Overview

This is a golden opportunity to join the largest nature conservation charity in Europe, which consistently delivers successful conservation at scale, forges powerful new partnerships, and empowers people to save nature. We are looking for an influential and transformational Minerals Advice Manager, to lead our minerals advice work, engaging and empowering the whole sector to do even more for nature.

The RSPB consistently delivering successful conservation, forging powerful partnerships with other organisations and inspiring others to stand up and give nature the home it deserves. RSPB Sector Advice works in partnership with businesses to help address the nature and climate crises, including creating more habitats, conserving rare species, and providing a better environment in which to live.

We are looking for someone to lead our partnership programme working across the non-energy minerals extractive sector, which operates across more than 70,000ha of land at any one time, with potential to make a very significant contribution to the 30×30 outcomes for biodiversity. You will have the ecological understanding and knowledge of the industry to act to support the sector to realise its potential for biodiversity and associated public benefits particularly from sites restoration.
You will demonstrate leadership, excellent communication skills, entrepreneurship, and the ability to motivate and enthuse a range of sectoral partners including businesses. In return we offer a job where you can make a real positive impact to the environment.
You will lead two important pieces of work; the Nature After Minerals programme which aims to influence the extent to which minerals sites can deliver priority habitats and species through both planning and restoration, and our long term highly effective partnership with CEMEX UK.

We want someone who can develop and lead a small, high performing team that advises in a targeted way across the minerals extraction sector. You will be entrepreneurial in growing the impact of this important work area. You will be able to influence decision makers, to innovate, be a strategic thinker, and to work successfully in partnerships.
The role may suit someone with experience from the conservation sector, from the mineral sector, or from ecological consultancy.

Main duties will be to:

  • Develop, secure buy-in, and deliver the mineral sectors business plan, including fundraising and growing impact towards the RSPB 2030 strategy outcomes.
  • Drive the CEMEX UK partnership.
  • Help set and prioritise the work.
  • Generate new business for Nature After Minerals, and secure funding.
  • Manage a small, dedicated team.
  • Oversee the governance and stakeholder relationships, both internally and externally, including, for example with Natural England, the Mineral Products Association and British Aggregates Association.
  • Promote the benefits of the partnership to actors across the sector and more widely.
  • Oversee communications for the work.
  • Ensure knowledge transfer of innovation and best practice in the sector, so be regarded as a leader in minerals restoration.
  • Develop and lead priority species conservation projects.
  • Promote the value of business conservation initiatives to the minerals extractives sector.

Additional duties:

  • To manage allocated budgets and deploy resources efficiently.
  • To develop opportunities for support from volunteers as appropriate to support conservation activities.
  • To effectively collate and report KPI impact data.

What we need from you

Knowledge and skills which would be advantageous:

  • Strong working knowledge gained from working with a minerals extractive business on delivering ambitious conservation projects.
  • Knowledge of working with environmental NGOs.
  • Knowledge of the UK minerals planning process.
  • Established relationships with operators and stakeholders across the sector.
  • Successful working with a range of business, planning, and site management organisations.
  • Experience of working in successful partnerships.
  • Effective project management.
  • Knowledge of communications and social media.
  • Experience in applied biodiversity conservation.
  • Knowledge of the UK minerals extractives sector.
  • Line management and team leadership.
  • Knowledge of Biodiversity Net Gain, Nature Based Solutions and other emerging conservation frameworks and initiatives.

Additional Information

This role requires significant amounts of travel, for which a driving licence will be required and which may include unsocial hours.

This is a permanent, ideally full-time role, albeit we would consider part-time with at least 30 hours per week, or job share – please note your preference on the application form. Please also note your notice period.

Closing date for applications 31st July 2022 – We are looking to conduct interviews w/c 8th August 2022