Conservation Officer

RSPB Northern Ireland are currently recruiting for a Conservation Officer for the GarronPlateau area of the Antrim Plateau. We are looking for a candidate who is self-motivated andprides themselves on delivering high standards. You will have excellent ecological skills andknowledge, particularly of wet grassland and peatland habitats and their conservation. Abackground in landscape scale conservation, farm advisory and nature conservation deliverymechanisms is essential, as is an in-depth knowledge of the Department of Agriculture,Environment and Rural Affair’s (DAERA) Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS).

About the role

As part of the Northern Ireland Operations Team, you will deliver a range of work for priorityspecies and habitats across the Garron Plateau landscape. In this varied role, you will provideadvice directly to farmers and land managers, coordinate and undertake surveys, and helpdeliver conservation projects to help nature thrive across the Antrim Plateau prioritylandscape.

This role will sit within the East NI Area Team and reports to the Conservation Manager. Youwill have an important external role, building positive relationships with key partners andstakeholders so that RSPBs policies and messages are understood and furthered within relevantpartnerships. 

This is a fantastic opportunity to play your part in delivering RSPB's conservation work withina landscape rich in wildlife. If this sounds like the job for you, we would love to hear fromyou

You will be responsible for:

• Facilitating the RSPB Garron Plateau, Peatland, Protection & Restoration Project (a groupoption within EFS)
• Providing advice, training and information to local communities, landowners, land managersand land use advisers on priority species and habitats, in close liaison with other members ofthe Conservation Team
• Submitting quarterly and annual claims and reports to project funders and stakeholders
• Acting as an EFS planner to produce site specific remedial management plans for farmersentering the scheme
• Undertaking and overseeing species/habitat surveys and monitoring work on sites to ensuredelivery of site/s objectives. This includes mapping, and the gathering & management ofelectronic data
• Demonstrating best practice in terms of collaboration & communication, working with awide range of internal and external stakeholders· Managing medium and small projects using the RSPB’s Project Management Framework
• Supervising contractors to carry out work on sites safely and legally to deliver projecttargets
• Building positive relationships with key decision-makers, external partners and stakeholdersso that RSPB’s policies and messages are understood and furthered by decision-makers and withinrelevant partnerships
• Manage and develop volunteers to ensure the delivery of an ambitious work programmemaintaining focus on priority species and habitats

Essential Knowledge, skills and experience:

• Degree level qualification in a relevant subject or ability to show equivalent workexperience
• Sufficient understanding of species and habitats of the Antrim Plateau including Curlews andHen Harriers
• Sufficient knowledge of a range of delivery mechanisms, including agri-environmental schemessuch as EFS, for conservation work in the Antrim Plateau.
• Ability to work effectively as a team player both internally and in external partnerships
• Excellent communication skills (verbal, written and presentational) - including an ability tospeak confidently and cogently in public to a variety of audiences
• Ability to rapidly analyse significant quantities of information, prioritise and balance adiverse workload often to tight deadlines
• Proficient at using Microsoft Office packages including Outlook, Excel & Word
• Experience of negotiating with the public or private sector, to deliver biodiversity benefits
• Experience of working to survey, protect and/or manage important sites, species or habitats
• Experience of productive partnership working
• Experience of delivering conservation works through contractors
• Competency in the use of GIS
• Understanding of the concept of landscape scale conservation and the pressures on land use inthe operational area of this role
• Experience of delivering land management advice to farmers, landowners and key stakeholders

This is a Full-Time, fixed-term contract for 3 years (to 31st October 2027). We will beconducting interviews for this position on 11th June 2024. For all application enquiries,please contact neal.warnock@rspb.org.uk

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

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

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

Before applying for this role, we recommend reading through the candidate guidance notes.

We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB, in which everyonefeels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve our vision of creating aworld richer in nature, we need more people, and more diverse people, on nature’s side. Peopleof 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 anyadditional support you may need to complete your application.