Wildlife Manager

Kate on Conservation; Lyndhurst; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 41,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading conservation organization is seeking a Wildlife Manager to provide joint leadership for wildlife management operations. This role emphasizes collaboration and adherence to health and safety standards while managing cull programs. Candidates with a strong background in wildlife conservation and team management are encouraged to apply for this pivotal position, contributing to the protection of vulnerable species and habitats.

Benefits

28.97% pension contribution

25 days annual leave

Employee benefits scheme

Free parking at Forestry England sites

Commitment to lifelong learning

Qualifications

• Experience in leading wildlife management operations.
• Proven track record in health and safety compliance.
• Budget management experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead the wildlife team in cull programs.
• Develop and deliver the Wildlife Management Plan.
• Ensure compliance with safety standards.

Skills

Team Leadership

Wildlife Management

Health and Safety Compliance

Communication

Education

BSc in Wildlife Conservation or equivalent

Higher-level deer stalking certificate

Firearms Certificate

Job description

What you’ll do…
You will provide joint leadership of the District’s wildlife team, working closely with one other Wildlife Manager to provide high-quality wildlife management operations in line with industry best practice and Forestry England policy. You will collaborate with Beats and other District functions to contribute to the wider Forest District operations.

Through inclusive leadership and teamwork, you will support high performance from of the District’s wildlife team, with a strong focus on nature conservation and delivering increasing cull targets. You will champion a positive health and safety culture, and ensure the proper management of firearms and production of venison.

Please see the job description below for more information and details about what we need from you.

Where you’ll work…
We are Forestry England. We are the country’s largest land manager, caring for the nation’s forests for people, nature and the economy. The foundation of our organisation is our world-class sustainable management of the nation’s forests.

Our South England Forest District team is made up of around 170 people with a diverse range of roles – from foresters and wildlife rangers to civil engineers, and ecologists to marketing professionals. We all contribute towards the management of 46,000 hectares of public forest estate that stretch from Sussex to Dorset, and from Berkshire to the Isle of Wight. Nearly all of our forests are within either a National Park or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Much of this forest is of high national importance for nature conservation and wildlife, and of international importance for biodiversity. South England Forest District is therefore responsible for land that includes Special Areas of Conservation (for habitats), Special Protection Areas (for birds) and Ramsar sites (for wetlands). We also provide public access and recreation in our forests, with nearly 50 million visits every year to South England Forest District.

If the post you are applying for is PB5 or above, you will be asked to join the District duty roster, after a suitable period of time.

Job description

Leadership Responsibility

• Provide collaborative leadership for the wildlife team to protect crops, habitats, and vulnerable species from wildlife impacts, including coordinating large and increasing cull programmes

• Work with Beat Foresters, District Foresters, and specialist leads to deliver effective deer management, maintain and operate deer larders, and ensure carcasses are presented to required standards

• Lead the delivery of wildlife management programmes and projects

• Promote an inclusive, supportive team culture and encourage collaboration across District teams embedding Forestry England’s organisational values and behaviours

• Ensure compliance with guidance and procedures and support a proactive approach to safety across all operations

• Promote learning and development within the team to support continuous improvement

• When required, provide continuity by deputising for the District Forester on matters relating to wildlife management

Operational Responsibility

• Develop the District Wildlife Management Plan, ensuring effective communication with other functions

• Deliver the operational elements of the District’s Wildlife Management plan, including the deer cull and the management of other mammals to protect crops, habitats and vulnerable species

• Oversee venison production to British Quality Wild Venison Standards

• Support the maintenance and operation of deer larders

• Manage District firearms and ammunition in line with policy and best practice

• Lead the design and delivery of conservation-related projects as needed

• Produce successful applications for out-of-season and night shooting licenses as required

Management of Resources

• Lead and support the wildlife team, contractors, and volunteers, ensuring clear roles and expectations, and actively manage performance against agreed objectives and indicators

• Manage team budgets and resources efficiently to support the effective delivery of core wildlife management operations, projects, and larder facilities

• Prepare and monitor the wildlife management business plan; report on budgets and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) throughout the year

Stakeholder Engagement, Representation and Communications

• Build and maintain constructive relationships with stakeholders across the business and beyond

• Work collaboratively across the District and represent Forestry England with professionalism, engaging positively with current and potential customers and partners

Person specification

Essential professional and technical experience

• Experience of leading and supporting a team, with the ability to promote collaboration and meet agreed standards

• Proven track record in planning and delivering significant wildlife management operations, with a strong understanding of health and safety and compliance, particularly regarding firearms and venison production

• Experience in managing budgets and contracts effectively

• Hold a higher-level deer stalking certificate

• A qualification in wildlife or conservation land management, such as a BTEC National Diploma, a BTEC HND or a BSc degree or significant and equivalent experience in a wildlife or conservation land management role

• Hold a current Firearms Certificate

• A full UK drivers’ license

• Competent IT user with experience in MS Office suite of applications

Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Delivering at Pace

• Making Effective Decisions

• Managing a Quality Service

• Seeing the Big Picture

Technical skills
We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• More information will be provided to those successful at sift.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £35,580, Forestry Commission contributes £10,307 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Benefits…

Alongside your salary, Forestry England contributes an average of 28.97% towards your pension. You will become a member of the Civil Service Defined BenefitPension Scheme.

• 25 days holiday a year, raising by one day every year’s service, up to 30 days (pro-rated for part time employees) plus additional days off such as bank holidays.
• STaRis our employee benefits scheme offering discounts on everyday supermarket shopping, as well as other things such as hotel stays clothes, mobile phones, other electrical items, medical and car insurance, holidays, gym discounts, household bills, Headspace wellbeing app.
• free parking at Forestry England sites and free entry to our National Arboretums at Westonbirt and Bedgebury.
• a commitment to lifelong learning through career development. Forestry England will support your career development in a variety of ways, including continual professional development, support for individual learning plans and sponsored membership of professional bodies.

Read more about the benefits on theForestry England website.

Things you need to know

Selection process details
This vacancy is usingSuccess Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

How to apply…

You will be asked to write a 200 word statement on your relevant experience and career history, along with a personal statement of no more than 500 words. You will be assessed on both during sifting. More details about how to apply are listed on the application form.

You will be assessed on your experience, technical skills and the below behaviours during your interview.

TheBehavioursbeing assessed at interview are –

• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service
• Seeing the Bigger Picture

Successful candidates will undergo an enhanced criminal record check and the governmentbaseline personnel security standardcheck.

If you require any reasonable adjustments, please email [e-mail].

Read more about ourapplication process and working with uson theForestry England website.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must completebaseline personnel security standard (opens in new window)checks.

Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under theEuropean Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

TheCivil Service Code (opens in a new window)sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’srecruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window)and theCivil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of theGreat Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window)initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction.Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants
Job contact:

• Name :FC Recruitment Team
• Email :[e-mail]

Recruitment team

• Email :[e-mail]

Further information
Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment on the basis of fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles.If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact FCE by email: [e-mail]. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.

Attachments
Forestry England Job Description – Wildlife Manager