Overview

This is a full–time role and is funded for three years.

Office location: North Berwick, East Lothian. Wider travel throughout Scotland is essential to this role.

Reports to: Project Officer

The Scottish Seabird Centre is a conservation and education charity whose purpose is “Inspiring and educating people about the Scottish marine environment, motivating them to care for it, and supporting conservation projects”. Based in North Berwick, we overlook the marine environment in the Firth of Forth and have approximately 270,000 visits a year and over 5,000 members. We have three key pillars to our work:

• Conservation we develop, demonstrate and promote models of conservation best practice and citizen science.
• Education we deliver education programmes, science resources and events and use innovative ways to provide information on the marine environment.
• Communities we work in partnership with diverse communities including enhancing the experience for visitors to North Berwick.

Purpose of role:

The Marine Engagement Officer will support our work by delivering informal education activities at schools, events and venues across Scotland. The postholder will also work alongside our Education Officer to develop appropriate marine resources (online and physical) in support of this work. Supporting the formation of new partnerships across the marine conservation and science sectors will be important to achieving this programme of work. The role will complement the education and engagement activities that we deliver in our Centre and through our wildlife watch groups.

Principal duties:

1. Develop and maintain effective partnerships with marine conservation and/or science organisations and education partners, including with a view to working towards establishing a marine John Muir Award.
2. Deliver informal education and science engagement events to schools, groups, clubs and communities, prioritising disadvantaged groups. These will focus on outreach opportunities and the development of online digital materials that can be used across Scotland.
3. Working with existing volunteers help to support the development of our volunteer network by recruiting, training and co-ordinating volunteers to support our marine engagement programme to support our activities in other parts of Scotland.
4. Develop our ‘Meet the Scientist’ events programme by identifying and scheduling contributors for events (physical and online).
5. Facilitate and run citizen science projects that help people explore the coastal and marine environment by gathering relevant evidence.
6. Target appropriate science, natural heritage, tourism and civic festivals to provide information and raise awareness of the work of the Scottish Seabird Centre.
7. Support our Education Officer with the development of marine educational resources that support the science needs of the Scottish Curriculum, including maximising the uptake of our marine loan box and developing newly themed boxes.
8. Support our Marketing Manager by creating and managing marine content for our website, blog and social media platforms ensuring information reaches wide audiences.
9. Support our Marketing Manager, by identify and developing events and content to contribute to marine themed events, including the Scottish Government’s Year of Coasts and Waters 2020 and initiatives such as the Wildlife Trust’s National Marine week and the UN’s World Ocean’s Day.
10. Work closely with our Discovery Centre and Education Managers to help ensure that outreach and discovery centre activities are well co-ordinated and appropriately themed.
11. Work closely with our Fundraising Manager to identify income opportunities that will help sustain our education outreach programme now and into the future.
12. Ensure that all agreed projects are developed, delivered, monitored and reported effectively, especially in relation to the key performance indicators identified in our Strategic Plan (2019-2025) and agreed with Funders. Ensure funders are appropriately acknowledged in outputs.
13. Be an effective advocate for the Scottish Seabird Centre by representing us and/or presenting information, at a variety of events.
14. Keep up to date with relevant marine conservation, science and education policies and issues, using this intelligence to inform the Scottish Seabird Centre’s future activities.
15. To undertake other duties commensurate with the grade as required by the Chief Executive.

Essential skills and experience

• Degree level education or equivalent in an appropriate subject.
• A minimum of 2 years’ experience working in an education related environment.
• Highly self-motivated and an ability to work collaboratively as part of a team and manage own workload.
• Demonstrable experience of building effective partnerships and maintaining constructive relations.
• Relevant experience of public engagement with community groups, schools and other groups.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Competent Microsoft Office Skills.
• Member (or willingness to apply) for the Protected Vulnerable Group (PVG) Scheme.
• Clean, current driving licence. The Scottish Seabird Centre encourages sustainable and public transport options wherever possible. However, it is anticipated that some driving will be required particularly for remote and rural locations.

Desirable skills and experience

• Enthusiasm and knowledge of marine wildlife and habitats and their conservation.
• Experience of managing and working with volunteers.
• Experience of working with young people.
• Aptitude for project management. including budget aspects.
• Experience in training development and delivery.
• Experience of charitable organisations.

Salary & hours:

• £20k p.a.
• 37.5 (Monday to Friday). Some evening and weekend working will be required. Time off in lieu will be awarded in accordance with our policy

Benefits:

• Pension available
• 20% discount in the Centre’s Gift Shop and Seabird Café.
• 10% discount on the Seabird Centre boat trips.
• Free entry to the Discovery Centre, for you and family members (restrictions on numbers apply).
• Free access to a range of Scottish visitor attractions with an Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions card.
• Free access/ special offers for a range of East Lothian attractions with an East Lothian Tourism Attraction Group card.

To apply: by covering letter and CV to info@seabird.org by 22 March 2019.