Environmental Officer - Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful

Salary: £27,030 per annum

Hours: 4-day working week

Contract: Permanent (subject to funding)

Location: Hybrid – Home working and Belfast office (minimum 2 days per week)

Charity Jobs NI is delighted to be working in partnership with Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful to recruit a motivated and passionate Environmental Officer to join their Local Environmental Quality (LEQ) Department.

Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful is an independent charity dedicated to connecting people with nature through education, community engagement and empowerment. Their work spans environmental reporting, international accreditation schemes, community volunteering initiatives and scientific, evidence-based learning. Together, these programmes aim to create a cleaner, greener and more sustainable Northern Ireland.

With applications reviewed upon receipt and rolling interviews taking place, early application is strongly encouraged.

About the Role

The Environmental Officer will support the delivery of a wide range of LEQ programmes including the Green Flag for Parks, Blue Flag and Seaside Awards, as well as several environmental surveying programmes such as the Marine Litter Survey and Cleaner Neighbourhoods Survey.

You will act as a key link between KNIB, local councils, volunteer networks, environmental partners and local communities, ensuring that information, standards and engagement opportunities are delivered to the highest quality. This role offers the perfect blend of office-based coordination and on-the-ground fieldwork, making it ideal for someone who enjoys variety and meaningful impact in their work.

Your responsibilities will include reviewing award applications, supporting volunteer judges, organising surveys and beach cleans, maintaining accurate data, preparing reports, and supporting events including the annual award ceremonies. You will also play an important role in raising the profile of the accreditation programmes through engagement, communications and stakeholder relationships.

This opportunity will particularly appeal to candidates who have worked in similar roles such as environmental quality officer, environmental engagement officer, sustainability projects officer, environmental monitoring officer, community environment officer, marine litter officer, parks and green spaces officer or environmental standards officer.

Key Responsibilities

Programme Delivery and Administration

• Support the operational delivery of the Green Flag for Parks, Blue Flag and Seaside Awards.
• Review applications, quality-assure assessment reports and assist with award promotion.
• Maintain and support the volunteer judge network.
• Coordinate Marine Litter Surveys, Cleaner Neighbourhood Surveys and bespoke assessments.
• Schedule surveys, organise beach cleans and support field-based data collection.
• Maintain accurate and thorough departmental records for reporting to local and international partners.
• Assist with the planning and delivery of annual award ceremonies and associated events.
• Collaborate closely with LEQ colleagues to support departmental projects and achieve shared objectives.

Community Engagement

• Promote LEQ programmes and produce engagement materials highlighting their impact.
• Respond to enquiries professionally on behalf of the department.
• Deliver beach cleans and support wider community engagement linked to the Marine Litter Survey.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with councils, businesses, community groups and volunteers.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Experience

Essential

• A relevant third-level qualification or at least two years’ equivalent experience.
• Experience delivering goals and objectives within a programme context.
• At least one year’s experience building and maintaining effective stakeholder relationships.
• Strong IT and literacy skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office (particularly Excel).
• Excellent communication skills, including clear written, verbal and report-writing abilities.
• Knowledge of environmental issues and activities.
• Full driving licence and access to transport.

Desirable

• Experience working within the environmental sector.
• Knowledge of biodiversity, marine conservation, environmental management or park management.
• Experience overseeing or administering a programme lifecycle.
• Experience gathering, analysing and reporting numerical or written data.
• Recognised Microsoft Excel certification.

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Flexible, innovative and solutions-focused.
• Confident communicator able to build strong relationships.
• Comfortable working outdoors across beaches, parks and open spaces.
• Proactive, self-motivated and able to manage workload independently.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise across multiple projects.
• High attention to detail, ensuring accuracy and adherence to processes.
• Professional approach when responding to enquiries and representing the organisation.

Why Join Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful

• Meaningful impact: Play a direct role in improving environmental quality and supporting communities across Northern Ireland.
• 4-day working week: Enjoy full-time pay while working 30 hours over 4 days, with a paid non-working day every week. Staff are contracted to 37.5 hours per week but benefit from this enhanced working pattern.
• Flexible working: Hybrid working model with at least 2 days per week at the Belfast office, plus regular site visits to beaches, parks and community locations.
• Professional development: Access to Carbon Literacy training and ongoing support to develop your skills and environmental expertise.
• Supportive culture: Collaborative team environment, quality IT equipment for hybrid working, and time off in lieu for occasional evening or weekend work.

How to Apply

If you're passionate about protecting our natural environment and want to play a hands-on role in improving places and communities across Northern Ireland, we’d love to hear from you.

Simply apply now with your CV to register your interest. As applications are being reviewed on receipt, early submission is strongly encouraged. A member of the Charity Jobs NI team will be in touch to discuss your application and guide you through the next steps of the rolling interview process.

If you have any questions about the role or the application process, please feel free to contact the Charity Jobs NI team — we’re here to help.