Catchment Manager

Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust (YDRT) is dedicated to the conservation and restoration of rivers and their catchments within the YDRT catchment area. We work collaboratively with local communities and action groups, national parks, and various environmental organisations to deliver impactful projects that restore our rivers, enhance biodiversity, improve water quality, and increase resilience to climate change.

This is an exciting opportunity to join our team as a Catchment Manager for someone who wishes to make a real difference to the water quality and habitat of rivers in the Yorkshire Dales. You will play a crucial role in planning and developing a pipeline of projects and initiatives that will improve the catchment of the River Ure. The successful candidate will work with farmers, contractors, partner organisations, volunteers and other Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust staff to plan, develop, and monitor the delivery of land management and river restoration projects which aim to ensure our rivers thrive.

The responsibilities of the role encompasses working with partners and stakeholders to develop a programme of projects and initiatives in the Ure catchment, securing funding from a variety of sources including corporates.  We are interested in candidates with existing knowledge and experience in this area of work in order to build on and expand the Trusts’ capability and capacity.

The role will involve working closely with our Senior Catchment Partnership Manager, the Catchment Partnership Manager for the Wharfe and Catchment Partnership members (Dales to Vale Rivers Network (DVRN)) and a wide range of other stakeholders to identify opportunities to improve the catchment of the River Ure, in line with the Catchment Management Plan.

The Catchment Manager will look for opportunities to maximise the impact of projects and efficiencies through collaborative working. The candidate will therefore need to be comfortable working with (for example), other YDRT staff, NGO’s, government organisations, corporates, local communities, landowners and volunteers. The individual in this position must be at ease handling data regarding the project's costs and benefits and effectively communicating this information to a range of audiences.

They will work closely with other Trust staff to raise awareness of the ecological importance of river habitats, to promote good farming practice and to promote the projects.  

The Catchment Manager will also oversee the Trust’s data management. Tasks will include:

• Overseeing the management of catchment data in the Trust
• Developing knowledge of data across each catchment,
• Providing information for partners and anyone interested in the characteristics, projects, initiatives and problems, including the use of data and evidence to support project development
• Overseeing the data gathered and held by the Trust, 
• Identifying which data is needed to underpin project ideas and development whilst ensuring the Trust is GDPR compliant

The role will link in with neighbouring catchment partnerships around how other Catchment Partnerships and communities of practices in the rivers trust movement are using data to inform and shape delivery

Projects may typically include investigations into water quality, working with farmers and stakeholders to identify pollution sources, ways to reduce diffuse and point pollution and works to improve river habitat, along with wetland creation and river re-naturalisation. We would be interested to know about any knowledge and experience you have in the above fields when you apply.

The role will require hybrid working, with a desk available in the YDRT office in Pateley Bridge, home-working and travel across the catchment. The post holder will be flexible, with occasional evening and weekend working. The post-holder will work well both alone and as part of a team of paid staff and volunteers.

Please see the full Catchment Manager job description for more information and visit the Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust website to learn more about the organisation.

Salary: £34,097–£38,526
Contract: 3 years (with potential to become permanent)
Hours: 37.5 hours per week (part-time considered)
Location: Hybrid working, based primarily within the River Ure catchment and wider Yorkshire Dales area.
Closing date: Noon, 21 August 2026
Interviews: Expected from the week commencing 14 September 2026.

To apply:

If you wish to apply, please send a CV (no more than two sides of A4) and covering letter (no more than two sides of A4), outlining how you meet the requirements of the person specification and job description by email to Charlotte Simons at [email protected].

Applications must be received no later than noon Friday 21st August

Successful applicants will be invited to interview in person. More information will be provided if short-listed.

If you would like more information on the role before submitting an application, you may contact [email protected].