Experienced Rights of Way Officer with a great deal of voluntary experience in the conservation sector. Passionate Coach for the Riding for the Disabled Association and Cub Scout Leader in my free time. Looking for a position where I can utilise my environmental, conservation and communication skills. I am reliable, confident and work well in a team; both as a participant and as a leader. I take a methodical and efficient approach to any task, both professional and academic. I am also quick and eager to learn new skills in any work environment.
I have worked in the Rights of Way sector for a Local Highway Authority for 2 years having completed many training days through the Institute of Public Rights of Way.
I graduated from Newcastle University in 2017 with a 2:1 Bsc with Honours in Countryside Management which included the following modules: Rural Studies, Envrionmental and Land Resources, Envrionment and Land Use Field Course, British Agriculture, Introduction to Agribusiness and Rural Management, Plant Biology, Ecology, Statistical Methods, Landscape Culture and Heritage, Qualitative Techniques, Agricultural Markets, Rural Studies Skills, Companion Animals, Biodiversity, Ecology and Conservation, Law and Land Use, Career Development Placement, Rural Planning, Politics and Society, Sustainable Land Use and Management, Special Study (dissertation based on 'access to the countryside for people with disabilities'), Land-based Enterprise, Sustainable Development and Environmental Valuation and Advanced Carer Development. Previous to and during the academic studies I volunteered with many conservation organisations including: RSPB, North Pennines AONB, Northumberland National Park, Lake District National Park, Northumberland Wildlife Trust and Ramblers Charity England and Wales.
I worked as a voluntary residential intern for the RSPB at Coombes Valley for 4 months in 2017 after graduating from University. Through this role I achieved a number of my tickets to enable me to work as a chainsaw operator.
GCSEs:
Art A*, Religious Studies A, English Literature A, English Language B, Maths A, Geography A, Spanish B, Chemistry B, Biology C, Physics C, ICT C
AS Levels:
Art A, Religious Studies A, Applied Science B, Geography C
A Levels:
Art B, Religious Studies B, Geography B, General Studies C
Degree:
2:1 Bsc with Honours in Countryside Management
Other Qualifications:
ILM Level 5 Certificate in Leadership and Management (2019)
QA Level 3 Award in First Aid (RQF) (2019)
Suffolk County Council - Assessing Habitats and Breeding Bird Assessment, Non-Native Plant Identification and Roadside Nature Reserve Awareness
21st Century Manager course achieving certificates in the following modules: agile working for managers, building partnerships, change management, coaching and GROW, conflict resolution, customer service skills, delegation and planning, delegation, effective communication, emotional intelligence, equality essentials, facilitation skills, introduction to finance management, optimising team performance, presentation skills, principles of risk assessment, project management, resilience, self-development, stress awareness, working in a political environment, writing effectively for good customer service and basic law contract.
Riding for the Disabled Over and Above Award (2019)
IPROW Securing Positive Outcomes from Development (2018)
IPROW Law and Practice (2018)
Lantra Basic Tree Survey and Inspection (2018)
City and Guilds Level 2 Award in the Safe Application of Pesticides using Pedestrian Hand Held Equipment (2018)
City and Guilds Level 2 Principles of Safe Handling and Application of Pesticides (2017)
City and Guilds NPTC Level 2 Award in Felling and Processing Trees up to 380mm (2017)
City and Guilds NPTC Level 2 Award in Chainsaw Maintenance and Cross-cutting (2017)
Advanced Level Apprenticeship in Adult Social Care in the Apprenticeship sector for occupations in social care and the care of children and young people (2016)
Highly Commended – photographic competition, Riding for the Disabled Association (2015)
Bronze, Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh (2014)
John Muir Award (2006)
Full clean UK driving license
Driving
Machinery
Chemicals
NGB Awards
Animal
RHS Qualifications (or Equivalent)
Outdoor Education
Other
Employment History:
West Area Rights of Way Officer (January 2018 – present) Protecting, maintaining, promoting and developing public rights of way and access in accordance with relevant strategies, initiatives, policies and procedures. Managing myself and allocated personnel by taking responsibility for my own and their personal development, motivation, performance, behaviour, health, safety and general well-being. Planning and creating through meaningful application of technology, systems thinking, smarter ways of working, time management and project management tools and techniques. Developing and promoting improvements and use of the rights of way and access network. Dealing effectively with all delegated rights of way correspondence, complaints and administration. Responding to and implementing Public Path Orders and other changes to the rights of way network. Attending meetings and liaising with local councils, landowners, user groups, statutory bodies and the general public, providing advice and information. Managing allocated work load and determining cases with organisational framework. Working collaboratively with others to build relationships and a network of contacts that delivered the best outcomes for people and places in Suffolk, whilst accounting for and responding to customer satisfaction and future needs. Responding to increasing financial pressure by being creative, innovative and cost-focused, exercising strong financial judgement and risk management to secure optimum efficiency savings, cost reductions and profitability without sacrificing service quality. Completing Best Value Performance Indicator surveys throughout the network as well as stepping up to cover 2 area officer positions, alongside my usual workload, whilst recruiting new staff.
Catering Assistant and Membership and Visitor Welcome Assistant (March 2017 – November 2017): Flexible and adaptable team worker using measurable targets to gain memberships, selling the most raffle tickets out of the property team. Face to face sales with the public. Demonstrated empathy with aims of the National Trust, with a genuine interest and knowledge of the work of the Trust. Signifying good people skills, enabling good working relationships with those in my team and across the property.
Customer Sales Assistant and Information Advisor at the Lake District National Park (June 2016 – September 2016): Speaking to the public and delivering detailed local knowledge of Keswick and what activities, accommodation and catering establishments are available in the area. Key holder responsibilities meaning being left to open/close the information centre and cashing up at the end of the day. Selling permits for fishing and sailing on protected lakes. Advising people and building rapport about how the Park is working hard on flood repairs and encouraging people to support their local organisations. Using IT systems.
Support Worker for Mears Group (April 2015 – April 2016) working for Learning Disabilities and Children Services departments: Interacting with a wide range of people from dementia clients to children with diverse mental and physical disabilities. Trained in palliative care, diabetes, dysphagia, SOVA, dementia, first aid, administering medication and moving and positioning. Working alongside occupational therapists, speech therapists, social workers, district nurses, GPs and family members meaning different approaches of communication were deployed for each professional. Achieved NVQ Level 3 Advanced Level Apprenticeship in Adult Social Care in the Apprenticeship sector for occupations in social care and the care of children and young people.
Voluntary Experience:
Coach for Woodbridge & District Riding for the Disabled (October 2018 – present) Responsible for recruiting and retaining volunteers, planning and delivering fundraising projects and running PR, marketing, communications and social media accounts. Coaching able and disabled riders to fulfil their potential. Training volunteers to care for the horses as well as for assisting in RDA sessions.
Cub Scout Leader (November 2018 – present) Leading cub scout meetings weekly, completing 18 training modules to earn permits for example residential nights away. Completing risk assessments and communicating with parents and leaders to provide an educational and exciting programme.
Voluntary internship with RSPB (September 2017 – December 2017) Carrying out weekly work programmes of habitat management and estate work including: woodland management, maintaining gates, stiles, bridges and boardwalks, fencing and footpath maintenance and repairs. Collecting and collating biological records e.g. nest box recording, woodland bird monitoring and maintaining wildlife records. Assisting in the day to day management of a small reserve with admin tasks such as: preparing reports and articles, updating risk assessments, entering biological records, updating cross compliance records, organising the weekly volunteer programme and supervising volunteer work parties, carrying out trail safety audits, maintaining visitor facilities and assisting with quality assurance checks to maintain high standards of facilities. Trained in house to be the sites Tree Safety Advisor being responsible for the sites risk assessments regarding trees especially around the play areas and walking routes on the site.
Volunteer for Northumberland National Park (April 2016-December 2018) Completing practical projects, attending local and national agricultural shows to raise awareness of the National Park and what they do. Working with the ranger team to survey promoted routes developing my critical and analytical thinking. This developed into paid work to develop walking routes from leaflets onto an app for the public to use.
Placement with the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (October 2016-April 2017) Managing a volunteer project using my oral and written communication skills to coordinate volunteers and contractors. As well as using evaluation and synthesis on GIS to survey peat bog grips. Working within schools to deliver a Nectar Works project to teach children about bees using my emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills to gauge which communication methods to use.
Residential volunteer placement with RSBP on Islay (April 2015) Information gathering of bird surveys for rare species such as chough. Encouraged membership with negotiation and persuasion with members of the public such as fundraising days and taking part in guided walks. Completing rare species, such as Hen Harrier, surveys.
Placement with the Northumberland National Park (October 2015 - January 2016) Using my strong organisation and time management skills to run volunteer practical tasks. My adaptability was shown through a range of tasks from path surveys to reducing invasive species i.e. Sitka spruce.
Work experience at Lake District National Park (July 2015) Helped to designate sites for Fell Care Days run by Friends of the Lake District by liaising between organisations. Helped to mock up a draft for a lottery fund bid using my initiative and enterprise skills to make a cycle way around Thirlmere.
Volunteer for the Ramblers Charity England and Wales (June 2015 – July 2016) Working as a team member to record the state of paths in every square of the OS maps in the UK. Using an online app, going out and walking the footpaths and taking photos and making notes on the condition of the pathways.
Volunteer Otter Surveyor for Northumberland Wildlife Trust (March 2015 – January 2016) Using my identification skills to look for the presence of otters and reporting back to a team leader. Using survey techniques to collect scat and sending it off for DNA testing.
Volunteer and Yard Hand at Lake District Calvert Trust Riding for the Disabled (April 2007 – December 2018) Volunteering for 4 years required perseverance, confidence and motivation to teach people of all abilities how to ride which then progressed to a paid role. In this role I was proactive leading fundraising events such as bake sales, open days and sponsored activities. Running the yard by delegating jobs to volunteers to ensure the smooth running of day to day activities.
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