Senior Technical Peatlands Officer

The Senior Technical Peatlands Officer should hold a Level 6 qualification or equivalent in an environmental subject and have proven experience in stakeholder management. You will have practical experience of working with contractors, landowners, farmers and graziers, as well as government and local authority bodies. You will have worked as part of a dedicated project team, delivering outputs on time and within budget. You will have experience using GIS software, preferably ArcGIS, and be confident with Microsoft Office, including Excel. You will bring strong communication and organisational skills, with the ability to produce clear, detailed documents, reports and action plans related to habitat management and restoration.

Salary S01 – NJC Pts 23‑25; £34,434 – £36,363 gross per annum. Contributory pension with the People’s Pension with employer’s pension contribution 5% per annum to be matched by at least the same by the employee. Appointments will be made at the first point of the scale.

Hours: Full‑time hours 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday. Will require some weekend and evening work.

Location: Based at Mourne Heritage Trust (MHT) offices, 19 Causeway Road, Newcastle with hot‑desk access at other locations, and hybrid working by agreement. Occasional travel throughout the UK and Ireland will be required.

Contract: Fixed Term Contract to 31st March 2029, unless SEUPB extension is approved or continued funding becomes available. This post is subject to a 6‑month probationary period. Secondment can be considered.

Leave: 25 days per annum plus 12 days statutory holidays.

Reporting to: Peat + Mourne & Slieve Gullion Projects Coordinator.

Other Benefits: Flexi‑time system and onsite free parking.

Requirement: Prospective candidates must have the legal right to work in the UK. This will be verified with shortlisted candidates at the interview stage. Basic Access NI check will be completed prior to appointment.

The PEAT+ project is led by Ulster Wildlife and is supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). In collaboration with cross‑border partners, the project will focus on restoring peatlands across Northern Ireland and Ireland’s border counties. This initiative integrates climate action, biodiversity enhancement, and community engagement to reduce emissions from degraded peatlands and increase their carbon capture post‑restoration. It also aims to improve biodiversity, protect historical features, and contribute to flood prevention, water quality, and wildfire risk reduction.

Project Overview: The overall PEAT+ project, which includes the Mourne and Gullion projects, is structured into three key work packages: Conservation Planning & Design, Peatland Restoration, and Capacity Building & Community Engagement. Through these efforts, PEAT+ will leave a legacy, by restoring vital habitats and fostering long‑term environmental and community benefits.

Partners in the project include Ulster Wildlife (UW), Armagh, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council (ABC), Newry, Mourne & Down District Council (NMDCC), Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark (CLG), Mourne Heritage Trust (MHT), Atlantic Technology University, Letterkenny (ATU), Crichton Carbon Centre (CCC), RTÉ. Mourne Heritage Trust and Newry Mourne and Down District Council are collaborating to deliver work focused on the Eastern Mournes and Slieve Gullion Special Areas of Conservation (SAC).

Your work will form part of a collective of peatland restoration projects north and south of the Irish border. As a member of the Peatlands Collaborative Network, you and the whole MHT team will access best practice studies, training and skills sharing, ensuring the whole MHT team is well supported during the project.

Job Purpose: As the Senior Technical Officer you will provide technical know‑how for the MHT team enabling the delivery of the restoration projects and take the lead on development of new and innovative aspects to the PEAT+ project including conservation grazing, propagation of wet heath plant species and mechanical pilot work on expansive peat hags reprofiling. You will support the revision of existing peatland restoration plans for wet heath and peatland recovery efforts, bringing them up to date in best practice for 2 sites within the Mournes and assist in the procurement of suitable service providers to develop management plans for new sites in Mourne and Gullion SACs.

Within the Eastern Mournes SAC, you will oversee the collection and analysis of baseline data, including vegetation surveys, hydrology, weather station, gases and carbon monitor data. These data sets will form the baseline that will inform revisions to existing plans (Binnian and Blue Lough) and the development of a new plan for Doan. You will assist and inform fellow MHT colleagues about the PEAT+ sites, to enable real‑time review in developments for the Eastern Mournes SAC Conservation Management Plan.

You will guide the PEAT+ team on the delivery of restoration works by contractors for the MHT sites and Slieve Gullion site that form the core of the MHT and NMDDC PEAT+ submission, including compliance with Construction Design and Management (CDM) procedures and best practice as set out in Peatland Restoration Guidance. You will work closely with the Peatland Conservation Ranger on all aspects of data gathering and analysis and relationship building with key stakeholders.

You will provide work‑related guidance and support for the NMDCC AONB‑Geopark Officer in the development of their Wildfire Plan and Peatland Restoration Plans for Slieve Gullion. You will positively contribute to the overall PEAT+ programme in Northern Ireland and work closely with the Peatlands Collaborative Network and NMDCC AONB Geopark Peatlands Officer, to ensure the smooth delivery of projects across both SAC sites.

How to Apply: You must complete our application in the required format and submit by the deadline. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted. You will also be asked to submit a separate equality monitoring form. The deadline for submission (online) is Sunday 22nd February at 23.00hrs. Interviews are scheduled for 9th and 10th March 2026.

If you have any questions please e‑mail recruitment(AT)mourne.co.uk and we will endeavour to respond during office hours (i.e. Mon Fri 9am 5pm).

Equality Monitoring and Criminal Convictions Disclosure: Along with the application form, you will be asked to complete and return the Equal Opportunities Monitoring and Criminal Convictions Disclosure Form in a separate document. Neither of these will be disclosed to anyone involved in shortlisting your application.

Equal Opportunities: Mourne Heritage Trust is an equal opportunities employer, and all applications for employment are considered strictly on the basis of merit. The Trust is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for people with disabilities. We guarantee an interview to a person who states they have or have had a disability and who meets the minimum essential criteria for the post. Applicants with a disability who meet the minimum essential eligibility criteria for the role they have applied for, are offered an interview. We will consider all requests for reasonable adjustments for any stage of this recruitment process.

Shortlisting for interview: Application forms will be processed for eligibility to invite for interview using the essential and desirable criteria. It is the applicant's responsibility to provide sufficient information for the assessment panel to carry out an objective evaluation of the breadth and depth of information given in the application forms. Please read the candidate booklet fully. Interviews may include an unseen or seen task.