Catchment Officer

Full-time: 35 hours a week (1 FTE) (flexible working hours)

Location: Keswick Convention Centre, Skiddaw Street, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 4BY

Salary: Grade 4A, £33,161 p.a. and 9% pension (optional)

Contract Length: Permanent

Application deadline: 30th June 2026 (9am)

West Cumbria Rivers Trust is an environmental charity dedicated to improving the watercourses and surrounding catchments in West Cumbria for people and wildlife. Our patch covers several principal river catchments spanning a substantial part of the Lake District National Park, West Cumbria and the Solway. We have an impressive track-record of successful delivery of projects.

West Cumbria Rivers Trust is looking for a Catchment Officer to help drive a collaborative, catchment-based approach to improving rivers, water quality, biodiversity and climate resilience across West Cumbria. If you’re passionate about rivers, landscapes and communities and want to turn data, partnerships and practical action into real environmental change – we’d love to hear from you.

As Catchment Officer, you will play a central role in coordinating the West Cumbria Catchment Partnership, developing and managing catchment data and GIS systems, engaging with local communities and stakeholders, and supporting projects that improve water quality, biodiversity and climate resilience.

This is a varied and rewarding role combining technical environmental expertise with partnership working, communication and project management. You’ll work with a wide range of people — from farmers and community groups to government agencies and conservation organisations — helping turn data and ideas into practical action on the ground.

As Catchment Officer, you will:

Coordinate and support Catchment Partnerships

Help organise and facilitate West Cumbria Catchment Partnership meetings, workshops and subgroup sessions, while building stronger links with communities, businesses, universities and environmental organisations.

Manage catchment data and GIS systems

Maintain and develop catchment action plans in ArcGIS Online, produce GIS-based maps, collate environmental data from partners, and help create accessible tools and resources that turn data into action.

Engage and inspire stakeholders

Work closely with local communities, land managers, funders and partner organisations to develop local action groups, deliver events and site visits, and champion the catchment-based approach across West Cumbria.

Support project delivery and funding

Manage project budgets and reporting, contribute to funding bids, and help deliver projects that improve water quality, biodiversity, flood resilience and catchment health.

Contribute to monitoring and practical delivery

Support with environmental monitoring and assessments and occasionally support on-the-ground river and habitat improvement work.

We’re looking for someone who is enthusiastic about rivers, landscapes and collaborative working, is organised, and who can confidently work with both technical data and local communities.

You’ll enjoy this role if you:

· Communicate well and build positive relationships easily.

· Are confident speaking with farmers, community groups, agencies and partner organisations alike.

· Can balance strategic thinking with practical delivery.

· Are self-motivated, adaptable and organised.

· Enjoy working as part of a collaborative team while taking ownership of your own projects.

· Want to make a tangible difference for rivers, wildlife and local communities

The successful candidate will have a degree, or equivalent experience, in an ecological or environmental discipline and at least 2 years’ experience in a relevant field. You will have a strong understanding of nature conservation, catchment management and hydro-geomorphological progresses and excellent data management and GIS skills. Experience of partnership working is essential as are excellent organisational, I.T. and report writing skills. Training and support will be provided.

You will be part of a friendly and supportive team, reporting to the Assistant Director - Catchment Partnerships and supported by the wider WCRT team as well as working closely with a wide range of external partners.

The Trust offers a range of benefits including a generous pension scheme, life assurance scheme, flexible working opportunities, a holiday buy-back scheme and a never-ending supply of tea and biscuits.

If you’re excited by the idea of combining partnership working, GIS, stakeholder engagement, community collaboration and practical environmental action in one of the UK’s most inspiring landscapes, we’d love to hear from you.

To apply for this post please send a completed application form with a covering letter setting out your experience and qualifications as highlighted in the job specification to recruitment@westcumbriariverstrust.org ensuring it is marked as ‘Catchment Officer’ application.

If you would prefer, you can send your covering letter as a video of yourself explaining your suitability for the role. Make sure you explain your attributes in relation to the job specification. Let us know if you intend to submit using this method and we’ll provide a WhatsApp contact for you, alternatively, submit your video via the email address above. You must also submit a completed application form to recruitment@westcumbriariverstrust.org.

All applications will be anonymised for the shortlisting panel. This means any reference to names, gender, address and age will be redacted along with any photos. If you have any questions, please email recruitment@westcumbriariverstrust.org and we will get back to you. Please note, this anonymity does not apply to video applications.

The closing date for applications is 9am on Tuesday 30th June 2026. Interviews will be held at our offices in Keswick on Friday 10th July 2026. 

If you would like to discuss the post further, please contact the office on 017687 75429 or email recruitment@westcumbriariverstrust.org.