Senior Farm Advisors

Job Description

Senior Farm AdvisorsCallington, CornwallSalary of up to £30,000Closing date: Midnight 18th June 2021Interviews: Monday 28th June 2021We are recruiting for two Senior Farm Advisors in our Land Team.This is a full-time role (37.5 hours per week) with a salary up to £30,000 (dependent on experience) plus benefits including 8% pension.We work with grants, water company funded initiatives, government funding and through commercial activities to deliver change both in our rivers and on the land that they drain. We are looking for two experienced Senior Farm Advisors to join our team.One senior farm advisor role will initially be focused on delivering the CPES (Channel Payments for Ecosystem Service) Project until Spring 2022 before moving on to deliver other projects within the Land Team. CPES is an EU Interreg funded cross border partnership project, with WRT working in collaboration with 13 other organisations in the UK and France (insert link to project on website). Your role will be to apply your practical and professional knowledge and experience in the Agricultural and Environmental sectors which will combine farmer and landowner engagement and the ability to identify and develop opportunities in catchment management.The other senior farm advisor role will be delivering on a mixture number of current and emerging projects within the Land Team which require more resource support.Working as an advisor requires a complex suite of skills and experience which includes professional Agri Industry qualifications as well as practical on the ground experience, an ability to engage a diverse audience at all levels, scientific or technical expertise and an approachable and trustworthy personality to allow WRT to build on our existing presence and reputation locally.Responsibilities:- Proactively develop leads and contacts to build on WRT existing coverage across the catchments to engage directly with farmers, landowners and growers to raise awareness of projects and build opportunities for project delivery- Develop and deliver tailored farm advice, plans, reports or events as part of a programme of water and land management improvements, achieving project objectives and timescales- Proactively build contacts across sectors to further identify opportunities which align with Project remit or achieve mutual objectives eg. Countryside Stewardship, ELM ambitions, Woodland planting, Environmental Offsetting interests or Community initiatives etc.- To take ownership as lead point of contact in catchment of project deliverables, targets and deadlines - seeking to exceed & excel, consider innovations and trial solutions- To proactively identify and develop Commercial Opportunities- Undertake surveys, monitoring (e.g. water quality, soil or nutrient) or analysis as required - supporting evidence of actions for case studies, reports and project promotion- Work and liaise with other members of the Land Team, WRT teams and relevant Project Partners to ensure clear communication and demonstrate progress or outcomes. Potentially mentor other Junior colleagues & knowledge share amongst Land Team- Co-ordinate, attend and contribute to relevant meetings, workshops or stakeholder groups to achieve Project aims and to share best practice, raise awareness and promote WRTs role- Work closely with the Project and Line Manager to ensure project outputs, deadlines and reporting are met as well as with other key members of WRT e.g. for delivery, admin etc.- General advocacy of the Trust to promote & deliver services to funders, clients, and partners- You may be asked to take on other relevant duties as appropriate inc. developing ideas, identifying options for new work, drafting bids or tenders and working across different projects- This role requires regular local travel within the catchment, local area, WRT office and meetingsPerson specification.Knowledge and Experience- Appropriate degree level qualification or equivalent work experience in an Agricultural or conservation/farming related discipline- Sound knowledge of agriculture and local farming practices, as well as current & emerging Agri-Environment schemes and relevant Policies or Legislation; in particular soil and water conservation- FACTS/BASIS trained. Confident and competent in delivery of tailored farm advice, interpretation and feedback of data e.g. nutrient plans, soil data- Experience of catchment-scale approaches and processes, familiar with concepts of Ecosystem Services, Natural Capital, Offsetting, NFM, NbS etc.- Ability to travel regularly and to remote sites- Knowledge & competence in Microsoft Office applications, accuracy & attention to detail with record keeping- Local area knowledge an advantage- Proven experience in handling Countryside Stewardship or Woodland Grant applications (D)Skills and Competencies- A proactive approach and evidence of using own initiative with effective problem-solving skills- Excellent verbal and written communication skills with an ability to use information objectively and apply sound judgement in order to make decisions- Adaptable and organised in prioritising workload, managing conflicting demands and working effectively to deadlines with minimum supervision- The ability to foster and maintain successful working relationships with colleagues and contacts- Ability to influence stakeholders and negotiate outcomes- A professional and businesses orientated approach- The ability to present confidently project outcomes to stakeholders and partners- A sound working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and OutlookThe above are Essential criteria unless indicated as Desirable (D)So, if you are seeking your next challenge as a Senior Farm Advisor, please apply via the button shown. 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