefits we offer:
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Flexible working
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Home working
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Salary sacrifice benefits
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Generous pension
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Employee Assistance Programme
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Support with training and development to assist career progression
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Inclusive & supportive work atmosphere
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The Trust is committed to building an equal, diverse and inclusive workforce we encourage applications from a diverse range of suitably qualified candidates.
No enquiries from agencies or for further advertising will be taken.
About us:
Shropshire Wildlife Trust (SWT) has a vision of a thriving natural world, where Shropshire's wildlife and natural habitats play a valued role in addressing the climate and ecological emergencies, and people are inspired and empowered to take action for nature. We combine projects across Shropshire (including Telford & Wrekin) with advocacy and campaigning to restore nature and to engage people. We manage over 40 nature reserves and have almost 50 staff, 300 volunteers, and over 9000 members. SWT is an autonomous charity, but we are increasingly working collectively, as part of The Wildlife Trusts (TWT), to ensure that our local actions have a national impact and help to address global issues.
England’s National Parks represent our finest landscapes, famed for their spectacular beauty, varied wildlife and rich cultural heritage. National Parks are critical to supporting local communities, providing access to green spaces for the nation, and helping to tackle the dual challenges of climate change and declining biodiversity.
National Parks England’s purpose is to be the collective voice for English National Park Authorities, helping us to achieve our purposes through influencing policy.
The Policy and Public Affairs Manager will be an experienced public affairs professional with a passion for nature and understanding of National Parks.
The successful applicant will join our senior management team, managing the Policy and Public Affairs team and work with the Executive Director to help develop and drive the NPE policy and public affairs strategy, working closely with stakeholders in our member National Parks and the wider Protected Landscapes family.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.