Warden

RSPB is seeking a Warden for its Sedgemoor reserves in Somerset, UK. The role involves managing habitat restoration, leading a wardening team, and ensuring compliance with conservation laws. Key responsibilities include implementing management plans, conducting surveys, and maintaining stakeholder relationships. Essential skills include ecological knowledge, team management, and practical land management. This is a full-time position requiring flexibility for occasional weekend and evening work.
Do you have a passion for wildlife? Do you want to help protect one of the UK’s most exciting places for nature, the internationally important Somerset Levels & Moors? What’s the role about?

The RSPB is looking for a Warden to join the team at its Sedgemoor reserves in Somerset. You will be working in a dynamic wetland environment with peat restoration and landscape recovery at its core. You will lead the wardening team delivering and developing our reserves management plan, ensuring we deliver benefits for an amazing suite of key species including, curlew, crane, bittern, crakes and snipe as well as wider nature, water and climate objectives.

Not only will you be working on the 800ha reserve holding but you will be maintaining and developing working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders and neighbours with opportunities to influence nature delivery across the landscape.

You will:
• Be responsible for the implementation of the reserve management plan including habitat management and record keeping ensuring delivery of sites and RSPB objectives and compliance obligations.
• Undertake species/habitat survey and monitoring work on the sites to ensure delivery of sites’ objectives.
• Provide line management of the wardening staff, supporting the development of a skilled and happy team.
• Manage the team to ensure delivery of the site’s work programme.
• Support the development, delivery and reporting of funded projects.
• Ensure the reserve is managed in accordance with best practice with respect to H&S, environmental management and legal compliance of conservation and land management laws.
• Procure and supervise contractors to carry out work on site safely and legally to deliver the management plan targets.

What we need from you:

Essential skills, knowledge and experience include:
• Wet grassland and fen management
• Relevant ecological knowledge
• Relevant knowledge of compliance requirements (eg agricultural and environmental legislation)
• A proactive and conscientious approach to applying Health & Safety to site management.
• One-on-one and team management skills – proven track record of leading and developing a team.
• Practical habitat, estate and land management skills including livestock and farming operations
• Record keeping / data management and use of GIS software
• Biological monitoring and surveys
• Procurement and contractor management
• Lantra or equivalent qualification in using equipment such as tractor, ATV, chainsaw and PA1/6 pesticides.

Desirable qualifications, knowledge, skills and experience:
• Knowledge of servicing and maintaining vehicles, machinery, tools and equipment to agreed standards.
• Experience of delivering project management.
• Experience of woodland management and ecology.
• Experience of developing and maintaining good working relationships with a range of stakeholders and partners

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

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

We are looking to conduct interviews for this position from 7th April 2025. For further information please contact harry.paget-wilkes@rspb.org.uk

As part of this application process you will be asked to provide a copy of your CV and 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.