The Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust is recruiting for a part-time role of Chief Skipper to join our team in Tobermory on the Isle of Mull. Starting October 2024.

Salary: £31,468 pro rata, per annum.

Time commitment: This is a part-time, year-round role worked flexibly via an annualised hours contract of 1,123 hours per year (21.6 hour per week).

HWDT is a flexible employer, and the post could also be contracted on a self-employed basis. Please get in contact to discuss your requirements.

The role is a unique position, pivotal to the delivery of our core research and education programmes on board our charity owned and operated vessel, Silurian. The Chief Skipper is responsible for vessel coding and safety, recruiting and organising the seasonal crew, provisioning and the ongoing victualing of the vessel, and timetabling for Silurian.

We are looking for somebody with a passion for sailing, our seas and wildlife, and a desire to make our vessel operations aboard Silurian the best they can be. We are seeking an enthusiastic self-motivator, familiar with commercial vessel coding and safety requirements, experienced in crew management, with outstanding communication skills.

The ability to ensure boat management tasks are delivered on time and within budget, as well as being able to work with the wider team of staff, trustees, volunteers, and external contractors to deliver the ongoing requirements of this hardworking vessel is central to all tasks. A genuine interest in cetaceans and marine conservation is essential and an understanding of the workings of a charity/NGO would be an advantage.

The role is part-time and split 50/50 in terms of time on board the vessel and desk-based tasks. The post holder will be suitably qualified to skipper a minimum of five surveys or educational trips per year, spread evenly across the main survey season April-October. There is the opportunity to increase the number hours further by crewing additional surveys or education trips, of which there are up to 20 trips available per year.

Read the full job description here: Job description and person specification. Further information about Silurian and the work of the Trust can be found at here.

To apply send a CV and a covering letter, outlining your suitability for the role, and two references to:  alison.lomax(at)hwdt.org with ‘Chief Skipper’ in the subject line. Deadline for applications is 9am on Thursday 22nd August 2024.

You need to have the right to work in the UK to apply for this role. As a small charity HWDT are unable to sponsor visa applications for international workers at this time. https://www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-work.  

Interviews are planned to take place via video conference the week of 9th September. 

For informal enquiries about the role, contact Alison Lomax via email or on 01688 302620.