This vacancy has now closed

Education & Experience Officer

  • Full time
  • £26,452
  • Dundreggan Rewilding Centre
  • Closing 3rd October 2022


  • Advertised from 9th September 2022
  • 35 Hours per week. Permanent.

Role

The Trees for Life vision is of a revitalised wild forest in the Scottish Highlands, providing space for wildlife to flourish and communities to thrive. The Trees for Life mission is to rewild the Scottish Highlands by enabling the restoration of the globally unique Caledonian Forest which once covered much of Scotland. Integral to our success is the involvement of people.

Dundreggan

Dundreggan is a 10,000-acre estate in Glenmoriston between Loch Ness and Skye. Since 2008, the estate has been transformed into one of the best examples of forest restoration in Scotland. It includes a ground-breaking tree nursery and is where many volunteers come to take part in rewilding projects.

Dundreggan Rewilding Centre

A Rewilding Centre is being developed at Dundreggan. It will include an innovative visitor experience and education centre, including a café, events and educational facilities. The Rewilding Centre will be an inspiring location where visitors of all ages, interests and backgrounds can explore the natural, Gaelic and cultural heritage of the Highlands and be inspired and educated about rewilding and the restoration of the Caledonian Forest.

Our Values

Our values are at the core of our mission to rewild the Scottish Highlands, informing decisions large and small from the day-to-day running of our office to major conservation projects. We have shared these values so that our supporters, volunteers and partners can gain a deeper understanding of what drives Trees for Life.

We are groundbreaking

We are an ambitious charity with a big mission. For over 25 years we have sought to bring innovation to conservation, and we continue to strive for new and ground-breaking ways to rewild the Scottish Highlands.

We are collaborative

We are an open, friendly and cooperative organisation. We welcome and encourage collaborative working with other organisations, landowners and the wider community. We believe we can always achieve more through teamwork.

We are pragmatic

We seek prudent, sustainable solutions in everything we do. We are always mindful of our duty to our supporters, our volunteers, our staff and above all to Scotland’s wild forest. Seeking a pragmatic approach safeguards our organisation and the work we undertake.

Overall Purpose of the Job

To support the Education Manager in ensuring anyone visiting the Rewilding Centre, for whatever purpose, has a memorable experience and also leaves knowing and understanding more about rewilding, the heritage of the Scottish Highlands and especially the restorative journeys of the region's Gaelic heritage and unique Caledonian Forest.

Key Liaisons

Rewilding Centre Education Manager, Director and wider Centre team, Dundreggan Operations Manager, Dundreggan Estate & Nursery team, wider Trees for Life team, tour company representatives, external contractors, external suppliers.

Scope, Accountability and Resources

This role focuses on the development and delivery of the educational elements of the Dundreggan Rewilding Centre, including both formal education with academic institutions and more informal education with visiting groups and individuals.

It is accountable for assisting the Education Manager in ensuring high quality educational activities are developed and promoted and that the facilities available at the centre are optimally used by as diverse a range of schools, universities, interest and community groups as appropriate. A special aspect of this role is ensuring that education of the natural heritage is closely integrated with the Gaelic culture of the area.

Resources: The postholder will work initially with the Education Manager and then with a larger team from early 2023 to assist with planning and delivery of activities, education and events, and some administrative tasks. The team will have a range of equipment to help deliver these activities.

Key responsibilities

  • Assisting the Education Manager in the development and delivery of formal and informal training, skills development, and education and awareness programmes with a diverse range of people of all ages and abilities
  • Assist with the promotion of programmes at the centre
  • Monitor, and gather feedback about, the interpretation and activity programmes to assist with adaptations, updates and reporting to funders
  • Assist the Education Manager with bookings and visits, including preparing itineraries,staffing, and preparing resources
  • Assist with training support and supervision of new staff, trainees, volunteers and contractors
  • Be an active member of the wider Trees for Life team, willing to learn from and share knowledge with colleagues
  • Communicate with visitors as a representative of Trees for Life, ensuring our messaging and core values are reflected
  • Support the Education Manager as necessary

Person Specification

The successful candidate will be passionate about rewilding, and experienced in delivering outdoor learning at different levels to varied audiences. They will have a practical and flexible approach, able to respond to changing conditions in a fast-paced environment, be able to manage and prioritise a varied workload, and be comfortable working outdoors in all conditions.

Knowledge & Experience

  • Experience of developing and delivering formal and informal nature-based and outdoor learning with varied groups
  • Experience of the logistics of both day and residential visits
  • Familiarity with the Curriculum for Excellence, Learning for Sustainability Scotland and other curricula of the UK and overseas
  • Knowledge of Scottish Highland ecology and environment
  • Summer Mountain Leader qualification (or Winter ML, IML etc) desirable
  • Qualifications in, or knowledge of the following are an advantage: Gaelic language, British Sign Language, Forest School, bushcraft or Woodland Activity Leader Training (WALT)

Skills & Competencies

  • Developing formal and informal educational programmes for a range of audiences
  • Event organisation and logistics
  • An effective communicator able to tailor activities and information to different audiences
  • Good attention to detail
  • Team player
  • Organised, with good administrative skills
  • Problem solver

Personal Attributes

  • Must be committed to the ethos and values of Trees for Life
  • Support for Gaelic language and cultural heritage is essential
  • Passionate about nature, rewilding and reconnecting people with the natural world
  • Pragmatic
  • Energetic
  • Collaborative, works well with others
  • Cheerful and approachable
  • Solution-minded

Working conditions/ Special demands

  • Be flexible to operational needs - regular evening and weekend work will be required
  • Be willing to undertake training where necessary
  • Most work will be undertaken at Dundreggan Rewilding Centre, but travel to work at sites,
  • events and educational institutions across the Highlands or occasionally further afield may
  • be required
  • This role be subject to a PVG Disclosure Check due to working activities including ( but not limited to), supervising and working with children and vulnerable adults. Criminal record checks will be made in line with our Safeguarding, Equality and Ex offenders Policy.

Reporting to: Education Manager

Application notes

Closing date: 12 Noon Monday 3rd October 2022

To find out more and to apply, please download the Application Pack below.


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