Do you want a role where you know you are making a difference using your professional expertise?  RSPB offers RICS members the chance to do what they do best to protect and enhance the varied estate.  From access rights to BNG sales and listed buildings to significant multimillion pound acquisitions, you’ll be involved.

RSPB is a fantastic employer and a great place to work.  Employees benefit from truly flexible working whilst maintaining a sensible home/work balance.  There are a range of options such as flexitime, TOIL, and parental leave.  After 5 years continuous service, and each 5 years thereafter, all employees are entitled to a 4-week sabbatical.  A chance to take time out of your busy day-to-day job to research, volunteer, learn a new skill or travel.  RSPB are proud to be awarded a Great British Workplace Wellbeing Award for ‘Best Mental Wellbeing Initiative’ in March 2023.

We are seeking an experienced and self-motivated Senior Rural Surveyor to join the RSPB’s England Land Team to be based in the Southeast of England.  The successful applicant will join an England wide team of 11 Rural Surveyors. You will have a specific portfolio of properties in the region to manage and will support the wider delivery of the departmental casework as required across the Country.  The location of the role is flexible within this area.

Key activities include:

Land and Property Management:
Carrying out due diligence to identify, mitigate and manage the legal, reputational and financial aspects of rural property over land, buildings, offices and business premises including rent reviews, repairing obligations, landlord consents, land management contracts, compliance with grant conditions.  Advising on agricultural matters and farming systems, agri-environment agreement work, granting leases and licences e.g. sporting, fishing, grazing, negotiating wayleaves and easements. 

Reserve acquisition and disposal work.
Appraising, negotiating and concluding acquisitions to establish new reserves, extend existing reserves, and acquire property e.g. offices, workshops, farm buildings and residential properties by purchase, lease or management agreement and include land and building valuations.  Appraising, advising and delivering disposals of land, houses, offices an dproperties that are surplus to operational need.  Exploring and negotiating ecosystem service sales, for example Biodiversity Net Gain units and Carbon Credits.

Risk management and project support.
Supporting the implementation of systems to manage the RSPB’s exposure to legal, reputational and financial risk arising from its land and property operations.  Undertaking internal audits to ensure compliance with agri-environment grant schemes. Providing professional support and assisting in the production of internal codes of practice and guidance for staff.

Team working.
The England Rural Surveyors work together with a strong team ethos, enthusiasm and dedication and share professional expertise, knowledge, and information at regular Team meetings. You will work alongside the building surveyors as well as supporting the Area Managers and their teams.  You will be encouraged to be out of the office, providing professional advice to staff, to minimise risk and optimise financial returns for the RSPB nature reserves. You will demonstrate initiative, motivation, and flair to spot income opportunities.

Line management.

You would be a direct line manager for a Rural Surveyor, working with them on complex cases and supporting their learning and career progression.

Essential qualifications, knowledge, skills and experience:

• Chartered member of RICS (Rural) or another equivalent professional organisation. RSPB will support you in maintaining your RICS qualification and provide support to meet CPD requirements.
• Significant demonstrable post qualification knowledge and experience of estate management, land and property acquisition and disposal work in the rural environment.
• Knowledge and experience of line management and leadership skills.  Experience of ensuring professional development, performance management and pastoral care.
• Appropriate mentoring skills and guidance to Site staff
• An up to date understanding of agricultural markets and income opportunities in England.
• Significant experience of country specific legislation relating to rural property.
• Demonstrable knowledge and experience of project management principles and their application.
• Ability to lead multifunctional project teams
• Excellent communication skills both verbally, and in writing, in respect complex estate management issues to all levels within RSPB and to external audiences.
• Ability to make quick, pragmatic, and practical decisions/recommendations based on sound analysis and reason.
• Ability to positively influence wider audiences and demonstrate credibility both internally and externally.
• Excellent negotiation skills to deal effectively with complex casework and achieve the required corporate outcomes. 
• An awareness of the requirements of the Charities’ Act, (guidance and learning can be given).
• Ability to manage and prioritise high volume competing objectives, work alone and as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Significant demonstrable interest in farming, rural and conservation interests.
• Ability to travel widely including by car and public transport. This role will require occasional overnight stays away from home 

Closing date for applications is 1st April 2024

Dates for interview will be confirmed at a later date.

For further information please contact - elizabeth.bridge@rspb.org.uk

As part of this application process, you will be asked to complete an application form including evidence on how you meet the skills, knowledge, and experience listed above.

The RSPB is committed to training and development and will support appropriate CPD and cover annual membership fees for one professional body e.g. RICS or CAAV.