The role 

This is an exciting opportunity to join Hop Spots, Amphibian and Reptile Conservation’s new national environmental education programme for England, supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. 

Hop Spots is an ambitious four-year programme designed to reconnect children and young people with nature through environmental education, conservation training and wellbeing-focused engagement. The programme will work across three distinct regions of England – Dorset and surrounding areas, Merseyside and East Anglia – each selected for its importance for amphibians and reptiles and the opportunities it provides to engage children, young people and communities with nature. 

At the heart of the programme is a learning pathway that supports children and young people to Connect with, Learn about and Act for amphibians, reptiles and the natural environment. Through this, Hop Spots will promote nature connection and its benefits for wellbeing and development, place native species at the heart of environmental education, and help young people develop conservation skills and explore future opportunities in the environmental sector. 

As the Hop Spots Merseyside Education Officer, you will lead delivery of the programme across Merseyside. You will develop and deliver a varied programme of environmental education and engagement, from classroom-based learning and community activities to practical outdoor sessions and fieldwork within amphibian and reptile habitats. You will also deliver Conservation Skills Days designed to help young people build practical experience and explore pathways into jobs for nature. An interest in UK amphibians and reptiles and a willingness to develop practical ecological skills will be important, while some existing experience of UK species identification, ecological surveying or monitoring would be an advantage. Training in relevant amphibian and reptile survey and conservation skills will be provided. 

You will work with schools, colleges, universities, community groups, volunteers, environmental organisationsand other local partners to create engaging opportunities for children and young people to connect with nature and develop practical conservation skills. You will work particularly closely with Green Sefton, the project’s lead delivery partner in Merseyside, as well as developing relationships with organisations and communities across Merseyside and surrounding areas. 

The role also offers the opportunity to contribute to the wider delivery of Hop Spots beyond the Merseyside region. Working closely with the Hop Spots Project Manager and the Education Officers in Dorset and East Anglia, you will share learning, communications, resources and approaches to delivery, helping to support consistency across all three project regions. You will also work collaboratively with colleagues across ARC’s Communications, Reserves, Species, Science, Finance and Administration teams, helping ensure Hop Spots is well integrated with ARC’s wider conservation, engagement and organisational priorities. 

This is a varied and rewarding role combining environmental education, conservation, partnership working, communications, volunteer engagement and project delivery. You will help develop and coordinate educational and communications resources, support project communications, collect participant feedback and evaluation evidence, and contribute to reporting to ARC, partners and funders. 

This is a unique opportunity to play a key role in a major four-year programme, combining hands-on environmental education and conservation with the opportunity to contribute to a national programme for children and young people.