Advert
Severn Estuary Partnership Land to Sea Project Officer
Are you passionate about working with coastal communities to address environmental challenges? Do you have the energy and experience to mobilise people and organisations towards positive, evidence-led action?
The Severn Estuary Partnership (SEP) is seeking a proactive and enthusiastic Land to Sea Project Officer to drive community engagement and local action on key environmental issues. In this role, you'll encourage local groups, and organisations to get involved in activities that enhance riverine and marine water quality and improve outcomes for habitats and species.
You will collaborate with recreational groups, environmental NGOs, community-led initiatives, and coastal interest groups to identify opportunities for citizen science—focusing on water quality, invasive non-native species (INNS), and coastal monitoring, lead efforts to establish a coordinated approach to the Litter-Free Rivers, Coasts and Seas initiative; support communities in developing their ocean and coastal literacy. Your work will contribute to building a stronger evidence base and promoting a more integrated approach from land to sea.
This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a dynamic team working at the interface of community, science, and estuary-wide environmental policy.
About SEP
The Severn Estuary Partnership is a collaborative initiative based in Cardiff and hosted by the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Cardiff University. Our mission is to foster cooperation across a broad range of stakeholders, including government bodies, local communities, environmental organisations, and industry representatives, to support the health and sustainability of the Severn Estuary.
Role Overview
As the Severn Estuary Partnership’s Land to Sea Officer, you will work with local groups and organisations to develop a suite of projects and approaches that will enhance our understanding of and improve water quality, Invasive Non-Native Species spread, reduce the waste that enters our waters and increase environmental stewardship; building on successful initiatives across the estuary.
The ideal candidate will be a passionate and proactive environmental professional with strong experience in stakeholder engagement and community-led environmental initiatives. They will demonstrate excellent communication and project management skills, with the ability to co-design and deliver action-based solutions that connect land and sea. A solid understanding of coastal policies in Wales and England, combined with an ability to facilitate citizen science and training activities, is essential. The successful applicant will be collaborative, strategic, and adaptive, able to work with a range of partners to improve environmental outcomes and build ocean literacy across diverse communities.
This post is funded though The Nature Networks Fund, delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with the Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales. It aims to support nature recovery and improve the condition and connectivity of protected sites across Wales.
This position is full time (35 hours per week), available immediately for an initial fixed term of 12 months.
Salary: £33,482 - £36,130 per annum (Grade 5)
Informal enquiries may be made to Alys Morris, email: MorrisA18@cardiff.ac.uk
For further details about working in Cardiff University please contact John Evans, email: EvansJ13@cardiff.ac.uk
Date advert posted: Tuesday, 15 July 2025
Closing date: Tuesday, 12 August 2025
Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds who have the ambition to create a University which seeks to fulfil our social, cultural and economic obligation to Cardiff, Wales, and the world. In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.
Applications may be submitted in Welsh, and an application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.
Job Description
Job Purpose
Provide support to the Severn Estuary Partnership, providing advice and guidance and supporting the development and delivery of the land to sea work and associated projects.
Duties and Responsibilities
Key Duties
- Support the delivery of practical community-led monitoring and behaviour change projects aimed at improving coastal and estuarine habitats.
- Coordinate and deliver citizen science campaigns focused on water quality, marine litter, and invasive non-native species (INNS).
- Provide professional advice and guidance on project development and delivery, using judgement and creativity to suggest the most appropriate course of action where appropriate, and ensuring complex and conceptual issues are understood.
- Investigate and analysis specific issues within the Water Quality and Litter Free programme of work, creating recommendation reports to inform the development of project proposals.
- Ensure that project work is delivered according to funder and partnership requirements.
- Collaborate with stakeholders in order to develop specific campaigns and projects to achieve Severn Estuary Partnership Objectives.
- Establish working relationships with key contacts, to help improve delivery of the source to sea aims and objectives developing appropriate communication links with stakeholders as required
- Develop and support engagement and deliver activities for the Severn Estuary Partnership and relevant projects.
- Support the delivery of the annual Severn Estuary Forum and other relevant communication activities.
- Supervise specific project teams on an occasional basis to accomplish key objectives
- Develop and deliver training on relevant water quality issues
- Undertake a variety of administrative duties to support the Partnership Team
General Duties
- Ensure that an understanding of the importance of confidentiality is applied when undertaking all duties
- Abide by University policies on Health and Safety and Equality and Diversity
- Perform other duties occasionally which are not included above, but which will be consistent with the role
Person Specification
Essential Criteria
Qualifications And Education
- Degree/NVQ 4 or equivalent Professional membership/experience in environmental studies or similar
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
- Knowledge of relevant coastal policies, strategies and management in Wales and England.
- Experience of designing and delivering citizen science initiatives or community-based environmental monitoring projects.
- Awareness of estuarine and coastal habitats and species, particularly those protected under SPA, SAC and Ramsar designations.
Customer Service, Communication and Team Working
- Proven ability to engage and collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders and to communicate conceptually detailed and complex information effectively and professionally with a wide range of people
- Ability to coordinate volunteer groups or citizen scientists, including training and mentoring volunteers in environmental monitoring.
Planning, Analysis and Problem solving
- Proven experience of planning and delivering projects, ideally within the environmental, coastal, or community sectors.
- Evidence of ability to analyse processes and procedures and advise on improvements.
- Evidence of ability to work unsupervised to deadlines, planning and setting priorities for own work and that of others and monitoring progress.
Other
- A willingness to undertake further training and development
Desirable Criteria
- Postgraduate/Professional qualification
- Familiarity with and knowledge of the Severn Estuary and Welsh Coastlines, including key environmental, social and economic features
- Experience of working in a Higher Education environment
- Fluency in Welsh, written and oral
Additional Information
Severn Estuary Partnership
Salary Range Min.
33,482
Salary Range Max.
36,130
Job Category
Admin / Clerical
Grade
Grade 5
