Research Advisor

The Woodland Trust; Grantham; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Enhanced Employer Pension

Life Assurance

Flexible and hybrid working (7am - 7pm

25 Days plus Bank Holidays

Buy and sell holiday scheme

Enhanced parental pay

Employee assistance programme

Job summary

The Woodland Trust is seeking a Conservation Research Adviser to lead the Conservation Science Programme, shaping research and policy to deliver practical conservation outcomes.

You will build collaborations with universities and partners, manage budgets, and ensure research is translated into action across the Trust. This hybrid role is based at our Grantham head office with occasional travel.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of UK university research processes and funding streams.
• Experience evaluating and communicating research impact.
• Strong digital skills and MS Office suites.
• Experience managing contracts and budgets with accuracy.

Responsibilities

• Lead programme management of the Conservation Science Programme with effective workflows.
• Manage grants, contracts and budgets with robust oversight.
• Build high-impact research collaborations with internal and external partners.
• Develop networks with research students, funded researchers and the wider community.
• Review and update research priorities and portfolio alignment.
• Collaborate across the Trust to share research outputs internally and externally.

Skills

Project management

Networking

MS Office proficiency

Contract and budget management

Conservation knowledge

Research process understanding

Education

Degree in conservation/ecology/environmental/biological sciences

Project or programme management qualification

Job description

The Woodland Trust is looking for a Conservation Research Adviser to join our Conservation Outcomes and Evidence Team, helping to ensure our conservation work and policy are informed by the best available evidence. Working closely with the Evidence Manager and colleagues across the organisation, you’ll help shape and manage the Conservation Science Programme, building impactful research collaborations that deliver practical conservation outcomes.

This role is advertised as full-time, 37.5 hours per week.

The Role:

• Lead programme management of the Conservation Science Programme, ensuring effective project workflows and delivery.
• Manage grants, contracts and associated budgets, ensuring robust financial and programme oversight.
• Build and maintain high-impact research collaborations with internal and external partners, maximising the use of our research assets.
• Develop and maintain a professional network of research students, funded researchers and the wider research community.
• Regularly review and update organisational research priorities, managing the research portfolio in line with these priorities.
• Work collaboratively across the Trust to ensure research projects and outputs are effectively shared, applied and communicated internally and externally.

This is a hybrid position with a mix of home working and from our head office in Grantham, Lincolnshire. Head office attendance would be required once a month on average. Occasional travel to other offices and remote locations may also be required.

The Candidate:

• Self-motivated and highly organised, with strong prioritisation and project management skills, and a proven ability to develop effective systems and processes.
• A collaborative networker with experience developing and maintaining effective working partnerships.
• Understanding of UK university research processes, research funding streams, and equality, diversity and inclusion in the research community (desirable).
• Experience assessing the impact of research projects (desirable).
• Strong digital skills, including proficiency with MS Office and common software packages.
• Experience in managing contracts and budgets, with a strong focus on efficiency, accuracy, and effective resource management.
• Understanding of UK conservation and environmental issues, particularly those affecting native trees, woods and associated wildlife, with a commitment to the cause (desirable).
• Degree in conservation, ecology, environmental or biological sciences, and qualification in project or programme management (desirable).

Benefits and Wellbeing:

Joining our team means you’ll be part of our fight for a greener, healthier planet for people and wildlife. We take good care of our staff, offering support and training opportunities. We also offer:

• Enhanced Employer Pension
• Life Assurance
• Flexible and hybrid working options (7am - 7pm)
• Generous annual leave - 25 Days plus Bank Holidays (pro rata for part-time)
• Buy and sell holiday scheme
• Enhanced parental pay
• Employee assistance programme

To support inclusivity and remove barriers for candidates, we publish all salaries upfront and proudly follow the We Show the Salary pledge. The salary listed is the set salary for this role, and we don’t ask applicants to state their current pay or expectations. If you choose to apply, we’ll take that as confirmation that the advertised salary meets your expectations.

About Us:

The Woodland Trust is the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity. We want to see a world where woods and trees thrive for people and nature. The Trust engages and inspires people to make a difference by protecting, restoring and creating woodland and getting more trees in the ground.

Our commitment to Diversity and Inclusion:

To achieve our mission, we need to better reflect society and the communities we work in. People of colour and disabled people are currently under-represented across the environment and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we particularly encourage you to apply.

Application information and advice:

For fairness we keep our candidates’ personal details hidden from the hiring managers, and we do not ask for your CV at application.

Make sure that your personal statement clearly shows how your skills and knowledge link to the specifications in the job description and you share with us your passion for the role. Even if you don't meet every requirement of the role, we encourage you to apply.

Completed applications will be reviewed by a hiring manager and/or a member of the recruitment team, and you will receive an update on the outcome of your application via email.

Acceptable Use - Artificial Intelligence (AI):

We understand that candidates may choose to use AI tools to support their job applications. However, we ask that any information submitted reflects your own experience, skills and understanding. During interviews, candidates are expected to respond independently without the use of AI tools.

Interviews will take place via teams on 16th & 17th September. Interview questions will be provided before the interview to help you prepare.

For queries about this role, reasonable adjustments, or support with your application, please contact: [e-mail]