Vacancy: Farming Engagement Officer
Farming in Protected Landscapes: Farming Engagement Officer – Cotswolds
- Full time – 37 hours per week
- Salary – £32,727 Fixed term contract to 31 March 2029.
We are looking for an enthusiastic and committed individual to join the Cotswolds National Landscape team to help deliver the highly successful Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme.
Created by Defra, and managed by National Landscape and National Park teams across the country, FiPL helps farmers, land managers and others to deliver work on the farmed landscape under the themes of climate, nature, people and place. You will be the first point of contact for the programme providing advice and guidance to potential grant applicants, supporting the development of applications and presenting them to an assessment panel, monitoring and assessing progress of projects, assessing and approving claims, and providing information for programme reports. Ideally, you’ll be qualified to at least degree level and have experience of working with a broad range of external stakeholders, in particular farmers and land managers. Familiarity with current agri-environment schemes would be an advantage.
This is an opportunity to make a real difference to farming and land management in the Cotswolds and to help conserve and enhance this iconic, nationally important landscape.
We operate a hybrid working system with the general expectation for the post to based at the office for a minimum of two days per week. The role will include travel throughout the Cotswolds National Landscape.
If you would like to discuss this opportunity please contact Mark Connelly, Land Management Lead at mark.connelly@cotswolds-nl.org.uk
- Download the full full job description here.
- Deadline for applications: midday, Wednesday 8 April
- Interviews will take place on: Thursday 23 April
To apply, please email your CV and a supporting statement (no more than 2 sides) to join.us@cotswold.gov.uk quoting the job title.
Working with us
Being a member of the Cotswolds National Landscape team gives you the opportunity to contribute directly to making a positive difference to the work we do looking after the Cotswolds. We work with wide range of communities, groups, and organisations devoted to looking after this unique and special area of the country. We want to make sure this is a positive, vibrant organisation – committed to delivering our aims and objectives as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Equal Opportunities
We aim for an inclusive and equal opportunities recruitment process, and we welcome applications from everyone. Each role has specific requirements – and an academic degree or equivalent is not always an essential requirement. We will accept supporting statements in written format, short film format, or voice recordings. All supporting statements will be considered equally. Whatever your method, please ensure that you clearly demonstrate your skills, experience, and suitability – and why you want the job. We welcome applications from people who are from ethnically diverse backgrounds or who are living with health conditions or disabilities.
Diversity Statement
We’re building a culture where diversity is valued, and we can all be ourselves. We still have work to do, but are strongly committed to inclusive practices which demonstrate fairness, equality, and anti-racism in everything we do. We will not tolerate less favourable treatment of anyone, especially those with legally protected characteristics, and welcome applications from all sections of communities.
Work experience
The Cotswolds National Landscape team welcomes applications from young people for work experience across our dynamic and varied organisation. We are a small, friendly organisation – and we can offer students a positive introduction to a broad range of work experiences in the conservation and environmental sector.
Opportunities for 2026 are:
- 20 – 24th April
- 22 – 26th June
- 13 – 17th July
Occasionally, we have opportunities for work experience at other times in the year – but this is variable and decided on a case-by-case basis.
Places for a four-day work experience programmes are very limited and so we encourage young people to apply early. We will prioritise applications from schools within the Cotswolds National Landscape, and from students with a demonstrable interest in working within our sector.
If you would like to gain work experience with us, please email our Outdoor Learning Officer at helen.komor@cotswolds-nl.org.uk.