About Us:

The Cairngorms National Park is an incredible place to live and work. The UK’s largest national park is a place of sheer abundance, having more high mountain ground than anywhere else in the UK, the largest Caledonian forest, some of Scotland’s purest rivers and finest livestock rearing farmland. It is also home to 25 percent of the UK’s rare and endangered species. It is a truly unique place to work, with our dedicated and passionate Visitor Services team who are committed to people and nature thriving together. Furthermore, there is access to some of the most beautiful countryside straight from our Headquarters office door.

The Cairngorms National Park Authority is a fantastic place to work and offers great opportunities to grow your career. The Park Authority is listed in the UK’s top 100 best not- for-profit companies to work for. We’re dedicated to both this amazing place and our employees.

We now have an exciting opportunity for a Green Health Link Worker (Maternity Cover) to join the CNPA and develop the capacity to improve the health of the residents of Badenoch and Strathspey.

The Role:

With the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) and national lottery players, this post is part of a team that the Cairngorms National Park Authority has recruited to lead innovative, collaborative and transformative change as we tackle the climate emergency and nature crisis, and deliver an economy that works for all. Our ambition is large-scale, inclusive, transformational change that delivers our collective climate and biodiversity responsibilities.

As the Green Health Link Worker, you be responsible for developing the capacity to improve the health of the residents of Badenoch and Strathspey through coordinating and delivering a broad range of initiatives that bring together opportunities to improve health through use of the natural environment.

You will do this by assisting in the operational delivery of a Green Health Strategic Development plan for NHS Highland. Designing, co-ordinating and delivering multi agency Green Health programmes of work through key strategic partners, including NHS operational units, GPs, community planning partners such as CNPA, Nature Scot, local authorities, third sector organisations and partners in the private and voluntary sectors.

As the postholder, you will also increase levels of outdoor access and connection with nature with NHS staff, patients and visitors and receive referrals (from healthcare or self-referral) to guide patients to Green Health opportunities in the Badenoch and Strathspey area; and support access to initial participation as appropriate.

Equalities:

CNPA is an inclusive organisation and we welcome applications from everyone irrespective of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, religion and belief, pregnancy and maternity, relationship status, disability, age and social class. We particularly welcome applications from individuals from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, disabled and LGBTQ+ communities, as they are under-represented in the environment sector.

We are Disability Confident committed employer, if you are an applicant with disabilities who meets the essential requirements of the post, we will interview you. In all circumstances CNPA appoints on merit-based evidence the applicant supplies in meeting the essential criteria for the post.

CNPA Benefits:

· Civil service pension scheme – some of the benefits include:

- member contribution rates among the lowest in the public sector

- tax relief on your contributions

- generous employer contributions

- a secure, inflation-proof pension for life, with no investment uncertainty

- the option of tax-free lump sum on retirement

- potential access to ill health and injury benefits if you become too ill to work

- life assurance cover

- benefits for loved ones and dependants

- options to increase your pension

- keeping all your pensions in one place by transferring in a pension you have built up elsewhere

- support from our trusted charity partners

• 25 days annual leave, increasing to 30 days with service, plus Public Holidays

• Professional development

• Flexible working

• Cycle to work scheme

• Use of pool cars

About You:

To be considered as our Green Health Link Worker (Maternity Cover), you’ll need:

• Knowledge and experience of outdoor recreation or environmental education

• Experience in health-related posts (not necessarily in the NHS) including public health posts bodies

• Practical experience in leading physical outdoor or environmental education activities

• Knowledge of NHS and understanding of public health practice, health promotion, health economics and health care evaluation

• Experience of lone working and engaging hard to reach groups and vulnerable individuals

• Project management experience

• Experience of planning and delivering action research projects.

• Articulate with excellent communication, interpersonal and negotiation skills

• Computer and IT literate;

• Flexible approach to working hours as evening and weekend working will be occasionally required

• Permission to work in the UK