| | | | |

Paid Crew Lead: Beach-nesting Bird Team Leader (UK)

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (UK) have an exciting job opportunity as a team leader to monitor and manage the east Norfolk and north Suffolk beach-nesting bird team. The project protects up to 43% of the UK’s little terns, as well as significant numbers of ringed plovers. The east Norfolk colonies have become some of the largest and highest priority in the UK. Deadline to apply: 1/12/2023.

Agency: Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)

Website: https://www.environmentjob.co.uk/jobs/92393-beach-nesting-bird-team-leader

Job Description:

The Team Leader will be part of the Norfolk and Lincolnshire Conservation Team working closely with our Broads reserves and Suffolk Area teams. The post will be preferably based close to the east Norfolk coast, working flexibly from Strumpshaw Fen, our Norwich office and home. This would be alongside time spent in the field overseeing the team and meeting partners. Given the remote locations and limited public transport, the ability to drive is essential for this role.

The Beach-nesting Bird Team Leader will be responsible for up to seven staff and a dedicated team of 20-30 volunteers to protect and monitor beach-nesting birds at three main sites: Eccles-on-Sea, Winterton-on-Sea and Kessingland. They will be expected to review, develop and implement the management plan for the project. The role will involve the coordination of the following work:

  • Colony management – deploy staff, volunteers and equipment effectively, ensuring high standards of health and safety and welfare are maintained.
  • Kestrel diversionary feeding – ensure the volunteer team is supported to locate kestrel nest sites and implement effective diversionary feeding techniques to limit predation on colonies.
  • Volunteer and community engagement development – manage and support the Community & Volunteer Project Officer to build the volunteer team and their capabilities, develop community engagement opportunities and community ownership for the project.
  • Communications – develop the promotion of the project to highlight successes and seek to develop appropriate behaviours around the colonies in collaboration with the RSPB’s communications teams.
  • Funding – seek new funding streams for the project to develop its sustainability and enable the project to grow.
  • Relationships – work closely with partners such as Natural England, Local and Parish Authorities, and the Friends of Horsey Seals to generate support for the project and help to resource the work.
  • End of season reporting – Manage all relevant data to produce the end of season report.

This project has been running since 1986 and has huge potential to further develop significant opportunities to work with people of all ages and abilities. From active colony management and community engagement to remote activities such as coordinating volunteers, developing our monitoring apps and writing communication material, there is a huge potential to diversify how people engage with the project and ensuring that it is as inclusive as possible. The Team Leader will be responsible for making this happen.

The project is an important piece of work within The Broads and the Suffolk Coast Priority Landscapes. Priority Landscapes are the RSPB’s approach to delivering conservation at scale and provides a focus to direct our resources where they will have the greatest impact. The delivery of this work is a priority both locally and nationally for the RSPB.

This is an exciting time in the projects evolution and if you feel this is the role for you we look forward to hearing from you!

Location: East Norfolk & North Suffolk, United Kingdom

Qualifications:

Essential skills, knowledge and experience:

  • Degree or equivalent relevant work experience related to species recovery, notably, seabirds and/or coastal management
  • Knowledge of key legal and practical requirements for ensuring health and safety of staff and volunteers working in challenging field conditions
  • Experience of applying relevant wildlife and environmental legislation associated with protected sites and species
  • Leadership, management and site supervision of a diverse team with a key focus on setting a clear direction, maintaining motivation and instigating and managing change
  • Interpersonal skills with the tact, diplomacy and negotiating skills to manage staff and develop and maintain good relations with the owners/managers of land on which your team is working
  • Experience of ability to manage a work programme and deploy resources efficiently and effectively to achieve objectives
  • Excellent IT knowledge and experience, including ability to organise and manage large data sets
  • Able to drive in the UK

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

  • Experience in dealing with the press and media and developing communications material
  • Project management experience
  • Specialist conservation knowledge of habitats, species and environmental processes relevant to east Norfolk and north Suffolk.

This is a Permanent role for 37.5 hours per week. We are looking to conduct interviews for this position on 19th January 2023. For further information please contact Philip.pearson@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 an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

Application Deadline: 1/12/2023

Start Date: Not available

Contact Person: Philip Pearson (philip.pearson@rspb.org.uk)

Application Email: philip.pearson@rspb.org.uk