Sunseed - General Job Description

The following points apply to all staff positions at Sunseed:

All staff participate in the planning and implementation of work in their department and contribute to the overall longer term strategic development of the project.

All staff are responsible for supervising volunteers, including placement projects appropriate to their department.

All people staying longer term at Sunseed assume wider responsibilities associated with the smooth running and general harmony of the project. These include a share of all communal duties such as cooking and cleaning they also involve setting a good example in areas such as enthusiasm, safe working practices and punctuality. The ability to be flexible and co-operative are essential.

Sunseed expects all its staff (and volunteers) to consider Health and Safety in all aspects of their work; to take care of their own safety and that of other workers; and to co-operate with the organisation so as to enable it to attain high standards of health and safety in all its activities. This is of the utmost importance for staff involved in supervising unskilled volunteers in potentially hazardous situations.

GENERAL SKILLS, ABILITIES AND KNOWLEDGE PROFILE:

* Commitment to Sunseed's aims: "to develop, demonstrate and communicate accessible, low-tech methods of living sustainably in a semi-arid environment"

* Willingness to live simply

* Prepared to contribute in all areas of project work as needed

* Ability to adapt to community life and accept sometimes thin lines between working- and free-time

* Ability to co-ordinate and supervise both short-term volunteers and those doing long-term projects

* Good planning, organisational, documentation and writing skills

* Good spoken and written English

* Good spoken and written Spanish

* If over 25, a full driving licence valid for driving in Spain

* Ability to give short talks and guided tours

Conditions of Employment

Benefits of working at Sunseed as a Staff member include full board (vegetarian meals and a basic room), a small subsistence allowance (currently 40€ per week) and a beautiful and inspiring landscape. The minimum length of contract is normally 12 months. After an initial trial period, there is a chance for both parties to reaffirm the agreement. If your contract is extended beyond 12 months, you will receive a slight increase in your weekly allowance.

Normal working hours are 35 hours/week with a departmental rota for working weekends, but living on the project involves a commitment that extends far beyond the working day and can include anything from rodding blocked pipes to digging out the irrigation line.

You will be entitled to 3 days holiday per month worked (36 days per year total).

We pay National Insurance contributions for staff, in a lump sum at the end of your first year, plus a travel allowance of £150 at the end of each 12-month contract.

EU-resident visitors to the Project are asked to bring an authorised E111 form or equivalent, obtainable from any Post Office, to cover possible local medical attention, and to have up-to-date tetanus jabs. Staff may, if they so wish, obtain additional medical and travel insurance to cover their stay at Sunseed.