Programme Officer

Job Title: Programme Officer (South West) National Education Nature Park

Location: Home-based (within South West), Hybrid with regular travel across South West. Potential to work from RHS Rosemoor

Salary: £ 28,840

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Contract: Fixed Term Contract until August 2027

Start Date: December 2024

The RHS is a national charity with a mission to inspire everyone to grow, as it is vital to our wellbeing, the environment and the happiness of us all. We are undergoing an exciting period of development, which includes bringing our work with community volunteers, schools and groups to the heart of what we do.

The National Education Nature Park launched in October 2023 - a new Department for Education funded programme empowering young people (from Early Years through to Further Education) to take action on the environment as part of new measures designed to put climate change at the heart of education.

Sitting within the RHS Learning division, as the RHS South West Programme Officer for the National Education Nature Park, you will work to enable education settings and young people in the region to participate in Nature Park programme. This will include:

-        Reporting to the Senior Programme Officer (South West), you will work as part of a team to engage networks and school leads in the National Education Nature Park programme.  You will identify local sources of support, and through events and workshops, inspire and upskill key stakeholders to sustain schools and settings in their National Education Nature Park journey.

-        Developing a deep understanding of the local context and support available for education settings within the region on environmental education, nature restoration, climate change, climate adaptation and green space access.

-        You will be working with educators and young people from early years, primary, secondary and further education settings. Through informal learning opportunities and across a wide range of curriculum areas.

-        Working with the multidisciplinary programme partnership to provide on the gorund insights and testing of programme elements

-        Raise awareness of the RHS National Education Nature Park grant programme

We are looking for a collaborative, passionate and creative individual with a passion for plants, biodiversity and the environment; someone who is keen to share scientific knowledge, and someone who will champion the role of young people in finding innovative solutions to mitigate the ecological and climate crisis.

We may review applications as soon as we receive then so if you see a vacancy that you are interested in, please apply straight away as the vacancy will be closed as soon as we hire the right candidate. If you require any additional support with making your application, please contact Sharon Ellis please ensure to include the job title or job reference number REQ (found at the top of the advert) when emailing.

Working for RHS

To work for the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) is to join a thriving charity, whose mission is to be there for everyone on their lifelong adventure with gardening. Everything we do is built on the transformational power of gardening – and the benefits it brings to people, places and our planet.

And we couldn’t do this without our people. We’re proud of the knowledge, enthusiasm and ideas that each one of our team members brings. From working across our social media channels, to volunteering in the RHS Gardens, from serving customers in our garden centres to running national marketing campaigns, we believe that every member of the RHS team should have the opportunity to make a difference.  Our careers portal here provides a comprehensive overview of what we offer, the teams that work at the RHS and our great benefits.

Safeguarding and Inclusion

The RHS is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk and expects all personnel to share in this commitment. We are an inclusive employer and welcome applicants from all backgrounds.

About National Education Nature Park

National Education Nature Park is a partnership project led by the Natural History Museum, working with the Royal Horticultural Society, the Royal Society, Royal Geographical Society, Learning through Landscapes, Manchester Metropolitan University and additional supporting partners.

The National Education Nature Park will engage children, young people and their educators with nature, supporting young people in England to play a driving role in mapping and monitoring biodiversity on their grounds using citizen science and, critically, taking action to enhance it.    

From creating pollinator friendly habitats where biodiversity can thrive, to digging ponds, or creating planting schemes that support climate resilience, the project will showcase what can be achieved on the Education estate. 

The Nature Park will also provide opportunities for young people to take part in community science, identifying local impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss and developing key skills to solve these problems. 

Within the project RHS lead on regional support, the National Education Nature Park grant programme and Programme Development.

Find out more by visiting the National Education Nature Park website here .