For 26 years, Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust (PKCT) has been working to conserve, protect and improve the environment, and access to the countryside and to promote the public’s enjoyment of its culture and heritage through interpretation and education. It is a Perth based charity that negotiates access to land, builds paths, helps care for Scotland’s most spectacular woodlands and trees, and works on education and conservation projects all to improve and promote access to the countryside. We work in partnership with other organisations and community groups to help make Perthshire one of the most accessible destinations in Scotland. We want visitors and regular users to have a rewarding, memorable experience, whilst making sure that the natural environment and natural and human heritage is protected and enhanced.

We now have an opportunity for a PR, Marketing and Communication Officer to join our small team of 5.

This is an exciting opportunity for the right person to contribute to the future of the countryside and natural heritage of Perth and Kinross.PKCT is a small but dynamic charity with a staff of 6 engaged in a wide range of projects in the area relating to public access and education, the many historic trees, and conservation in general. Details of our work and more about our organisation can be found at pkct.org

The Board of Trustees

The Trustees have collective responsibility for oversight and development of the Trust in line with OSCR guidelines, for agreeing the organisation’s strategy, its governance, and work with its professional staff to account for the effective management and delivery of agreed projects on time and within budget.

Skills

Due to Trustees retiring imminently we now have vacancies for 2 trustees. It would benefit the Trust if applicants brought some of the following skills

• Finance
• Charity governance / legal experience

Time Commitment

The full Board meets four times each year. These meetings last 2-3 hours and usually take place in Perth with a remote attendance option.

Between full Board meetings, Sub-Committee meetings are held. Trustees will also be expected to contribute to one or two Sub-Committees. The basic time commitment is likely to average around eight days per year.

Remuneration

Trustees are not remunerated and your contribution will be on a voluntary/pro bono basis.

Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust (PKCT) negotiates access to land, builds paths, helps care for Scotland’s most spectacular woodlands and trees, and works on conservation projects all to improve and promote access to the countryside for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. We work in partnership with other organisations and community groups to help make Perthshire one of the most accessible destinations in Scotland. We want visitors and regular users to have a rewarding, memorable experience, whilst making sure that the natural environment and natural and human heritage is protected and enhanced.

Key to this is education. We believe that the outdoors is for everyone, and that developing understanding through education will in turn lead to care of the natural environment. As a brand new position for the Trust the Discovery , Learning and Engagement Officer will conduct educational activities that support our conservation and access strategies. They will work closely with partnership organisations and the Conservation and Path Officers to achieve this. The role will include engagement with formal education across the region (e.g. schools), and will also develop discovery and learning opportunities for youth, adult, and community groups, including those in vulnerable groups.

Appointment of Trustees to the Board

Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust (Scottish Charity SC 024781) is looking to fill one position on our Board of Trustees: an opportunity to help us conserve, promote and enhance the countryside and natural heritage of Perth and Kinross.

Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust (PKCT)

This is an exciting opportunity for the right person to contribute to the future of the countryside and natural heritage of Perth and Kinross. PKCT is a small but dynamic charity with a staff of 5 engaged in a wide range of projects in the area relating to public access and education, the many historic trees, and conservation in general. Details of our work and more about our organisation can be found at pkct.org

The Board of Trustees

We currently have 11Trustees but we are looking to recruit one additional trustee. Perth and Kinross Council nominate two Trustees and additional Trustees are appointed based on the skills, experience and expertise they bring to our organisation.

The Trustees have collective responsibility for oversight and development of the Trust in line with OSCR guidelines, for agreeing the organisation’s strategy, its governance, and work with its professional staff to account for the effective management and delivery of agreed projects on time and within budget.

Skills

Our recent organisational review has identified it would be of benefit if additional trustees brought some of the following skills/areas of work:

Professional Skills and Experience

• Marketing and Communication
• Charity governance

Time Commitment

The full Board meets four times each year. These quarterly meetings last 2-3 hours and usually take place in Perth , with occasionally one on site at a recent project. Currently however there is a mix of online and in person meetings due to Covid.

Between full Board meetings, Sub-Committee meetings are held. There are four Sub-Committees – Finance and HR, Governance, Development and Education , and Fundraising and Marketing – each meeting up to 3 times per year. Sub-Committee meetings are usually 2 hours long and are also held in Perth / online. Trustees will also be expected to contribute to one or two Sub-Committees. The basic time commitment is likely to average around eight days per year.

Remuneration

Trustees are not remunerated and your contribution will be on a voluntary/pro bono basis.

Founded in 1997, Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust (PKCT) is an independent charity that negotiates access to land, builds paths, helps care for Scotland’s most spectacular woodlands and trees, and works on conservation projects all to improve and promote access to the countryside. The Countryside Trust has refreshed its forward strategy, and now wishes to develop a new emphasis on maintaining and enhancing biodiversity and species conservation, while helping people to enjoy the excitement and wonder of Perthshire’s countryside, enabling them to learn about it and cherish it for future generations.

As part of this review a multi stakeholder, landscape scale Partnership Project is under development. This is a new, long-term, nature-based vision for Perth and Kinross. It is a landscape-scale ecological restoration concept that could transform the environment of the area, the livelihoods of the people who live and work here, and the richness of the experiences of those who visit.

To deliver this challenging work we are seeking to appoint a Conservation Officer with the following responsibilities:

1. Working with stakeholders, continue to progress the Trust’s wider strategy for conservation and education.
2. Leading the Trust’s work on the Partnership Project, including establishing and maintaining links with project partners; gaining ‘buy-in’ of landowners, managers and tenants, rural communities and businesses; further developing the project proposal, including consolidating methodology, partners, sites, funding and initial implementation; driving the project forward through the Steering Group; and developing the project to secure future funding.
3. In partnership with stakeholders, identify new project opportunities that will help to deliver the vision set out in this Strategy.
4. Apply for funding to develop new conservation and education projects
5. Offer site management support and guidance in conservation and biodiversity, habitat improvement and woodland creation.
6. Develop a ‘hub’ to collate and promote relevant initiatives and “best practice”. This could include a “Community” website and interactive map.
7. Support the continued work of the Trust on current conservation programmes as directed

Up to 2 days of the officer’s time per week will be spent on work with continuing multi-stakeholder conservation projects where the principal partners alongside the Trust are the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh , Forestry and Land Scotland and Scottish Forestry. These projects involve the ex situ conservation of globally threatened conifer species in Perthshire and supporting managers of nationally important tree collections.

Funding for the Conservation Officer Post

We are seeking funding from our stakeholder partners who share the strategic objectives of this exciting project. We aim to secure funding for the post for three years.

Location

The Trust office is in Perth but all staff currently working from home. The nature of the post requires travel across Perth and Kinross and occasionally to other parts of Scotland.