The role provides operational leadership across a defined operational area of the Trust’s reserves, ensuring land management, people management and community engagement to deliver strong conservation outcomes. The post oversees planning, delivery and quality assurance of reserve and project work, ensuring compliance with policies, health and safety and regulatory requirements. The role involves leading and developing the local team, managing budgets, mitigating risks and utilising ecological data to inform evidenced based decision making to support long-term site and project development. Through this combination of leadership and operational oversight, the role helps safeguard the Trust’s reserves and advance its conservation mission.
Main objectives:
Land management and project delivery
Manage wildlife reserve operations across the West Reserves Management Area, including conservation and land management and monitoring of 3,700 hectares across ten wildlife reserves with a range of habitats, including blanket bog, heaths, fens, freshwater lochs, woodlands within the temperate rainforest zone, and a range of montane vegetation communities.
Representation and stakeholder engagement
Build and maintain positive relationships with landowners, volunteers, contractors, communities and interested parties. Represent the Trust professionally at local, regional and national events and meetings, and proactively manage day‑to‑day issues with neighbours and partners.
People management and teamwork
Line manage and develop the operational area team, leading recruitment, induction and performance. Foster a positive organisational culture, support collaboration across teams, and act as the key local contact for members and volunteers. Help recruit, train and retain volunteers, and provide local operational insight to support fundraising, communications and policy work.
Information and operational management
Ensure that data management, documentation and reporting adhere to legal and regulatory requirements and comply with internal policies and procedures. Maintain and review work programmes, risk assessments, project risk registers, reserve and project budgets and promote a strong safety culture within the operational team and with contractors and volunteers.
The successful candidate will ideally:
What we offer:
If you would like more information, please email recruitment@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk.
The Trust is a passionate employer, proactive about creating a culture of diversity and inclusive workplace that promotes and values equal opportunities for all. We welcome individuals from all networks of life, backgrounds, and experiences.
About us
For more than 60 years, the Scottish Wildlife Trust has worked with its members, partners and supporters in pursuit of its vision of healthy, resilient ecosystems across Scotland’s land and seas.
The Trust successfully champions the cause of wildlife through policy and campaigning work, demonstrates best practice through practical conservation and innovative partnerships, and inspires people to take positive action through its education and engagement activities. The Trust manages a network of over 100 wildlife reserves across Scotland and is a member of the UK-wide Wildlife Trusts movement.
The benefits
For further information and to apply, please visit our website.