Nature Connection North Dorset aims to facilitate community involvement in conserving and enhancing local natural heritage over a five-year period. Through working with communities to enhance or create new spaces for nature, we aim to foster a shared vision for nature recovery in Dorset, promoting ecological resilience and community well-being. The project revolves around three interlinked themes: Wildlife Connections, Community Connections, and Personal Connections, with activities designed to connect people to their natural heritage, improve understanding of environmental issues, and inspire collective action. Funding has been received from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to develop the project and prepare the application for the five-year project Delivery Phase. It is anticipated that this application will be submitted in February 2027. The aim is for the Delivery Phase to run from July 2027 through to June 2032. We are looking for an evaluation consultant with excellent communication skills, able to inspire and engage people with a wide range of backgrounds and skills. The consultant should have experience and expertise in: The successful candidate / company are expected to have public liability insurance of at least £2 million as well as a standard DBS check. The maximum fee available is The role of the consultant will be delivered in two stages: Development Phase (Stage 1) - preparation of an Evaluation Framework in line with The National Lottery Heritage Fund good practice guidance. Collection of baseline data, including support for the in-house project team in undertaking research, consultations and trial activities to inform the preparation of the Activity Plan. Delivery Phase (Stage 2) - Building on work carried out in the Development Phase, support staff, contractors and volunteers to undertake collection of evaluation data during the delivery phase and to write the interim and final Evaluation Reports. For full details please see the Brief on the Dorset Wildlife Trust jobs page. https://www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/jobs/nature-connection-north-dorset-evaluation-consultant Expected outputs: Development Phase: 1 x workshop with project development team Delivery Phase: 3 x workshops with project delivery team: Start up, mid stage, end of project The submission deadline for tenders is 5pm 12 July 2026 and should be submitted to Nicki Brunt, [email protected]. Short-listed candidates will be notified week commencing 13 July. Interviews will take place on 20 or 21 July onlineJob Summary
Job Description
Evaluation of heritage projects
Analysis of data, outputs and outcomes
Working with heritage organisations
Writing evaluation framework documents to The National Lottery Heritage Fund guidelines
Ability to write clear and accurate copy
Supporting teams to develop as projects progress
Working with community groups to ensure evaluation is inclusive and fit for purpose
£7,500 excluding VAT for the Evaluation Plan and Development Phase, inclusive of all expenses; and
£20,000 excluding VAT for the Delivery Phase, inclusive of all expenses.
Please note that the contract includes a break clause between the Development and Delivery phasesJob Requirements
Job Responsibilities
Detailed Evaluation Framework including base line report
Toolkit to collect evaluation data
Selected stakeholder interviews/consultations
Annual progress reports.
Interim Evaluation Report following mid stage workshop.
A high-quality Evaluation Report at the end of the project Useful Links
How to Apply