Coordinator – International Plant Sentinel Network

IMPORTANT:  This Advertiser has requested that applicants MUST be National Residents / Valid Work Permit-holders.  Other applicants need not apply.

 

Recruiter  Botanic Gardens Conservation International
Post    Coordinator – International Plant Sentinel Network
Closes   Sunday 4th August Midnight
Ref   BGCI/IPSN
Location  FERA Headquarters, Sand Hutton, York, YO41 1LZ
Contract Type  Fixed term – 2.5 years
Start Date  Mid September or soon after
Hours   35 hours a week
Salary    c £25,000 per annum

Further Information
Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), the world’s largest plant conservation network, is recruiting a coordinator for a newly established International Plant Sentinel Network (IPSN).  This Network is being established as part of a project led by the UK’s Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA) “Establishing the basis for an International Plant Sentinel Network (IPSN) as an early-warning system for future pest threats” and is funded through the EU’s EUPHRESCO programme.

The Project:
The project is aimed to enhance activities that provide early warning of new and emerging plant pests and diseases.  It will involve extensive collaboration amongst partners in Europe and beyond, with a focus on linking botanic gardens and arboreta, National Plant Protection Organisations and plant protection scientists.

The Candidate:
The IPSN Coordinator will be responsible for establishing and maintaining the network through identifying and engaging partners and providing technical support, including database and website development. 

You will have:

• Excellent communication skills in English – both written and spoken and demonstrate ability to act with authority.
• An understanding of databases and of website design and editing. 
• Good organisational skills will be essential for this role and while able to work on your own initiative, you will also need to be a good team-worker. 
• This post will involve significant overseas travel and travel to BGCI Offices in Kew so you must be prepared to travel in the UK and overseas.

Knowledge of a European language is desirable but not essential.

Applications
Please send a letter of application, explaining why you think you are qualified for this post and describing what you believe your skills will bring to the position, together with a current CV to Catherine Thums (catherine.thums@bgci.org) by 4 August 2013.

Applications will only be accepted from those able to live and work in the UK.

 
Only those people selected for interview will be notified.  Interviews are expected to be held in York on 12/13 August. 

Preferred start date:  If possible, we would like the successful candidate to take up the post by mid-September. The successful candidate will also be expected to attend the 5th Global Botanic Gardens Congress in New Zealand from 20-25 October, 2013.

Further details of the position are available on the BGCI website: http://www.bgci.org/resources/job/0557/

 

BGCI  http://www.bgci.org/%20
FERA  http://www.fera.defra.gov.uk/