The Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES) is at the forefront of uniting the interdisciplinary field of environmental science around a shared mission: to work with speed, vision and expertise to solve the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.

Alongside this, we’re a charity working to raise the profile of our members’ increasingly crucial work. Today, there is an environmental dimension to every debate, and our thousands of members are embedded in every field; at the forefront of delivering global, evidence-based solutions to the challenges facing our environment and society.

Main Purpose of the Post

Your role will be engaging environmental scientists in our wealth of content and activities. You will work collaboratively with the Communities & Partnership Lead and our Communities (special interest groups) to help deliver an ambitious workplan of activities and will play a key role in developing new workstreams.

The IES Communities are an integral part of the IES ecosystem, providing thought leadership for their area of focus, and a forum for members to network, collaborate and shape their sector. A Community is a group of members brought together around a shared professional interest, goal, or challenge. At the IES we know that our members are the experts. Communities are a key tool for directly engaging with our members, channelling their expertise into a unified voice, and informing the development of tailored resources. Being member-led, they provide members with the agency to set their own priorities and develop associated workplans aligned with their needs and interests.

We are looking for a personable and empathetic individual with the ability to manage multiple projects, work with a multitude of different stakeholders and pick up complex information quickly. Relishing the chance to engage with a wide range of environmental experts, the candidate will need to be highly flexible, motivated and able to fit into the collaborative culture of the office. They will also have strong communication skills, with the ability to adapt their communication style depending on the audience and objectives.

Job Role

Communities

• Ensure our Communities and Early Career Networks have access to the appropriate support by facilitating meetings, project managing key workstreams and linking with other IES staff members to enable the Communities to develop and deliver on their aims
• Work with other IES staff members to support on the delivery of high-quality delivery of outputs from the communities, such as events, publications, guidance, policy outputs and other resources
• Monitor and report on Communities’ progress, and facilitate further engagement and process improvement
• Undertake horizon scanning and research for relevant communities and capture and disseminate key developments in the sector in an engaging format

Membership engagement

• Undertake initiatives to improve membership engagement with Communities
• Implement changes to Communities and networks based on member feedback, striving for novel and effective methods of member engagement
• Develop and implement a volunteer management strategy to maintain high levels of volunteer satisfaction and number of volunteers
• Manage the development and implementation of the IES’s ED&I activities as specified in the ED&I Plan

Person Specification
This is a multi-skilled position and we recognise that no candidate is likely to have all the desirable skills. Studies have shown that women, communities of colour and historically underrepresented talent are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single requirement. At the IES we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement listed, we strongly encourage you to apply.

Essential

• Undergraduate degree, level 5 or above technical qualification, or equivalent experience
• At least one year’s office-based experience
• Excellent time management with ability to prioritise and juggle projects, and meet deadlines
• Clear communicator, both written and orally
• Strong empathy and interpersonal skills, including managing conflict
• Comfortable working autonomously and within a small team
• Ability to use own initiative, problem solve and respond rapidly to varying stakeholder needs
• Recognition of the importance of equity, diversity and inclusion
• Interest in the environment, sustainability and/or science

Desirable

• Experience in the environmental or NGO/Charity sector
• Experience using Zoom or equivalent online platforms for meetings/events
• Experience of science communication
• Professional experience of capturing outcomes of discussion in reports or papers
• Professional experience of project management
• A degree in environmental science, geography or other science-based subject

The role
This position is full-time. The job can be carried out remotely, or from our office in Shoreditch, London. We are flexible about the days spent in office. The salary for the role will fall in the following range: £27,820 - £30,820 per annum, non-negotiable.

The decision on where a candidate falls in our salary bands will be dependent on experience and alignment with our essential and desirable skills.

How to Apply

The deadline for submitting applications is 12 noon (BST) on Monday 10th June.

To apply, please send the following documents to Ethny Childs (ethny@the-ies.org):

• CV
• Cover letter evidencing how you meet the skills, knowledge, and experience listed in the person specification
• Completed Equal Opportunities Monitoring form (docx). We collect this data to monitor the effectiveness of our advertising and recruitment strategies, ensuring they are open to all sections of the community. It is anonymous and only used for this purpose.
• If you need our Equal Opportunities Monitoring form in a different format that is more accessible to you, or you need any other adjustments in the application process, please let us know.

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact the Hiring Manager for this role, Ethny Childs on ethny@the-ies.org. Alternatively, you can call the IES office on +44 (0)20 3862 7484. We are happy to consider any adjustments that candidates may need during the recruitment process. If you would like to request something, please contact Ethny Childs. We also offer reasonable adjustments on the job.

Selection process
We will get back to applicants on or after the application deadline of 10th June to confirm receipt of application, with the aim to get back to all applicants by the 1st July on the outcome of their application.

Interviews will take place remotely via Zoom on the weeks commencing the 17th and 24th June, with a view to the successful candidate starting as soon as possible.

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK to be considered for this role.

Why work for us?

At the IES, we know that the secret of a successful professional body is the quality of the people behind the membership services. Our small, inclusive team work collaboratively with one another, as well as our fantastic trustees, members and partner organisations, to fulfil our mission of advocating for science and the environment.

Benefits of working for us include:

• Flexible working arrangements
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Employer pension contribution
• Free IES membership
• Career development support with individualised professional development plans
• Inclusive and intellectually stimulating workplace

The Institution of Environmental Sciences is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive culture for our staff and volunteers which reflects the diversity that exists within society, enabling us to deliver outputs that reflect the diverse needs of our members.
In recruiting for this role, we welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in terms of your ethnicity, age, sex, gender identity, disability, neurodiversity, sexual orientation, educational background, national origin, religion and beliefs.