Working as part of the Cumbria Connect project this level 4 apprenticeship will help you develop the skills for a career in land management with an emphasis on nature restoration and farming. At Cumbria Connect we are seeking to create opportunities for people to develop cross-over skills for the conservation, landowning and farming sectors through pooling knowledge, skills and our collective passion for our landscape and communities.

Day to day you will be organising, supervising, and delivering specific land management, conservation, and farming tasks. You will manage small scale projects and work collaboratively with a range of partners. You will also become qualified and proficient in various practical and machinery operational skills, for example, All Terrain Vehicle, Tractor, Brush cutting, Livestock handling, First Aid.
This is a very practical hands-on role which will cover working across three sites, Haweswater, Lowther Estate and Low Beckside farm on conservation, estate, and farm and livestock management operations. This includes working with three project host teams, RSPB, Lowther Estates and Ernest Cook Trust. Each organisation and site will provide a variety of opportunities to experience and support a variety of approaches to farming and land management in response to change and new challenges.

The formal learning aspects of this Countryside Ranger apprenticeship will be delivered through Bridgwater & Taunton College. 
At the end of this apprenticeship, you will have acquired a broad range of skills to support you in a successful career in farming/land management. 

Cumbria Connect is a new landscape-scale nature restoration programme funded by the Endangered Landscapes Programme.  The newly-established partnership programme comprises five main partners - RSPB, Lowther Estates, United Utilities, Orton Farm Cluster and Natural England as well as delivery partners – Woodland Trust, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Ernest Cook Trust, Eden Rivers Trust and Lune Rivers Trust.  

Essential skills, knowledge, and experience:

• You will have knowledge and experience of farming/estate management.
• Comfortable managing volunteers from a range of backgrounds
• GSCE in English and Maths (Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the End-Point Assessment)
• You will need to travel to and from the site daily, so a driving licence is preferable

Desirable skills, knowledge, and experience:

• Comfortable working alone and as part of a team
• Knowledge of servicing and maintaining vehicles, machinery, tools and equipment.
• Livestock handling

Additional information:

This role will involve lone working and working in remote locations.

This role will require occasional weekend, early morning and evening working so will need someone who is able to be flexible.

This is a Fixed-Term role for 24 months, working 37.5 hours per week. 

The RSPB reserves the right to extend or make this role permanent without further advertising dependent on business needs at the end of the contract term.

 We are looking to conduct interviews for this position on 1 September 2023.  For further information please contact: Bill Kenmir, Cumbria Connect Conservation Delivery Manager, bill.kenmir@rspb.org.uk. or Martin Varley, Cumbria Connect Programme Manager, martin.varley@rspb.og.uk.

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

We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB, in which everyone feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve our vision of creating a world richer in nature, we need more people, and more diverse people, on nature’s side. People of colour and disabled people are currently underrepresented across the environment, climate, sustainability, and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we are particularly interested in receiving your application. Contact us to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship - the successful applicant will need to have a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK in order to be offered an employment contract.

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