Job Title: Welsh Development Officer
Salary: £18.000 per annum
Contract type: Fixed term (12 months)
Role description:
The Sea Watch Foundation (SWF) is seeking an enthusiastic and pro‐active professional to lead the Welsh SeaWatchers project. The Wales Development Officer will be in charge of recruiting, training and providing support for a team of Welsh volunteers. These volunteers will be invited to become involved in three areas of SWF’s work: data collection, education and outreach. They will work under the supervision of the Sightings Officer.
The position is home-based but candidates should be resident in Wales, and will be expected to attend regular meetings at the New Quay Sea Watch office.
Responsibilities:
- Development of a network of volunteers involved in three main areas:
- Cetacean monitoring: organisation of land-watches, boat-based observations, collecting cetacean sightings data for all Welsh waters
- Outreach and public awareness: raising public awareness of the wealth of cetaceans living in Welsh waters, and the conservation threats they face, holding stands at public events, online communication
- Education: visiting schools around Wales in order to present educational activities themed around UK cetaceans and their conservation
- Advertisement of volunteer roles and recruitment
- Organisation and management of induction and training sessions for volunteers involved in all three areas
- Organising and attending public events with a view to involving the general public in cetacean monitoring and raising public awareness of cetaceans in Welsh waters
- Organising and conducting educational visits to schools across Wales
- Setting up and maintaining regular land watches and collection of offshore observations
- Providing regular feedback to volunteers
- Identifying new opportunities to promote the SWF and its mission
Requirements
Essential:
- Degree in marine biology, conservation or other relevant topic
- Computer skills (Microsoft Office package)
- Demonstrated oral and written communications skills
- Enjoys interacting with the public
- Demonstrated ability to network
- Experience of project management
- Personal computer and access to internet
Desirable:
- Working knowledge of Welsh language
- Field work experience
- Experience of working with children
- DBS check
- Two years professional experience in conservation, marine biology, communications or education
- Knowledge of Welsh cetaceans
- Driving licence (+access to a car)
- Ability to work with minimal supervision and take initiatives
To apply please email your CV, cover letter and contact details of two referees to:
Danielle Gibas (danielle.gibas@seawatchfoundation.org.uk) with “Wales Development Officer” in the subject line. Closing date for applications is 2nd August 2013. Please note that applicants must be eligible to work in the UK.
Interviews will be held in the week of 5th August and start date for the successful applicant is 15th August.
The Sea Watch Foundation
The Sea Watch Foundation is a national marine environmental research charity that aims to achieve better conservation of whales and dolphins in the seas around Britain and Ireland, by involving the public in scientific monitoring of populations and the threats they face. It is the longest-running research charity in UK focusing upon cetaceans around the British Isles, and maintains a national sightings database, the largest in Europe. It works closely with all the UK statutory conservation agencies, and advises UK government, the UNEP Regional intergovernmental Conservation Agreement – ASCOBANS, the European Commission, as well as the major conservation charities and marine industries operating in the UK.
At Sea Watch Wales, we are dedicated to raising awareness, knowledge and conservation of the marine wildlife of the region. Our work is funded by the Wales Council for Voluntary Action, Natural Resources Wales, Defra, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, and Environment Wales; and we work closely with the local management authority, Natural Resources Wales.
Our aims:
To monitor cetaceans in order to understand the state of our marine environment: Since 2001, SWF has monitored the Cardigan Bay bottlenose dolphins. These animals require special protection under the EU Habitats Directive and through Natural Resources Wales, SWF will alert the Welsh Government to any problems, prompting practical measures to help protect the species.
To involve the public in scientific monitoring: SWF works with a network of volunteer observers from around UK who record all sightings of cetaceans. The information gathered by this network has been the primary source of knowledge about the relative status and distribution of cetaceans around UK.
To raise awareness and understanding of cetaceans and the threats they face: SWF staff and volunteers work tirelessly to raise understanding of these issues by presenting at events, organising training courses and field trips, and giving lectures.
To educate, inform and advise for better environmental protection: SWF provides accessible information and training materials ranging from fun educational activities for children to adult training manuals and government advisory documents.
