Site Manager - Galloway Reserves

Job Description

Are you looking to combine your passion for nature with your land management and communication skills? If so this may be the perfect role for you! Set in the South West of Scotland, the RSPB Galloway reserves comprise the Wood of Cree, the Crook of Baldoon, the Mull of Galloway and Ken-Dee Marshes. We are looking for an organised, dynamic, and passionate Site Manager to lead the team and deliver the work programmes on these varied and exciting nature reserves. To make a success of this opportunity, you will be a capable manager with the ability to work well with a broad range of contacts, both within the RSPB and with statutory agency partners, NGOs and beyond.

The 4 reserves cover a combined area of over 1,000ha, and include Western Atlantic oakwood, wood pasture, open moorland, wet floodplain woodland, fen, coastal cliffs, maritime heath and grassland, freshwater wetland and saltmarsh. They host important populations of many species, including a suite of resident and migrant woodland birds like Willow Tit, Pied Flycatcher and Wood Warbler, breeding waders such as Lapwing and Redshank, wintering and breeding wildfowl, breeding seabirds, a range of bats and Red Squirrels.

Management across the suite of reserves is often multi-layered and complex, so good project management skills twinned with forward thinking, and a keen willingness to solve practical problems will be required.

Key elements of reserve management include managing the team, budgeting/financial management, H&S, compliance, project management, management planning, reporting and public relations.

You will be part of RSPB’s Scottish Lowlands & Southern Uplands team and the role is likely to be home based, with a strong preference for being part of the local community.


Essential skills, knowledge and experience:

• Ecological requirements of key species.
• Project management.
• Proven track record of managing nature reserves.
• Contract management.
• Health, Safety and Environmental management.
• Relevant site-specific specialist knowledge (e.g. grazing, woodland management).
• Time management and prioritisation.
• Budget management.
• Leadership.
• Individual and team management skills.

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Diplomacy.
• Understanding of the importance of a range of management interventions including predator control and professional deer management.
• Excellent communication skills (verbal, written and presentational) –including an ability to speak in public to a variety of audiences to share best practice and advocate positions to landowners and managers, local politicians, members and volunteers who have differing views.

You will require a full, manual driving licence that is valid in the UK in order to drive our fleet vehicles.

Additional Information:

This is a permanent, full-time role for 37.5 hours per week.

We are looking to conduct interviews for this position from 10 June 2024. For further information please contact andrew.bielinski@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.

We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB, in which everyone feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve our vision of creating a world richer in nature, we need more people, and more diverse people, on nature’s side. 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.

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

This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship - the successful applicant will need to have a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK in order to be offered an employment contract.

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