ROLE: Clean Coasts Development Officer, (Clare, Limerick, Galway)

SALARY: €30,000 – 35,000k per annum (depending on experience) (32.75 hours per week) LOCATION:Hybrid & An Taisce Environmental Education Unit, Dublin 8

CLOSING DATE: 31st August 2023

APPLY: Email Sinead McCoy at: [email protected].

PURPOSE The Environmental Education Unit (EEU) of An Taisce operates the Clean Coasts Programme, Green Coast Award and Blue Flag Award in Ireland.

Clean Coasts engages communities in the protection of Ireland’s beaches, seas and marine life. Clean Coasts is made up of two elements; Clean Coasts Volunteering and the Green Coast Award. Currently there are over 1,200 Clean Coasts Groups operating along the coast of Ireland. The programme promotes and facilitates coastal clean-up initiatives and marine litter surveys which result in a tangible and immediate improvement in Ireland’s coastal environment. Clean Coasts organises hundreds of beach clean-ups annually mobilising thousands of volunteers, removing considerable quantities of marine litter from Ireland’s beaches and waterways.

Clean Coasts has developed a suite of community engagement initiatives that has led to the expansion of the Clean Coasts programme, including; Clean Coasts Week, the Big Beach Clean weekend, Love Your Coast Photography Competition, Clean Coasts Ocean Hero Awards, Clean Coasts Road Show, #2MinuteBeachClean, Think Before You Flush, and the Clean Coasts Corporate Volunteering Programme.

The Green Coast Award is an award for beaches that meet the excellent standard for water quality as set out in the Bathing Water Directive but may not have the necessary built infrastructure to achieve Blue Flag status. An important element of this award is that these beaches have a beach management plan in place and that the local community is engaged in this process.

The Blue Flag is a programme of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and is one of the world’s most recognised eco-labels. Beaches and marinas that achieve this award must comply with a specific set of criteria relating to water quality, information provision, environmental education, safety and beach management and must comply with the excellent standard in accordance with the 2006 EU Bathing Water Directive.

The post of Coastal Programmes Officer will be full-time role, based working from home in Clare, Limerick, Galway. The post will be 32.75 hours per week.

TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Main focus of this role is to support Clean Coasts groups in the Clare, Limerick, Galway region as directed. Additionally role requires successful candidate to help Coastal Programmes Team deliver all aspects of the Coastal Programmes including:

• Engage and support community groups to assist them with Clean Coasts work

• Develop Clean Coasts groups in Clare, Limerick, Galway regions.

• Assist in administration for the Clean Coasts programme and Blue Flag Award when necessary

• Liaise with our existing partners in Local Authorities and other partners of the programme

• Assist with the organizing and facilitating of Clean Coasts events which include:

     - Clean Coasts Roadshows

     - Love Your Coast Awards

     - Big Beach Clean

     - Clean Coasts Symposium

     - Ocean Hero Awards

     - Clean Coasts Beach Cleans

Ocean Talks

• Reporting to Coastal Communities Manager

• Assist other Projects/Programmes that An Taisce run when necessary

• Undertake any other such relevant duties as may from time to time arise and are considered appropriate.

PERSON SPECIFICATION Attributes	Attributes
Qualifications and Attainments 3rd Level Qualification in a relevant field
Experience A minimum of three years experience in a field relating to environmental education/ community engagement/ education or sustainable development.	Desirable
Knowledge, Skills & Aptitudes Knowledge of Environmental Issues	Essential
Knowledge of Sustainable Development	Essential
Excellent communications and interpersonal skills	Essential
Excellent facilitation skills	Essential
Excellent computer skills including database management & Web editing skills	Desirable
Ability to manage a workload within tight deadlines	Essential
Ability to work with a wide range or stakeholders including community groups, local authorities and other agencies.	Essential
Disposition - Be a self starter	Essential
Be dependable and flexible	Essential
Be prepared to travel as part of your work	Essential
Be committed to working as part of a team	Essential
Tact and Diplomacy	Essential
Access to own transport with a clean driving licence	Essential