Conservation Officer - The Wash and North Norfolk Coast (Flexible within Norfolk/Lincolnshire)

Job Description

We have an exciting opportunity to support our work protecting The Wash and North Norfolk Coast. The Wash is the most important estuary for birds in the UK, with over 400,000 individuals wintering and important numbers of breeding birds. The North Norfolk Coast’s grazing marshes, beaches and intertidal habitats are important for many priority species, notably little terns, Sandwich terns, ringed plovers and breeding waders.

These sites face many pressures, such as large-scale developments, recreational pressures and coastal changes linked to climate change. We are working with partners and communities to protect the habitats and wildlife of these highly protected sites and are seeking an enthusiastic and dedicated individual to develop our work to tackle these challenges.

If you are interested in making a significant contribution to the conservation of one of the UK’s best coastal and wetland landscapes this may be the role for you!

What's the role about?

The Conservation Officer will be part of the Norfolk and Lincolnshire Conservation Team, working closely with our Lincolnshire Wash and North-West Norfolk reserves. Snettisham is world-renowned for its wader spectacles, where thousands of birds roost at high tide. Frampton Marsh and Freiston Shore are fantastic for waders and other wetland and coastal species year-round. Exciting habitat works will enable Titchwell and Freiston Shore to support more birds, improve breeding success and prepare for new colonists. This role will look to build the reserves successes into the wider landscape.

The Conservation Officer will co-ordinate work in our Priority Landscape Plan, and will be responsible for the delivery of some elements. Priority Landscapes are the RSPB’s approach to delivering conservation at scale and direct our resources where they will have the greatest impact.

The role will involve:

Protecting The Wash and North Norfolk Coast from damaging development – working with partners to challenge inappropriate development, but also seek opportunities to create new habitat and boost the natural capital of The Wash and North Norfolk Coast.

Building and nurturing relationships – working closely with partners across a range of sectors and communities to develop support for our work to protect and enhance The Wash and North Norfolk Coast’s habitats and wildlife.

Supporting the development of species recovery actions, notably working with colleagues and partners to develop:

• guidance materials to inform appropriate management for saltmarsh breeding redshanks
• understanding of the impact of disturbance on breeding and wintering birds across The Wash
• a long-term, sustainable recovery strategy for turtle doves.

The Conservation Officer will seek opportunities to diversify how people engage with our work; ensuring that it is as inclusive as possible.

Ideally, the successful candidate will be based close to The Wash and North Norfolk Coast. Hybrid working between their home address, our offices at Frampton Marsh and Titchwell Marsh, or our Norwich office will be possible. Relationship building is an important element of the role, so the ability to travel for face-to-face meetings will be essential. Given the remote locations and limited public transport, the ability to drive is essential.

This is an exciting time to be involved in helping to shape our work around The Wash and North Norfolk Coast. If you feel this is the role for you we look forward to hearing from you!

Essential skills, knowledge and experience:

• Sufficient understanding of the ecology of The Wash and North Norfolk Coast and the relevant regulatory, policy and legislative mechanisms to identify appropriate responses and interventions.
• Ability to work effectively as a team player internally and externally to develop productive partnerships.
• Excellent communication skills (verbal, written and presentational) to confidently and cogently speak to a range of audiences, including landowners and managers, local politicians, members and volunteers who have different views.
• Experience of negotiating with the public or private sector, to deliver biodiversity benefits, through both regulatory and voluntary means, especially planning casework.
• Ability to rapidly analyse significant quantities of information, prioritise and balance a diverse workload often to tight deadlines.
• Competent user of core MS Office programmes.
• Able to travel to remote locations in the UK without the use of public transport.

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Effective project management skills.
• Experience of working to survey, protect and/or manage important sites, species or habitats.
  Specialist conservation knowledge of habitats, species and environmental processes relevant to The Wash and North Norfolk Coast.
• Specialist knowledge of policy and legislation relevant to The Wash and North Norfolk Coast.

This is a Permanent role for 37.5 hours per week. We are looking to conduct interviews for this position on 15th March 2023. We will be hosting an online open briefing on this role between 12:30 and 13:30 on 22nd February 2023. For further information on the briefing and any other queries 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.

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.

This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

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