In this role you will initially spend your time acting as the key point of contact for the Mendip Hills farm cluster and lead the promotion of nature based actions on their landscape; administering the project and reporting to the funding authority. 

Responsibility 1: Manage and share expertise on the project by:

Undertaking the day-to-day running of the Mendip Hills Facilitation Group project, including management of the project budget and submission of quarterly grant claims, reports and monitoring to the Rural Payments Agency.

Continuing the coordination of the Mendip Hills Facilitation Group (farm cluster), providing regular updates to all members as well as acting as the main point of contact for group members, NE staff and other stakeholders. 

With the Land Management Advisory team developing new farm cluster pilots that will inspire and enable land managers to engage in habitat restoration including delivery of wetland nature recovery networks and floodplain reconnection. 

Providing expertise on the restoration of Nature Recovery Networks, agri-environment scheme outcomes, and nature-based solutions. 

Building capacity within the group to ensure agri-environment scheme outcomes are delivered in the long term, including identification of new farmer advocates in target areas. 

Promoting success of the farm clusters through events, press releases and social media. 

Working closely with other key members of staff to ensure integration of the project within the work of Somerset Wildlife Trust.

 Responsibility 2: Facilitate workshops and guide the project by:

Planning and delivering a tailored training programme of workshops and onsite-demonstrations that cover a variety of work areas including delivering agri-environmental scheme outcomes for SSSIs, priority habitats, as well as priority species and landscape features. 

Supporting farm cluster members with the data and guidance needed to complete new agri-environment scheme applications and accessing other funding streams available for the restoration of nature recovery networks and the delivery of nature-based solutions. 

Undertaking and facilitating targeted habitat and species surveying within the farm cluster areas. 

Providing conservation management advice to landowners, including completion of habitat mapping work using ArcGIS, in compliance with the Trust’s processes. 

Facilitating the sharing of expertise within the farm clusters as well as identifying other sites and experts to demonstrate best practice. 

Facilitating collaborative planning and cooperative commissioning of capital work within the farm cluster membership. 

Responsibility 3: Supporting delivery by:

Contributing to delivery elements of the land management advisory services, supporting the consultancy and specifically farming and nature focused proposition for Somerset Wildlife Trust. 

Administering or supporting additional projects in relation to the landscape of members of the Mendip Hills Farm Cluster and working with Somerset Wildlife Trust colleagues to collaborate on delivery in the Mendip Hills area as they arise – e.g: Soil Health Fund; Mendip Dormouse Project phase 3

Attending Somerset Wildlife Trust meetings and work groups as required to input work area information, get informed of strategy and goals, and support delivery of Trust wide objectives.