Engagement Officer - Natural Alternatives

Engagement Officer - Natural Alternatives

• Employer: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
• Location: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council, Botanic Gardens
• Contract: Permanent
• Working Pattern: Full Time
• Hours: 36 hours per week.
• Closing Date: 30/01/2026 at 23:59
• Reference: 1234/26/329133

Sefton Council’s Green Sefton Service is recruiting for Engagement Officer to lead our Natural Alternatives team. Natural Alternatives is an inclusion programme working with adults and young people with additional needs. Participants work alongside Green Sefton’s teams, helping to deliver our programmes of community engagement, land management and nature conservation.

Green Sefton is an exciting service which manages our special coast, parks and green spaces: from our beautiful and internationally recognised coastline which supports some of the rarest flora and fauna in the country, to coastal habitats which are rarer than rainforest, through to our historic parks and gardens, 160 other green spaces, and our sport and recreation facilities. In total, we manage around 5,500ha of land and this includes managing both inland and coastal flood risk too.

We are a varied service indeed!

As part of a small dedicated team, the successful applicant will be required to manage the Natural Alternatives Programme day to day and play a key role in developing and expanding the programme to support the outcomes for participants.

Successful applicants will be required to engage with Sefton’s communities to help manage and develop Green Sefton’s green spaces including parks and coastal sites. You should have excellent communication skills, be enthusiastic ambassadors for the Service and enjoy working with people of all ages and backgrounds,
specifically those with additional needs
.

Experience of working with or training people with additional needs is essential for this post. Applicants should ideally be able to demonstrate knowledge and experience of caring for green spaces. A background of training or working in parks and leisure management, countryside management or horticulture would be desirable.

Applicants should be capable of undertaking a range of practical tasks such as gardening, litter‑picking, habitat management, general maintenance and of leading / training others in simple tasks. You will also be expected to deal with incidents and situations that may arise, working outdoors or within Green Sefton operational bases, and take responsibility for supervision of participants and staff. Knowledge of first aid would be desirable.

Applicants will be expected to work closely with site users, volunteers and community groups such as ‘Friends of’ and ‘Britain in Bloom’. Ability to organise accessible events and activities which encourage good use of the sites, ensuring visitors have a safe and enjoyable experience, will be essential.

Applicants may be expected to work some weekends, bank holidays and evenings. A full clean driving licence is essential and the postholder will be required to drive a minibus.

Sefton is a diverse and exciting borough where people can enjoy a great work‑life balance. It encompasses world renowned nature reserves, accessible businesses and retail centres, top class leisure facilities and some of the best coastal and countryside environments. It is an ideal location for accessing Manchester, the North West and beyond by road, rail or air.

From vibrant town centres, intimate commuter towns, beautiful villages and stunning coastal and rural locations, everyone can find their perfect home. Sefton is at the heart of the Liverpool City Region, playing an active role in ensuring its success.

Closing date -
30th January 2026

Interviews - W/C 9th February 2026

Sefton Council strives to ensure that our workforce is inclusive and representative of our communities. A diverse workforce is important to us, our staff bring with them a wide range of experiences, views, ideas, and innovations, and we are committed to providing an environment that recognises, respects, and values everybody’s identity, where individual differences are strengths and where everyone can thrive and maximise their potential.

We are always…