See our current opportunities

Be part of something unique! The Kilsby Boat Project is powered by volunteers, makers, storytellers and dreamers who care about heritage, community and the waterways that run through Oxford’s heart. Whether you’re keen to learn traditional boat skills, explore local history, or share your own ideas and talents, there’s a place for you aboard. Together, we’re building a community of volunteers and staff who will help restore, care for, and bring Kilsby to life as a floating space for creativity, learning and connection.

NHLF Jericho Living Heritage Trust - Reviving Narrowboat Kilsby

Join the team: We’re hiring an Evaluation Consultant!

As our restoration of Kilsby enters its next exciting phase, we want to ensure we are capturing every story, skill learned, and environmental benefit created by this project.

We are currently inviting quotes from Evaluation Consultants to help us evidence our success to the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The successful candidate will work closely with our Project Manager and volunteers to build an "Evaluation Toolkit" that measures everything from the technical integrity of our 70ft hull to the wellbeing of our crew.

Jericho Living Heritage Trust (JLHT)

The Jericho Living Heritage Trust is seeking proposals from an experienced Evaluation Consultant to support the delivery of Reviving Narrowboat Kilsby, a National Lottery Heritage Fund supported project restoring a rare 1913 Fellows, Morton & Clayton narrowboat and transforming it into an accessible floating community heritage venue on the Oxford Canal.

This is an exciting opportunity to work with an ambitious heritage project that brings together historic conservation, volunteering, environmental sustainability, accessibility and community engagement.

About the Project

Reviving Narrowboat Kilsby is restoring a nationally significant historic narrowboat while creating a new community resource for Oxfordshire. During the project we are:

  • Conserving a rare 112-year-old historic vessel.

  • Developing an engaging heritage and learning programme.

  • Supporting and training a growing volunteer team.

  • Improving accessibility so more people can experience the waterways.

  • Exploring low-emission electric propulsion to reduce environmental impact.

  • Creating opportunities for local communities to connect with Oxford's canal heritage.

Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project runs through to Winter 2027.

The Consultancy

We are looking for an experienced consultant to help us measure, understand and communicate the project's impact.

Working with the Project Manager, volunteers and trustees, you will review and refine our existing evaluation framework and develop practical tools that enable effective monitoring throughout the project.

The evaluation will focus on:

  • Heritage conservation outcomes.

  • Community participation and engagement.

  • Volunteer recruitment, learning and wellbeing.

  • Accessibility and inclusion.

  • Environmental sustainability and climate benefits.

  • Organisational learning and legacy.

Key Deliverables

  • Review and refinement of the existing Evaluation Framework.

  • Development of a practical Evaluation Toolkit aligned with National Lottery Heritage Fund Heritage 2033 Investment Principles.

  • Guidance and support for staff and volunteers collecting evidence.

  • Interim Evaluation Report.

  • Final Strategic Impact Report.

  • Recommendations for future project development and organisational learning.

Person Specification

We welcome proposals from consultants with experience of evaluating heritage, culture, environment or community projects.

Essential experience includes:

  • Designing and delivering project evaluations.

  • National Lottery Heritage Fund evaluation requirements.

  • Stakeholder engagement.

  • Quantitative and qualitative research methods.

  • Producing clear and accessible evaluation reports.

Desirable experience includes:

  • Heritage or museum projects.

  • Community participation and volunteering.

  • Environmental sustainability or climate projects.

  • Accessibility and inclusion.

  • Maritime or industrial heritage.

Contract Details

Fee: £3,000–£3,500 (inclusive of expenses)

Time commitment: Approximately 8–10 days between appointment and Winter 2027.

Location: Hybrid. Meetings in Oxford as required with some remote working.

Deadline for proposals: 31 August 2026

How to Apply

Please submit:

  • A brief proposal (maximum two A4 pages).

  • Relevant experience.

  • A proposed methodology.

  • An indicative timetable.

  • Examples of comparable work (or links to published reports if available).

Please send proposals or request the full consultancy brief by emailing:

kilsbypm@jlht.org

We particularly welcome proposals from consultants with experience of National Lottery Heritage Fund projects and a passion for helping organisations demonstrate meaningful social, heritage and environmental impact.

Reviving Narrowboat Kilsby is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund thanks to National Lottery players.

Join the team: Comms Volunteer needed!

Help us share exciting project updates with the whole Kilsby community!

We are looking for someone who

  • Can create Instagram posts, reels and stories from supplied copy, photos and videos

  • Is confident using Canva or other photo and video editing software

  • Can spend a few hours a week working with us to create content and build our online audience

  • Would enjoy joining our wonderful team of people committed to restoring a century old barge!

    If that sounds like you, please drop us a line at nbkilsby@gmail.com and we will have a chat!



Equal Opportunities Statement

At the Kilsby Project, we welcome everyone on board.Through the beauty of the canal, its heritage, and the communities it connects, our aim is to make everyone feel at home.

We celebrate diversity in all its forms and believe our shared stories and differences enrich the journey we’re taking together. Our project is designed to be accessible and inclusive — removing barriers where we find them and opening up opportunities for everyone to take part, contribute, and feel valued.

We are committed to building a team and community that reflects the world around us — one that is fair, welcoming, and genuinely inclusive. Whoever you are and wherever you’re from, there’s a place for you on Kilsby’s crew.