Salary: £ 22,662 per annum (pensionable)
Closing date: Monday 21st May 2012
Location: Lower House Farm, Ledbury Road, Tupsley, Hereford, HR1 1UT
An exciting new joint project with Herefordshire Nature Trust and Herefordshire Mind that, through the establishment of a social enterprise, aims to conserve the county’s orchard heritage through marketing of orchard produce and products.
Post title: Orchard Origins Project Manager
Responsible to: Conservation Manager
Status: Full-time (37 hours/week), fixed contract till 31st March 2014 – subject to a satisfactory probationary period
Salary: £ 22,662 per annum (pensionable)
As this post involves significant contact with children, employment will be subject to a successful Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check. A copy of the Trust’s Criminal Records Checking (Disclosure) Policy and its Recruitment of Ex-Offenders Policy is attached for information. A copy of the Criminal Records Bureau’s Code of Practice is also available, on request.
Main purpose of job: to deliver the Orchard Origins Project.
Orchard Origins is a new joint project between Herefordshire Nature Trust and Herefordshire Mind that, through the establishment of a social enterprise, aims to conserve the county's orchard heritage through marketing food produce and products. It will give opportunities for training, skills building, ecotherapy and employment for Herefordshire Mind clients and help break down the stigma of mental health. The project will also seek to build on existing initiatives in creating greater awareness of our orchard heritage and produce through community events, work with schools on creating greater understanding of orchards and healthy eating and active marketing of local food produce. Finally, Orchard Origins will be an important first step in establishing the social enterprise that will be the legacy of the project and continue its work into the future.
The project has a number of distinct elements:
• Orchard Management and Conservation
• Fruit Harvesting
• Food Production
• Training
• Community Involvement
• Marketing and Sales
• Social Enterprise Business Development
Main duties of the post
The role of the Project Manager will be to deliver the whole project and specifically:
• Oversee the monitoring and evaluation of the project to deliver the required outputs and outcomes identified in the Business Plan. Work with Catcher Media in delivering a monitoring DVD for the project.
• Develop and deliver a Business Plan for an orchard based social enterprise and research funding, finances, viability and organisation.
• Manage the project budget including submitting quarterly claims.
• Manage staff employed by the project, volunteers and clients.
• Set up and deliver training, in association with others, on orchard management and the conservation value of orchards
• Arrange the production of all the printed material, displays and web based media for the project
• Maintain registers of involvement of all participants in the project, organise and collate feedback from training sessions and set up options for online feedback.
• Ensure that the project maintains a high public profile and that the Local Food Programme, Herefordshire Nature Trust and Herefordshire Mind are acknowledged in all publicity
• Audit and deliver orchard management, in association with the Trusts Nature Reserves Team, on the Trust’s orchards and on other community owned orchards.
• Organise the harvesting, storage, conversion and delivery of fruit.
• To liaise with owners of orchards on the potential for cooperative food production.
• Report to the Conservation Manager, organise both Team and Steering Group meetings and report to them as required.
Other duties
The post holder will be required to:
• Undertake health and safety duties commensurate with the post and as detailed in the Trust's Health and Safety policy;
• Maintain personal and professional development and participate in appropriate training activities;
• Present a positive image of the Herefordshire Nature Trust, as well as maintaining constructive relationships with volunteers, visitors and other organisations;
• Undertake such other duties, training and/or hours of work as may be reasonably required, and which are consistent with the general level of responsibility of this job.
This project is funded by the Local Food Programme administered by RSWT on behalf of Big Lottery.
Contact details:
Send a £1.20p stamped A4 Envelope to Herefordshire Nature Trust, Lower House Farm, Ledbury Road, Tupsley, Hereford HR1 1UT or download application form and supporting documents from http://www.herefordshirewt.org/vacancies.htm
For an informal conversation about this post please contact Francesca Griffith or Colin Cheesman on 01432 356872
Interviews will be held on 31st May and 1st June . Applicants should hold these dates clear to be available for interview. In addition the successful candidate would be expected to participate in the interviews for the Project Officer which will be held on Thursday 7th June.