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We're Hiring
Thank you for your interest in our vacancies.
We have two roles available:
- Community Operations Manager
- Seasonal Tree Nursery Assistant
Please scroll down to look at each of these positions.
Community Operations Manager
Closing Date: 5pm Wednesday 5th of February 2025
Location: Clunes Forest School - Spean Bridge - Lochaber - PH34 4EJ
Salary: £30,000 (Pro-rata)
Benefits: Pension, 37 days Annual Leave (Pro-rata)
Employment Type: Part Time 0.8 / 4 days / 30 hours per week
Role Duration: 1 year (with the intention to extend the post subject to funding)
Job Purpose
To oversee the effective implementation of Arkaig Community Forest’s policies and procedures, manage day-to-day operations, and ensure strategic objectives are achieved while fostering community involvement and sustainable practices.
Key Responsibilities
1. Governance and Compliance
○ Ensure policies and procedures are adhered to across all organisational activities.
○ Coordinate and oversee health and safety management, ensuring compliance with legal and organisational standards.
○ Manage insurance policies and ensure adequate coverage for all operations.
○ Ensure compliance with statutory regulations.
2. Financial and Administrative Management
○ Run payroll and ensure accurate financial reporting.
○ Maintain robust record-keeping systems for buildings, land, and organisational activities.
○ Support the preparation of reports and documentation for the Board of Trustees.
3. Recruitment and Line Management
○ Assist the board in hiring processes, including participating in interview panels.
○ Line Management of Tree Nursery Manager, Larder Manager, Volunteer Coordinator.
○ Support HR functions, including performance reviews and one-to-one meetings with staff. Including managing Toil and annual leave.
4. Representation and Community Engagement
○ Represent ACF at partnership meetings and community events.
○ Build and maintain positive relationships with stakeholders, funders, and partner organisations.
○ Promote ACF’s mission and activities to the wider community.
5. Operational Oversight
○ Manage the day-to-day operations of the organisation, ensuring alignment with strategic goals.
○ Oversee the management of buildings and land, ensuring proper maintenance and utilisation.
○ Coordinate and oversee volunteer and staff activities to support ACF’s objectives.
Additional Responsibilities:
Should the workflow allow it, the role could take part in day to day practical tasks such as working in the Deer Larder, Tree Nursery or Forest. It is desirable that the role also plays a key part in the strategic direction of the organisation including exploring sustainable income streams.
Person Specification
Essential Criteria
● Proven experience in a leadership or management role.
● Strong skills in budgeting, financial management, and reporting.
● Experience in or ability to learn HR and Health and Safety management practices.
● Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
● Ability to manage diverse teams and foster collaboration.
● Demonstrated commitment to community involvement, sustainable practices and environmental stewardship.
Desirable Criteria
● Experience working with community groups or in a charitable organisation.
● Familiarity with health and safety and risk management in outdoor or rural settings.
Working Conditions
● Office-based with occasional travel to project sites.
● Flexible working arrangements.
● Regular evenings and some weekend working will be required.
How to Apply:
Please send a cover letter and CV to info@arkaig.org
For info call: 07304078666 weekends 10am - 5pm or weekdays 5pm - 9pm
Arkaig Community Forest is an equal opportunities employer.
Tree Nursery Assistant
Closing Date: 5pm Wednesday 12th of February 2025
Location: Clunes Forest School - Spean Bridge - Lochaber - PH34 4EJ
Salary: £25 000 Pro Rata
Benefits: Pension, 37 days Annual Leave (pro-rata)
Working hours: Part-time 0.6 / 3 days / 22.5 hrs per week, some weekend and evening work
Role Duration: 8 Months
Summary
Be part of a unique partnership project of landscape-scale restoration at Loch Arkaig. Arkaig Community Forest (ACF) is looking to recruit a seasonal Tree Nursery Assistant to help us grow a range of native tree species which will be used to restore Caledonian pine forest and expand native woodland in Lochaber.
ACF has created a native tree nursery in partnership with Woodland Trust Scotland to help meet the growing demand for local provenance native trees. Further funding has been secured from the Nature Restoration Fund (NatureScot) for a landscape scale partnership project with Woodland Trust Scotland and
Achnacarry Estate, enabling this new role to support the running of the tree nursery.
This post will be a part-time position 3 days / 22.2 hours per week and is subject to a flexible work pattern, including some evenings and weekends. Work in the tree nursery varies throughout the season and tasks will include ground cultivation, sowing, pricking out seedlings, transplanting, lifting and packing trees as well as weeding and watering. You will work with the Tree Nursery Manager and the ACF team alongside Woodland Trust Scotland and the Beo Airceig Partnership.
Tasks for the role:
● Working outdoors in all weather and sometimes in remote places for collecting seeds. Tree ID and navigation skills are beneficial in this role. Lone working, although usually as part of a small team.
● Working as part of a team, collaborating closely with the Tree Nursery Manager and having availability to meet the tree nursery work schedule.
● Careful handling of plants to ensure optimum survival, compost maintenance, ground cultivation, sowing, transplanting, watering, lifting, grading and packing trees. Seed and cuttings collection.
● Maintaining high standards of hygiene within the nursery in accordance with our Tree Health Policies.
● Event assistance, supporting ACF volunteer sessions and being a welcoming face for daily interaction with the public.
● Accuracy in recording tasks, maintaining stock inventory, seed materials and physical labelling. Keeping a database and records up to date are important requirements.
● Practical maintenance skills, including cleaning tools after use and a variety of groundskeeping tasks around the Tree Nursery and Clunes Forest School.
Person Specifications:
● Happy to work both independently and co-operatively within a small team.
● Flexibility and a friendly personable attitude.
● Enthusiasm for nature restoration and tree production.
● Awareness of the importance of biosecurity for protecting trees.
● Willingness to learn, communicate closely with other staff, and help take responsibility for tree health and propagation outcomes are crucial for the role.
This is a seasonal role from April to the end of November, 0.6 FTE, 3 days or 22.5 hrs per week. This role requires some weekend and evening working.
Arkaig Community Forest reserves the right to extend or make this role permanent without further advertising dependent on business needs and ability at the end of the contract term.
How to Apply:
Please send in your CV and a Covering Letter telling us what makes you a good candidate for the role to treenursery@arkaig.org
We are looking to conduct interviews for this position in person on 22nd February at Clunes Forest School.
For any further information don’t hesitate to contact the Tree Nursery manager, Anna Macfie at treenursery@arkaig.org or call 07534 673 926.
Arkaig Community Forest is an equal opportunities employer.