Jobs & Volunteer Positions
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: River Restoration Manager
Band: Manager Band A to Band B (dependent on level of expertise and experience)
Salary: £38,346 – £42,545 per annum (according to level of expertise and experience)
Contract length: Fixed term contract – 35 hours per week for 1 year – with likely possibility of extension
Location: Hybrid/ flexible – Any Thames21 office, Central, East London
Responsible to: Thames21 River Restoration Programme Manager and/ or Head of Improving Rivers
About Thames21
Thames21 is a leading environmental charity, working across London and the Thames Basin to deliver high-impact nature-based solutions to the climate and biodiversity crisis through restoring rivers, whilst 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, 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.
Purpose of the job
Thames21’s purpose is to deliver increasingly resilient and healthy rivers and landscapes that are closer to their natural state with an abundance of fish and wildlife, empowering and working with people to bring multiple benefits to the natural environment, to individuals and communities. In recent years we have significantly up-scaled our planning and delivery of river restoration works and by 2027 we will improve 15km of river habitat annually.
To enable this, we are looking for a committed, self-motivated and technically capable River Restoration Manager to lead this work.
Candidates with a proven track record in delivering river restoration and/or habitat improvement projects, including experience managing contractors and in partnership with multiple public and private partners are encouraged to apply. The candidate should be technically strong in one or all areas of river restoration (woody habitat interventions, fish passage etc) and adept at managing complex budgets and reporting to funders. You will have confidence and credibility and be able to engage and influence a variety of stakeholders.
This role is a key position in implementing Thames21 mission and the selected candidate will be part of a dynamic and committed team. You will have the chance to add input and help develop our Five-Year Strategic Plan goals and as a key position in the organisation, you will influence how we deliver our restoration goals.
Main duties and responsibilities
- Work with Thames21’s Head of Improving Rivers and local stakeholders such as catchment partnerships, councils, Friends groups etc. to develop and deliver river and wetland restoration projects throughout the areas we work.
- Develop detailed plans for the river and wetland restoration in consultation with local and expert stakeholders, meeting local needs and ecological objectives. Ensuring the necessary requirements for Construction, Design and Management (CDM) are covered as part of that process.
- Obtain all necessary permissions to deliver the projects, potentially including flood defence consent and planning permission.
- Ensure that the development and implementation of the works are well integrated into wider programmes such as catchment partnerships, evidencing and community engagement.
- Work with project partners to develop and manage tender processes for works which require the use of contractors, the tender processes will need to meet relevant requirements for project partners and funders (including CDM).
- Ensure that the Team’s RAMS are all correct and up to date. As well as ensuring all H&S documentation is correct and filed within SharePoint.
- Manage contractors to implement projects so they achieve maximum benefits and alignment to project scope.
- In partnership with others, use a range of monitoring tools to record and quantify the impact of different activities. Ensuring this data is captured correctly and presented to the programme funder, to potential future project funders and available to other relevant parties.
- Support the development and delivery of watercourse Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) projects, including habitat condition assessment, monitoring, reporting and long-term management planning.
- Maintain accurate records and databases, ensuring data integrity and accessibility.
- Manage and support other staff in the development and delivery of restoration projects.
- Input to the strategic development of Thames21’s work particularly the Improving Rivers Portfolio.
*This job description cannot cover every issue or task that may arise within the post at various times, and the post-holder will be expected to carry out other reasonable duties from time to time which are broadly consistent with other Thames21 activities with those in this document.
It is essential that in your application you give evidence or examples of your proven experience in each of the following criteria including the competencies.
Please see the attached job description RRM0526
Closing date for applications: 5pm 29th May 2026
Interviews will be held on: Weeks commencing 8th and 15th June 2026
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 (RRM0526) in the subject box of your email application.
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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)