Jobs & Volunteer Positions
Reporting and Finance Officer
Salary: £36,353 – £38,536 per annum (pro rata) (depending on experience and skill level)
Contract length: 1.5 days a week/0.3FTE (working days flexible) for 2.5 years from August/September 2026 to the end of March 2029.
Location: London (Guildhall) with options for remote and flexible working.
Reporting to: The Roding Rises Project Manager
About Thames21
Thames21 is an environmental charity that works across London and the Thames Basin to deliver high-impact, nature-based solutions to the climate and biodiversity crisis by restoring rivers, while also connecting communities to their local green-blue spaces and inspiring long-term stewardship of them.
Diversity at Thames21
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Thames21 is key to our success, and as such, we employ staff from a diverse range of backgrounds. We believe this is crucial in ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity and is not treated differently or discriminated against due to their characteristics. We value the voices of our individual employees and strive to work in a collaborative, innovative, and balanced way. The postholder must actively support this.
Purpose of the job
To work with Thames21’s Head of Finance and The Roding Rises delivery team to oversee the administration of The Roding Rises, a three-year project supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund that aims to kick-start the revitalisation of the River Roding. This position will work alongside Thames21’s Head of Finance and The Roding Rises Project Manager to ensure that every day finance functions for The Roding Rises project operate efficiently and accurately. To successfully deliver this job, the postholder will have a strong eye for detail and have experience in budget management/bookkeeping to ensure funding claims and invoices are paid on time.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
- Track project costs against projected budget to ensure budget vs actual expenditure is effectively managed, raising concerns early with Thames21’s Head of Finance and The Roding Rises Project Manager.
- Complete The National Lottery Heritage Fund claims process at agreed intervals to ensure an appropriate cash flow.
- Assist with relevant reporting tasks back to project funders.
- Work with the Thames21 Head of Finance and Thames21 Finance Officer to ensure all payments are completed in a timely manner in line with internal financial processes and any outstanding payments are managed in line with the approved funding agreement/ project proposal documentation.
- Support The Roding Rises Project Manager with the administration of the Roding Grant Scheme.
- Support the development and integration of improved financial tracking and reporting processes across wider Thames21 teams.
Other Duties
This job description cannot cover every issue or task that may arise within Thames21. At various times, the post-holder will be directed to carry out other reasonable duties in support of other Thames21 activities that are consistent with those in this Job Description. RFO0726
How to apply
To apply for this position, please email an up-to-date copy of your CV and a covering letter to recruitment@thames21.org.uk with the reference RFO0726 in the subject box of your email application.
The closing date for applications is 31 July 2026
Interview dates: Week commencing 10 August 2026 (subject to change)
We appreciate the time you took to apply for this role, and we understand that it can be disconcerting when you don’t hear back from a position you have applied for. However, due to the high number of applications we expect to receive, we are unable to respond to or provide feedback on individual applications. Nevertheless, we want to manage expectations. Therefore, if you do not hear from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has not been successful on this occasion.
Please advise in your application if you are happy for us to contact you for any future opportunities that may arise, should you not be successful in this position.
No agencies, please.
Using money raised by National Lottery players, The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports projects that connect people and communities with the UK’s heritage.
The Roding Rises is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we are working with partners to bring communities together to restore, protect and deepen connections with the River Roding and its surrounding environment.
The Environment Agency is also supporting The Roding Rises through providing match-funding via its Water Environment Improvement Fund.
Please visit our website for more information about this project: https://www.thames21.org.uk/connecting-communities/the-roding-rises/.
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Job Title: Freelance Educator
Salary: £20.80 per hour
Contract length: Freelance
Location: Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre
Responsible to: Environmental Educator, Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre/ Head of Engagement and Learning
About Thames21:
Thames21 is an environmental charity putting healthy rivers at the heart of community life. Through environmental improvements, community engagement, education and advocacy we bring about effective and lasting change by working hand-in-hand with communities to deliver tangible and measurable improvements to our network of rivers.
Diversity at Thames21
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Thames21 is key to our success and as such we employ staff from a diverse range of backgrounds, this we feel is key in ensuring that everybody has an equal opportunity and is not treated differently or discriminated against because of their characteristics. We value the voices of our individual employees, and we strive to work in a collaborative, innovative balanced way. The postholder must actively support this.
About the project:
Thames21 offers environmental education sessions to Primary and Early Years aged children at the Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre and the surrounding area. The project delivers a range of practical activities such as pond dipping, mini-beast hunting, woodland exploration, nature walks and river activities focusing on what makes a healthy river.
Purpose of the job:
We are seeking a skilled and enthusiastic educator who can deliver formal and informal environmental education sessions to school groups, families and community groups. This role offers an opportunity for the post holder to make a difference to a diverse area of London, with differing challenges and an array of ambitions.
About you:
The key skill for this role is to inspire and engage children and young people to be interested in their own environment. You will help them understand the importance of nature and rivers in creating a healthy, climate resilient city, where people can enjoy their local blue and green spaces.
The key value for this role is curiosity. Being able to ask questions, listen and encourage children and young people to get involved in whatever way they are able, will help you succeed.
You’ll thrive in this role if you are able to inspire and motivate children and young people to care about their environment.
Main duties and responsibilities:
- Plan and deliver high-quality, curriculum-linked and informal environmental education sessions, inspiring children and young people to connect with nature and environmental issues.
- Create inclusive, interactive and accessible learning experiences using games, discussion, practical activities and exploration to make environmental topics meaningful and engaging for a wide range of audiences.
- Manage groups of children and young people safely and confidently, ensuring sessions run smoothly, learning objectives are achieved, and agreed timings are maintained.
- Work collaboratively with teachers, volunteers and partner organisations to coordinate activities, delegate tasks effectively and support positive behaviour and participation during sessions.
- Prepare thoroughly for all educational activities by ensuring resources, equipment and lesson materials are organised, accessible and fully understood prior to delivery.
- Encourage curiosity, participation and peer learning by facilitating discussion, reflection and shared experiences among participants.
- Support the practical delivery of activities by transporting, setting up and maintaining equipment and resources at the Welsh Harp site and other outreach locations across London.
- Maintain and develop up-to-date knowledge of environmental issues, sustainability and outdoor learning practices, contributing ideas to enhance Thames21’s education programmes.
- Complete session reporting and provide feedback to Thames21, including participant numbers, outcomes and observations,
- Demonstrate a strong commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and the values of Thames21.
Other Duties
This job description cannot cover every issue or task that may arise within Thames21. At various times the post-holder will be directed to carry out other reasonable duties in support of other Thames21 activities that are consistent with those in this Job Description WH0626
Additional Information
The post holder must be willing to occasionally work in the evening and at weekends
For more information on Thames21, please visit our website at www.thames21.org.uk.
To apply for this position please, email an up-to-date copy of your CV and a covering letter showing how you meet the person specification to simon.phillips@thames21.org.uk with the reference WH0626 in the subject box of your email application.
Interviews will be held on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
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Job Title: Engagement Officer
Salary: £34,169 – £36,351 at £17,085 – £18,175 at 0.5 FTE
Contract length: Fixed Term to 31 December 2027, possible extension. 0.5FTE (17.5 hours per week)
Location: We offer hybrid working with office work in the Guildhall, City of London and Bow, East London and project work in London Borough of Enfield
Responsible to: Engagement Programme Manager
About Thames21:
Thames21 is an environmental charity putting healthy rivers at the heart of community life. Through environmental improvements, community engagement, education and advocacy we bring about effective and lasting change by working hand-in-hand with communities to deliver tangible and measurable improvements to our network of rivers.
Diversity at Thames21
We at Thames21, work with diverse communities and as such we view Equity, Diversity and Inclusion as being key to our success and as such we employ staff from a diverse range of backgrounds, this we feel is key in ensuring that everybody has an equal opportunity and is not treated differently or discriminated against because of their characteristics. We value the voices of our individual employees, and we strive to work in a collaborative, innovative balanced way. The postholder must actively support this.
About the project
Salmons Brook Restore and Reconnect is a bold and pioneering project. It will restore 3.4km of the Salmons Brook through Enfield Chase, transforming council-owned farmland into a thriving river landscape. It forms a critical early phase of a wider Landscape Recovery scheme, it marks the first use of Stage Zero principles in London, returning the river to its natural, pre-human state.
The restoration will create a dynamic, multi-channel system with wetlands and wet woodlands, boosting biodiversity and climate resilience. It will help protect around 2,000 properties from flooding downstream in Edmonton and has been described by the Environment Agency as “the single most important piece of river restoration work in London to date.”
Local communities will be at the heart of the project. Through inclusive engagement, especially with underrepresented groups, the project will turn the Salmons Brook into a shared space for nature, wellbeing, and connection, delivering lasting environmental and social impact.
Purpose of the job:
We are seeking a skilled engagement officer to work on our projects in London and the Thames Basin. This role offers an opportunity for the post holder to make a difference to diverse areas of London, with differing challenges and an array of ambitions.
Main duties and responsibilities:
- Map the communities in Edmonton to understand local demographics and identify key stakeholders.
- Through a range of activities and meetings, get to know, listen to and build strong working partnerships with community groups and leaders, organisations, institutions and residents, that support, enable, and champion the project.
- Run public consultations and focus groups with underrepresented communities in the environmental sector to explore perceptions, barriers, and ideas about the Salmons Brook River and Enfield Chase.
- Deliver bespoke activities and events co-designed with focus group participants, ensuring activities are culturally relevant, accessible, and responsive to community needs.
- Collaboratively design a Programme of River activities, shaped by local communities and relationships with existing volunteer groups, offering inclusive activities such as guided walks, arts-based sessions, and wellbeing events.
- Build a catchment-wide community network, uploading details to Thames21’s CRM system in line with GDPR.
- Represent Thames21 and Salmon’s Brook Restore and Reconnect at relevant local forums and proactively recruit volunteers through in-person engagement events.
- Collect and record qualitative and quantitative data on events and activities run, including written and verbal feedback from partners and participants, photos and numbers of attendees keeping to GDPR requirements. Evaluate this information to develop the methods for engagement and inform future activities.
- Carry out the administrative duties to run events including conducting risk assessments and method statements, managing event registrations, liaising with local councils and community groups and maintaining and managing events equipment.
- Work with the Thames21 Training Officer, to facilitate volunteers to be trained in Thames21’s modules to maintain and monitor local sites. Includes supporting existing volunteers and assisting with building their capacity and connection to the Thames21 network.
Other Duties
This job description cannot cover every issue or task that may arise within Thames21. At various times the post-holder will be directed to carry out other reasonable duties in support of other Thames21 activities that are consistent with those in this Job Description.
For more information, please see the attached job description. EO0526
To apply for this position please, email an up-to-date copy of your CV and a covering letter to recruitment@thames21.org.uk with the reference EO0526, in the subject box of your email application.
The closing date for applications is: 9am, Monday 8 June 2026
Interviews: w/c 15 June 2026 (subject to change)