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MOORLAND EDUCATION AND RESEARCH TRUST
REQUEST FOR SERVICES
MOORLAND EDUCATION PROGRAMME MANAGER
The Moorland Education and Research Trust (MERT) is a new Scottish charitable incorporated organisation (SCIO). The organisation’s purposes are:
(a)The advancement of education concerning the management of moorland in Scotland
(b)Provision of information about career opportunities connected with moorland
(c)The advancement of environmental protection or improvement through the provision of grants for the commissioning and facilitating of research into the better management of moorland biodiversity and flora and fauna
At the inaugural meeting of the MERT Trustees, it was agreed to contract with aMoorland Education Programme Manager to help MERT develop and deliver its charitable objectives over its first year. This part time contract is an excellent opportunity for a high calibre individual with primary/secondary school, outdoor education and management experience to make a real impact on the provision of moorland education and children’s understanding of upland landscapes. It is expected that there will be a need for further support beyond the first year, but part of the role will be working with the MERT trustees to develop and define that need.
Rural communities across Scotland are experiencing decreasing levels of connection and understanding regarding the natural and farmed landscape and rural jobs. This disconnection is not limited to those living or working in towns and cities. Landowners, managers and others employed in rural jobs consistently report an increasing lack of understanding of their roles as caretakers of biodiversity and the landscape from people living in both rural and urban communities. Land use and management conflicts are not new but, in recent years, there is a feeling that views on what should and should not happen on Scottish moorlands have become increasingly polarised. It seems likely that a lack of opportunity to visit moorlands and speak with those who live and work inmoorland landscapes is a contributor to this polarising effect. A combination of social, cultural, and economic factors means that there are fewer children who regularly visit moorlands and an increasing number who have never visited a moorland before
Children from schools and groups will be invited to moorlands for structured learning sessions on active moorland management. The sessions will be jointlydelivered by the contractor, local/regional education practitioners (see below) and assisted by knowledgeable individuals who are directly involved with management of the moors (e.g. gamekeepers and shepherds). Children will be accompanied by responsible adults (e.g. their schoolteachers or group leaders), who will remain responsible for managing the children’s health, safety and behaviour during the visit. The aim of the visit is to give children (and their accompanying adults) an enjoyable and informative visit to moorland that is interpreted by specialists. Children should achieve a better understanding of the types of management that are carried out on moorlands and why these are so important for biodiversity, environmental regulation (e.g. carbon storage or flood management), the landscape and rural communities.
Title: | Moorland Education Programme Manager |
Location: | Home-Based |
Responsible to: | MERT Chair |
Main purpose of the job: | The Moorland Education Programme Manager will be responsible for: • Managing the project budget • Development of policies and procedures (including data protection, safeguarding and complaints) • Selecting suitable outdoor Education Practitioners (initially including, but not necessarily limited to, ‘Learn on the Land’ and ‘Hill to Grill’ and SRMGs regional co-ordinators) and putting suitable contracts into place • Ensuring contracted practitioners have valid insurance and Disclosure and Barring Service(DBS) certificates • Ensuring that insurance, risk assessments and ecosystem impact assessments have beencompleted for each site and visit • Collating and reporting visit data and feedback • Preparing reports for project funders and stakeholders • Project communications including maintenance of project website • Project evaluation • Assisting with fundraising for continuation of the project. |
Main responsibilities: | • Support the team of outdoor Education Practitioners, including induction, training, performance and information sharing, branding and resources.• Manage the operational relationship with partners and estate managers, and potentially other suitable charitable or non-charitable organisations active in this sector, and support development of relationships with other potential partners• Manage the MERT budget, ensuring effective control of expenditure and good value for money, and maintain accurate and current records of activity.• Ensure a consistently high standard of delivery of the MERT offer and drive improvement using pupil and teacher feedback.• Develop the MERT offer based on a good understanding of its place in the field of outdoor education and a basis for sustainable funding.• Work with the SRMG regional co-ordinators and others to produce and curate high quality MERT and SRMG branded educational resources and other website content.• Develop and deliver marketing resources and strategies to raise the profile with schools and help secure enrolment of schools into the programme• Uphold the highest standards in Health and Safety and Child Protection, including administering DBS checks. Keep abreast of current practice and policy and ensure these arecommunicated effectively to Education Practitioners and other delivery partners.• Work with the MERT Chairman on stewardship of donors, including regular reports.• Explore opportunities with key sector stakeholders to commission and undertake research related to the socio-economic impact of managing moorland. • Devise a strategy for maximising the impact of research findings, with a view to influencing key decision makers. • Support the MERT Chair on other reasonable work to further educational and research objectives. |
Skills/competencies: | • Experience of teaching or working with primary and / or secondary age children.• Familiarity with the national SQA curriculum.• Understanding of moorland management.• Project and programme management skills.• Ability to motivate a team including Education Practitioners, keepers and other upland employees and managers, and delivery partners• Ability to engage effectively with audiences from a wide range of backgrounds.• Strong web and IT skills, including Excel. • Excellent written and oral communications skills.• Strong personal organisation skills and ability to prioritise.• Reliable, self-motivated and comfortable to work on your own initiative.• Ability to travel to estates, schools and other venues on a regular basis.• Alignment with the aims and ethos of MERT.• Familiarity with health and safety and safeguarding practice regarding outdoor education.• Propensity to work as part of a team.• Proven ability to partner with 3rd parties in pursuit of common goals |
Qualifications | • A teaching and/or science-based academic qualification [desirable]• Evidence of continuing professional development• Full driving licence. |
Previous experience | • Experience of developing and delivering an outdoor education programme.• Experience of developing teaching resources. |
Terms and conditions | This is a part-time contract for one year with a time commitment of c. 15 hours per week, with some flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends. The hourly rate is £20 per hour, paid monthly in arrears on receipt of a suitable invoice from the contractor. The contract is subject to satisfactory references, evidence of the right to work in the UK, other pre-contract checks as required and a contract of supply. |
To apply please send your CV, a covering letter explaining why you are interested in this position and how your skills and experience fit the requirements of the role, and the names and contact details of two referees by email to:
Sir Jack Whitaker, Chair, Moorland Education and Research Trust
Email: jwhitaker@tilnfarms.co.uk
The closing date for applications is: Friday 11th July 2025.
Interviews will take place in the w/c 04 August 2025 in Perth (location tbc).
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