We are recruiting! Mersey Rivers Trust is excited to have received funding from the Environment Agency to recruit a Project Manager to develop and deliver a series of Natural Flood Management (NFM) projects in Merseyside. The projects form part of a large £2.1m programme of NFM measures across the whole River Alt catchment, working in partnership with local authorities, MEAS, Merseyside Biobank and universities.

The role will suit an experienced and self-motivated individual with skills in project management and finance. The ideal candidate will have a background in project management with some experience of planning and developing environmental water-based projects.

The programme of projects are split into two phases, planning and development followed by implementation. The role holder will take responsibility for the initial planning and development of several projects including project planning, preparing landowner agreements, applying for permits and permissions and working with the Senior Project Manager to develop tender documentation. As the project moves into the implementation phase the project manager will oversee the delivery of projects including monitoring of on the ground delivery, contractor performance and compliance with methodologies and project plans. There may also be the opportunity to directly deliver projects with other MRT staff.

The role will include communication and reporting to external parties and other MRT staff including the Senior Project Manager and Programme Manager.

The post holder will be home-based and will need to travel throughout the Merseyside area and occasionally elsewhere in the Mersey River Basin as required. Valid driving licence and own vehicle, insured for business use is essential.

Full job description and details of how to apply below...

Mersey Rivers Trust

We are thrilled to announce that our £2.1m bid to the Environment Agency’s Natural Flood Management programme has been successful!! The Alt Catchment NFM Project will implement a variety of NFM measures throughout the whole of the catchment, from leaky dams in Huyton to sand dune management at Hightown. The project, made possible through the Alt Crossens Catchment Partnership, will bring together a wide range of partners including local authorities, NGOs, universities and the local record centre to work together to achieve multiple benefits at a catchment-scale.

Host for the Catchment Partnership Andy Martin shared the news with partners, saying “The successful bid is the result of fantastic collaboration between a range of stakeholder partners from across the Catchment. The multiple NFM projects included in the bid will reduce flood risk, create and improve wildlife habitats, improve water quality, provide valuable learning and promote even closer working between project partners.”

The project will run until 2027, with an initial development phase followed by delivery, subject to business case approval. Find out more about the NFM Programme and the other successful applicants and schemes: 40 projects to benefit from £25 million funding for natural flood management - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

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Twenty conservation projects are to benefit from the government’s Species Survival Fund announced late last week, which includes Mersey Rivers Trust, who will receive a grant of over £80,000 for work to support restoration of habitats in the Bollin Valley to allow our most vulnerable species to thrive.

The £25 million fund aims to enable the restoration of over 3,300 hectares of critical habitats. Wildlife charities, farmers, and community groups will all recieve grants for their projects. Each will accelerate nature recovery and support precious species.

The 'Freshwater Renaissance' project on the Bollin is a collaboration with Mersey Rivers Trust and the National Trust Riverlands Team who have been successful in securing a 2-year, £4 million programme of work through the Species Survival Fund. The programme of work will be delivered across multiple river catchments at five National Trust places: Cumbria, the Bollin catchment, the Bure catchment, Holnicote and North Devon, and we are very excited to be working with the National Trust on the restoration of habitats on the Bollin. 

The programme aims to restore and link up freshwater habitats including small and often undervalued headwater streams, ponds, flushes and ditches; boosting biodiversity and increasing resilience in the landscape to the threat of climate change. Much of the work is based on low-tech nature-based solutions which reduce long term maintenance costs and lend themselves to opportunities for local communities to get involved with action on the ground and  building skills and capability to look after these special habitats and species in the long term.  Work on the Bollin will focus on the management of flushes, creating wetlands, scrapes and ponds as well as restoring areas of riverbank, re-connecting tributaries to thier floodplain and planting riparian trees.  This will happen at various sites along the Bollin valley managed by the Bollin Valley Partnership, whom we are also really looking forwards to working closely with.

Watch this space as the project develops and we start to dig some scrapes and plant trees as there will be opportunities for many people to get involved through bioblitz days, guided walks, childrens activities, school workshops and working parties.

The programme is funded by the Government's Species Survival Fund. The fund was developed by Defra and its Arm's-Length Bodies. It is being delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Natural England and the Environment Agency. Freshwater Renaissance is also supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

We are recruiting !  Thanks to funding from the Bentley Environmental Foundation we are recruiting for a 6 month Water Environmental Management Trainee role focused on the Valley Brook in Crewe, Cheshire.

Location: Crewe/Cheshire

Contract type: Fixed term 6 months

Salary: Real Living Wage £23,400 (Full Time Annual Salary Equivalent) and telephone allowance (£20/month)

Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week

Overview:

Mersey Rivers Trust is the principal environmental charity working to improve the quality of rivers across the Mersey Basin. Our projects range from river restoration and catchment management schemes (such as Natural Flood Management) through to public engagement and communications. Project values range from £20k to over £1m. 

This is an excellent opportunity for a young person to gain valuable experience and training in the area of farm advice, agricultural engagement and environmental management. Working with a dynamic and enthusiastic team the role offers a wide variety of activities which will help to further develop communication, planning, teamworking and engagement skills 

A Traineeship post open to anyone between the ages of 18 and 25 years old that meets the requisite skills and competency requirements set out below. The post holder will develop on-the-job skills, experience and knowledge in water environmental management in the context of an eNGO / Third Sector organisation, as well as receive external training in a range of relevant national qualifications (including City and Guilds Land Based Services).

The role is for a fixed term period of 6 months linked to grant funding. 

Training, Learning and Development: 

Full training will be provided by Mersey Rivers Trust staff for the range of activities carried out by the Trust’s Project Managers, including: water quality sampling and analysis; biological kick sampling and analysis; ecological/habitat surveys and reporting; GIS applications; grant writing; volunteer co-ordination; partnership and volunteer event co-ordination; project management and financial budget control; contractor management and stakeholder engagement.

The post holder will receive formal training delivered by a certified training organisation to achieve recognised City & Guilds Land Based Services qualifications in practical conservation management skills, plus other relevant training courses to be agreed with the post holder depending on previous experience and qualifications. Formal certified training will also be provided in first aid, health and safety for field workers and safeguarding.

The post holder will also receive career / personal development mentoring from one of the Trust’s Directors plus director/senior staff support towards the end of the fixed term appointment to help seek future employment with relevant organisations appropriate to the post holder’s career aspirations.

Key Duties:

The main duties of the role will be to support Mersey Rivers Trust staff in the delivery of its Valley Brook environmental enhancement and public engagement projects within the Crewe area of Cheshire. This will provide the post-holder with on-the-job training and work experience in all aspects of the Mersey Rivers Trust’s work, from co-ordination of community training and events, to water quality sampling and delivery of river restoration projects. The post holder will be supervised by a Project Manager or Senior Project Manager, but will be expected to take ownership and lead specific tasks following appropriate training/competence development.

Candidate Profile:

• GCSEs (or equivalent qualifications) in maths and English is essential. Education to A level (or equivalent qualifications) in relevant subjects or equivalent relevant vocational qualifications is desirable.
• Valid driving licence and own vehicle, insured for business use is essential.
• Competent and confident in the use of email, Excel and Word. Experience in GIS and Powerpoint would be desirable, along with social media (Facebook, Twitter).
• An interest in the outdoors, rivers and nature conservation as well as an appreciation of factors involved in working in the environmental sector and a good understanding of rivers and the water environment
• Ability to work flexibly, including some early mornings, some evenings and some weekends/bank holidays. A time-off in lieu system is operated by the Trust.
• Strong verbal communication skills
• Good written communication skills
• Ability to engage with people of all ages and background
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team
• Willingness to work outdoors throughout the year

Annual leave: 28 days annual leave pro rata plus bank holidays. 

Location: Home-Based. The work will include some home-based computer / planning activities, alongside working across the Mersey catchment area, both indoors (e.g. in community spaces) and outdoors.

Travel expenses: travel expenses will be paid for all work-related travel within the Mersey catchment (Greater Manchester and Cheshire and part of the High Peak district of Derbyshire). Candidates living outside the catchment area will need to cover their own travel costs from their home to the catchment boundary. 

To apply: 

If you wish to apply, please send a CV (no more than two sides of A4) and covering letter (no more than two sides of A4), outlining how you meet the requirements of the person specification and job description and why you want to work for Mersey Rivers Trust. Please email your application to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Applications must be received by email no later than the end of 19^th February 2024.

If you would like more information about the role before submitting an application, you may contact us via email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.