Conservation Officer - Somerset Levels and Moors

Are you ready for an exciting opportunity in wetland conservation? Join our client, a leading nature conservation charity in leading their Priority Landscape programme in the Somerset Levels and Moors!

They're seeking a skilled Conservation Officer (CO) to drive their Landscape programme until March 2026, based at their West Sedgemoor reserve.

Conservation Officer (Fixed Term) - Somerset Levels and Moors
Reference: OCT
Location: West Sedgemoor, Langport TA10 0PH
Salary: £32,022.00 - £34,377.00 per annum
Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week
Contract: Fixed until end of March 2026
Benefits: Pension, Life Assurance and Annual Leave

What's the role about?

Collaborate with their teams, volunteers, and partners on projects focusing on breeding waders, cranes, wintering waterbirds, peatland restoration, and water quality. Your role will also involve handling planning casework and contributing to the development of the Greater Sedgemoor Landscape Recovery ELM scheme.

They need someone experienced in wetland conservation, with excellent knowledge of wetland ecology, SSSIs/SPAs, and planning processes. Strong communication and team management skills are essential as is good experience of partnership working. While familiarity with the Somerset Levels is a plus, your experience in and passion for conservation is what truly matters. Join them in shaping the future of the Levels.

This role would make an excellent secondment opportunity.

Essential skills, knowledge and experience:

• Demonstrable experience in delivering conservation outcomes through stakeholder and partner engagement, project management and leadership.
• Sufficient understanding of wetland species and habitats; landscape scale conservation; land use and management; planning systems; relevant policy and legislation.
• Excellent communication skills (verbal, written and presentational) - including an ability to speak confidently and cogently in public to a variety of audiences.
• Ability to rapidly analyse significant quantities of information, prioritise and balance a diverse workload often to tight deadlines.
• Experience of working to survey, protect and/or manage important sites, species or habitats.
• Experience of managing staff or volunteers and setting clear work priorities.
• Experience of productive partnership working.

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Competency in use of GIS.
• Effective project management skills.
• Understanding of the concept of landscape scale conservation and the pressures on land use in the Somerset Levels.

They are open to job shares for the right candidates. They reserve the right to extend or make this role permanent without further advertising dependent on business needs at the end of the contract term.

Closing date: 23:59, Sunday, 10th November 2024
They are looking to conduct interviews for this position during from week commencing 18th November 2024.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

To find out more information, please click the apply button. You will be taken to a simple CHM Recruit form and then redirected to complete your application for this position.

This employer is committed to developing an inclusive and diverse organisation, in which everyone feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve their vision of creating a world richer in nature, they need more people, and more diverse people, on nature's side. People of colour and people with a disability are currently underrepresented across the environment, climate, sustainability, and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, this organisation is particularly interested in receiving your application. You will be able to contact this employer later on to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application.

This charity 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.

No agencies please.