What employment sector do you work in?

NGO

How long have you had a green job for nature?

2.5 years

Salary Range

£40,000 – £50,000

Please describe the work that you do.

In my role, I use our organisation’s ambitions and future plans to gather ideas for how we can create a project that will achieve our aims. I pull together a project team formed from individuals across the organisation to ensure I have the right skills and experience around me to do this, for example, a conservation officer, an engagement officer and a policy officer, depending on the project type. I then work with the funding team to find the right funds to apply for.

What do you most like about your job? Any dislikes?

I love the collaboration involved with my job and the fact that I work with different people doing different jobs. I enjoy the variety and creativity needed to decide on the best solutions for the challenge we are trying to solve. It’s great having the opportunity to use my skills to work for people and nature and I’ve learnt a lot from my colleagues.

My main dislike is that sometimes the processes involved can seem a bit slow and frustrating!

What inspired you into this career? 

I completed a degree in Environmental Science many years ago and have always wanted to work in the environmental sector. It’s something I knew from a young age as I always liked to be outside and exploring. I loved science as well and enjoy using information and logic to solve problems.

Have you faced any challenges in progressing your career so far? 

Yes, after my degree I found it was very difficult to get into the sector as I had no experience and I was unable to volunteer due to personal circumstances. I therefore found other work and developed lots of different skills along the way. I was really happy to be able to take these skills and finally join the sector a bit later in life.

What education/training did you have?

I have a degree in Environmental Science.

What advice would you give to someone coming into the profession? 

Take every opportunity to experience different aspects of the sector so you can find out what you love the most. Ask for help from your school to put you in touch with people you can talk to about their job. Consider all routes into the profession including apprenticeships and traineeships, you don’t necessarily need a degree, I wish I had taken a more vocational route myself when I was younger. Finally, remember you don’t always end up where you start out and it’s OK to take a different route!

Tags: Wales, NGO sector, Project manager, Career changer

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