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Conservation Officer - Full-Time (Bowland)

Reference: SEP20216648
Expiry date: 2021-11-05 23:59:00.000
Location: Lancaster
Salary: £27,574.00 - £30,590.00 Per Annum
Benefits: Pension, Annual Leave, Life Assurance
Attachments: CandidateGuidanceNotesAug21.pdf

We have an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic, positive and self-motivated Conservation Officer with a proven track record of working in the UK uplands, particularly in areas with Driven Grouse Shooting who has experience of partnership working at an inter-organisational level, to work within our Forest of Bowland Priority Landscape They will be responsible for helping to deliver the work of RSPB’s conservation team within the North West operational area, to ensure delivery of the relevant outcomes of RSPB’s 2030 Strategy and the Bowland Priority Landscape Plan.

About the role

Conservation Officers have a key role in managing and delivering projects, in association with RSPB colleagues. This includes those led by RSPB and RSPB’s delivery in wider partnerships, particularly within priority landscapes.  The role has an important external element, for someone with the ability to see and respect the situation and perspectives of others who has an open mind in respect of the differing forms of upland management and who can build positive relationships with key partners and stakeholders so that our collective policies and messages are understood and furthered within and outwith the Forest of Bowland.  

The post-holder will lead on elements of the RSPB's landscape-scale conservation programme delivery focused on the priority landscape (88,064 ha in the Forest of Bowland, North Yorks. & the West Pennine Moors), the AONB Management Plan, species, and habitats. This will be achieved by deploying the appropriate conservation tools to ensure we achieve our conservation objectives. This may include site safeguard casework which may include compiling data and evidence reports on birds of prey, species recovery, land management advice, conservation projects and engagement in land use policy.  

The post-holder will help to monitor and report on the work plan and develop further work plans and/or project ideas.  They will also be expected to contribute operational experience to RSPB’s English Uplands Connectivity Programme, casework, policy and advocacy work and contribute to the delivery of RSPB funding and communications objectives, particularly through communicating our uplands conservation message.

What we need from you

As Conservation Officer for Bowland you will have experience of partnership working in the UK uplands, you will have –

Essentials:

  • A degree level qualification in a relevant subject or ability to show equivalent work experience.
  • Specialist conservation and or management knowledge in relevant areas, such as moorland management, upland woodlands, and upland farming together with the habitat and species priority conservation requirements for these areas.
  • Understanding of the concept of landscape scale conservation and the pressures on land use in the operational area of this role.
  • Proven track record of partnership working and community liaison and public engagement work.
  • Excellent communication skills (verbal, written and presentational) - including an ability to speak confidently and cogently in public to a variety of audiences.
  • Proven experience of advocating a position to landowners and managers, local politicians, members, and volunteers who have different views.
  • Sufficient knowledge of a range of delivery mechanisms for conservation work relevant to the operational area of this role to enable recommendation to senior staff of appropriate responses and interventions. (eg relevant agri-environment schemes, woodland grants).
  • The ability to see and incorporate the ideas of others into your ways of working
  • Experience of negotiating with the public or private sector, to deliver biodiversity benefits, through both regulatory and voluntary means, especially planning casework.
  • Competency in use of GIS and core MS Office Programmes.
  • Effective project management skills.
  • Please note that due to the nature of this role and its location, the successful candidate should be able to travel to remote locations without the use of public transport.

For all application/role enquiries please contact - jeremy.sutton@rspb.org.uk

Please note that you will be required to upload a CV and complete an online application form. If you wish to include a cover letter please keep this on the same document as your CV.

Before applying to this role we would recommend reading through the candidate guidance notes attached to the top of this advert.