The Garnock Connections Landscape Partnership is a National Lottery Heritage Fund backed programme of integrated projects working to restore, promote, and improve access to the cultural and natural heritage of the area around the river Garnock in North Ayrshire and Renfrewshire.

Garnock Connections is delivered by a small team of staff supporting Project Leads from a range of organisations and community groups. Strategic oversight is provided by the GCLP Board and operational support is provided by the GCLP Steering Group and specialist Working Groups. The people and communities of the Garnock Connections area are at the core of the programme, and the scheme includes a range of opportunities for training, volunteering, learning and other forms of engagement.

The GCLP is funded by a NLHF Landscape Partnership grant to deliver Garnock Connections between April 2018 – Sept 2022. 

About the role:

As Garnock Connections enters the final phase of delivery we are looking to recruit two Communications and Events Assistants to work within the Garnock

Connections team. These roles will involve helping to engage the local community with the varied outputs and accomplishments of the Garnock Connections programme, helping them connect with the impressive cultural and natural heritage of the area.

As part of this engagement the Communications and Events Assistants will help plan and deliver a program of events across the Garnock Connections Landscape that will celebrate and enable people to share in the project’s achievements. These roles will also involve the creation and posting associated original online content across our digital platforms. 

These roles will initially be based at home but may involve working in the Garnock Connections office at the RSPB Nature Reserve, Lochwinnoch, as and when the responsibilities of the roles require.

They will also involve considerable travel around the varied landscape within the Garnock Connections project area.

These roles involve community engagement and event delivery therefore a certain amount of evening and weekend working is to be expected.

We operate a flexitime approach to working hours with TOIL used to balance contracted hours with those worked.

In this project assistant ship level role, you will have access to extra training and support to develop your skills and employability within the heritage sector.

Key Responsibilities

• Organise and deliver a programme of events celebrating Garnock Connections and the heritage of the GC area
• Engage with partners to enhance the scope and reach of events
• Engage with individuals, community groups and schools to promote the events and the wider GC programme across the project landscape
• Work with colleagues to create and manage content for social media, e.g. Facebook, Twitter
• Assist in running virtual events over Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Facebook Live, etc
• Contribute to regular reports, newsletters, press releases, etc
• Visit Garnock Connections project sites

What we need from you:

• Some knowledge of the theory and practice of delivering a project
• Some knowledge of community engagement and event planning
• Competent IT user (e.g. familiar with Microsoft Office packages)
• Some experience with social media in the heritage/community sector
• The ability to communicate about the project in a passionate manner
• An ability to produce clear written communications
• Ability to work well as part of a team, as well as on your own initiative
• A driving license or other means of visiting sites within the project

Desirable Criteria 

• Organising training events, workshops or facilitated discussions and meetings
• Experience of producing written materials, newsletters, and similar project related communications

For more information, please contact: neal.lochrie@RSPB.org.uk

This role is Part-Time working 22.5 hours per week (3 days)

Please note that you will be required to only complete an application form where you will be able to tell us why you are best suited for this role.

Before applying to this role we would recommend reading through the candidate guidance notes attached to the top of this advert.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by/exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.