Warden - Eastern Solent Reserves

Job Description

Is your career in conservation at a point where you’re ready to lead on habitat management across hundreds of hectares of wet grassland, saltmarsh, shingle and farmland for the benefit of nature? Do you feel the pull of the coast and wetlands each morning? This may be just the role for you.

About RSPB's Eastern Solent Reserves

The RSPB’s Eastern Solent Reserves are a network of coastal reserves covering almost 1800 hectares along the shores of West Sussex and Hampshire. Situated on the Manhood Peninsula, Pagham Harbour Local Nature Reserve is a natural harbour comprising of saltmarsh and mudflat, surrounded by wet grassland and reedbeds. As well as being a notable stop-over for migratory birds, it is an internationally recognised site for breeding shorebirds, including threatened Little terns and a growing Sandwich tern colony. A stone's throw away lies Medmerry, a ground-breaking and vast managed coastal realignment comprising of developing saltmarsh and grasslands, surrounded by a mosaic of nature friendly farming. The Langstone Harbour reserve is an archipelago of shingle, saltmarsh and mudflats set between Portsmouth and Hayling Island, home to one of the largest mixed seabird colonies on the south coast of England. In winter, the reserves become a haven for Brent geese and a large assemblage of wildfowl.

We’re now recruiting to appoint a new warden to lead on the day-to-day delivery of our ecological management plans, working with the rest of the warden team across the Eastern Solent reserves. You’ll be in a leadership position within the reserves team, working closely with the Site Manager, inputting your ideas and passion to realise the potential for nature within the reserve along with our conservation rangers, visitor centre team and a large network of volunteers. You’ll be part of a growing team, working closely together and creating good friendships along the way. You'll lead on aspects of habitat management across the Eastern Solent (suitable to your skills and knowledge) and be supported by the other reserve wardens and the wider team in kind. As part of the role, you will have line management responsibilities for an Assistant Warden.

What's the role about?

In your role as Warden, you will coordinate and lead the delivery of a busy but rewarding work programme. Your role will be varied – in any given week you could be supervising and developing volunteers, surveying wildlife and habitats, setting up contracts, working with visitors, carrying out estate maintenance or delivering hands-on habitat management.

Are you the right person to take on this fulfilling role? You’ll be positive, able to lead teams, well organised and keen to deliver/develop an ambitious work programme. With a proven track record, you will have a good and practical grasp of land management techniques, ecological principles, wildlife and habitat monitoring, creating a safe working environment, leading and managing staff/volunteers and be a team player.

What we need from you:

Essential skills include:

• Knowledge of and a track record of practical estate and habitat management.
• Relevant ecological knowledge, with specialist knowledge required on at least one of the following: wetlands, breeding shorebirds/seabirds and mixed farm landscapes.
• Experience of working with and/or managing staff and/or volunteers (including leading work parties).
• Experience of a range of biological monitoring.
• Knowledge and experience of health and safety applying to practical conservation.
• Relevant knowledge of cross compliance requirements eg agricultural and environmental legislation.
• Lantra / NPTC or equivalent qualifications in brushcutter, sit-in ATV, trailed loads, first aid, chainsaw and pedestrian mowers. RYA Powerboat level 2 qualification.
• Full manual driving licence.
• A proactive approach to problem solving.
• Organisational, time management and prioritisation skills.
• Proven ability to work in a team and to build collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders including land owners, farmers, partners, neighbours, national colleagues, contractors and regulators.
• Experience of working with graziers and contractors.
• Experience of small to medium size project management.
• Good communication skills and computer literacy, including record keeping and data management. Competent user of standard IT applications (eg Microsoft Office).

Additional information:

• This role will involve lone working and working in remote locations.
• This role will require occasional weekend, early morning and evening work so will need someone who is able to be flexible.

This is a Permanent Full-Time role.

We are looking to conduct interviews for this position from the week commencing 23/01/22. For further information please contact adam.taylor@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.

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