For over 50 years, the Scottish Wildlife Trust has worked with its members, partners and supporters in pursuit of healthy, resilient ecosystems across Scotland’s land and seas for the benefit of people and wildlife.
The Trust successfully champions the cause of wildlife through policy and campaigning work, demonstrates best practice through practical conservation and innovative partnerships, and inspires people to take positive action through its education and engagement activities.
Scotland’s marine area is vast and our coasts and waters support a rich and diverse array of spectacular wildlife and natural habitats. The importance of recovering and restoring marine ecosystems cannot be understated, and the Trust, through its Living Seas project, is working towards achieving a healthy and productive marine environment.
The Trust is keen to increase its capacity to influence decisions on how Scotland’s marine environment is managed, and is looking to recruit a confident, passionate and driven Marine Policy Officer to join its Living Seas team. The role will support the Living Seas Manager on a range of policy areas, as well as provide the opportunity for the successful candidate to take a lead role in policy development and advocacy.
About you:
Applicants should be able to demonstrate advanced understanding of environmental or marine science, achieved either through a higher qualification or through working experience in a similar field. A good understanding of Scotland’s marine environment, the industries that operate within it, and the challenges climate change poses is vital to the role. A large part of the Marine Policy Officer’s role will be to develop the Trust’s position on marine nature-based solutions, but there will also be opportunities to work on other key areas, such as marine planning, fisheries management, and marine protected areas.
The Marine Policy Officer role is funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation until July 2024. However, the Trust plans to continue to give priority to its marine work beyond this period and the successful candidate will have a great opportunity to work with the Living Seas Manager to shape the future work of this role and the Living Seas Project.
Key duties:
- Advocating for effective management of marine industries in Scotland, in particular fisheries and offshore wind;
- Developing policies on the important role marine nature-based solutions can play in mitigating climate change and addressing the biodiversity crisis;
- Developing Trust responses to public consultations; and
- Advocating for the completion of Scotland’s Marine Protected Area network, including the Designation of Highly Protected Marine Areas
- Providing additional capacity to increase the planning and policy work of the Trust’s Living Seas team.
- Being the Trust’s primary contact for fisheries management and offshore wind development
- Working alongside Policy Team members, lead the development of the Trust’s policy, communications and advocacy strategy for Marine Nature-based Solutions
- Research and develop proposals that allow the Trust to influence the Scottish Government’s actions on completing the MPA network and implement Highly Protected Marine Areas.
- Producing external briefings, papers, reports, and other materials that advocate the Trust’s marine policies.
- Contributing to, and leading when necessary, to the Trust’s responses to public consultations, emerging frameworks, and other government public events
- Representing the Trust at meetings with Scottish Environment LINK Marine Group, and collaborate with Group members when required
- Representing the Trust in meetings with the Scottish Parliament, Scottish Government, regulators, and advisors.
- Providing technical advice and internal briefings for senior staff as required.
- Generating media content and other communication materials as required.
- Engaging with wider stakeholders in meetings, conferences and other public events
- Developing content for the Trust’s Living Seas website
- Assisting in the preparation of reports to funders and contribute to future funding applications
Qualifications, Experience (essential/desirable)
The successful candidate will ideally:
- Have proven experience in a similar environment or qualifications in a relevant discipline (Bachelors and Post-graduate degree environmental or marine science)
- Experience working in marine environmental policy and planning
- Be knowledgeable or have related experience working on marine environmental management and Marine Protected in Scotland
- Have relevant experience with working in blue carbon and nature-based solutions
- Be experienced working on marine sector-specific policy (e.g. aquaculture, fisheries…) or similar
- Have relevant experience working with key stakeholders Government, regulators, and/or industry on environmental policy
- Have a good working knowledge of the Scottish Government consultation and policy development processes
- Have excellent knowledge of marine planning and legislation in Scotland
- Have a strong understanding of Fisheries management, Offshore wind development and Aquaculture
Status: Full time (1 FTE) Fixed term until July 2024
Salary: £25,300
Location: Scotland based (Hybrid working from home and Head Office in Leith)
Closing date: 23 September 2022
