Overview

The Marches Mosses BogLIFE project (LIFE15 NAT/UK/000786) is a five year project running from 1 October 2016 to 31 December 2021. This post will be part of a team aiming to restore Britain’s 3rd largest lowland raised bog within the Fenn’s, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses and Wem Moss NNRs near Whitchurch, Shropshire and Wrexham in Wales. The LIFE project is led by Natural England working in partnership with Natural Resources Wales and the Shropshire Wildlife Trust. The multi-million pound project is supported by an EU LIFE grant, the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Esmee Fairburn Charitable Trust.
Job description
The Reserve Manager/Volunteering Advisor will be a member of both Natural England’s Fenn’s, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR team and the Marches Mosses BogLIFE Team. Half of the post is to act as Volunteering Co-ordinator for the Marches Mosses BogLIFE project whilst the other half will be working as Reserve Manager on the NNR. On a daily basis he/she will work with the Senior Reserve Manager, the NNR Reserve Wardens and staff from the BogLIFE Project Team particularly the Project Manager. He/ she will deputise for the Senior Reserve Manger in his absence.

Typical working pattern will be 37 hours per week, Mon-Thursday 8.15am to 4.15pm and Friday 8.15 – 4pm, but also possibly including running the monthly Sunday Fenn’s Volunteer group tasks and limited weekend and evening events for the public.

The role involves a considerable amount of practical management, working with various plant, machinery and equipment and outside in all weathers and on challenging terrain. He/she will be expected to:

• Lead on the volunteer work on the LIFE Project and Reserve – managing volunteers/trainees/apprentices, carrying out new and existing practical work, engagement and monitoring, establishing, delivering and evaluating volunteer events, and with responsibility for the recruitment and health and safety of volunteers.

• Assist with management planning, budget management and reporting and contribute to income generation opportunities where appropriate.

• Assist with project planning, management and reporting

• Take responsibility for legal and ‘good neighbour’ obligations accruing to Natural England and Natural Resources Wales as land manager

• Assist with partnership relationships with Natural Resources Wales and other local partners

• Take the lead with specific customers and stakeholders, particularly graziers.

• Have responsibility for procurement to NE standards, including work base, plant and machinery resourcing and management of contracts and projects, ensuring delivering on time and to budget.

• Assist with ‘health and safety’ management including maintaining servicing and records, risk and COSHH assessment.

• Organise and assist, with the help of others, with education events, guided walks (in conjunction with the Marches Mosses BogLIFE Engagement Advisor), open days, events, conferences and demonstrations.

• Assist with the coordination, management and direct delivery of the day-to-day operations and contractors at Fenn’s NNR, in accordance with the agreed management plans, under the overall supervision of the Senior Reserve Manager. This will include:

• Habitat management works for raised bog, grassland, wet-woodland and scrub.

• Access management.

• Maintenance of the fabric of the Reserve and buildings.

• Species management including pest and invasive species control.

• Repair and maintenance of all plant, tools and equipment, and safe and efficient running of the NNR workshop.

• Ensuring a high standard of upkeep of the visitor facilities.

• Supervision of contractors regarding any of the above.

• Organising and assisting with water level, aerial and water quality, Species Surveillance and other monitoring work.

• Assisting in the co-ordination of data collection and management and recording of site data in conjunction with the BogLIFE Monitoring Officer.

• Assisting research workers, students and others studying on the Reserve.

• Contribute to the delivery of other LIFE and NNR project outcomes as required.
Licences
Clean driving license required and Trailer driving license desirable
Competencies
You will be asked to supply evidence of meeting these competencies when you apply.

Securing environmental improvement – Practitioner
• Recognise, identify and interpret environmental features on NNRs
• Assess environmental impacts and identify appropriate avoidance, mitigation and/ or compensation measures
• Understand and apply relevant policy, legislation, governance frameworks and strategies to your work
• Understand and apply appropriate management techniques to maintain or enhance the condition of sites
• Understand the importance of people accessing and engaging with the natural environment, and how to balance their needs with nature conservation objectives
• Identify how the site interacts with the surrounding landscape, habitats and local communities
Communicating Effectively – Practitioner
• Use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage your audience.
• Understand how to translate access and engagement issues and priorities for and from, external and internal audiences
Work delivery – Practitioner
• Identify, understand and follow the instructions, policies, procedures and standards relevant to your work
• Manage and deliver your workload to meet agreed targets and deadlines
Personal effectiveness – Practitioner
• Suggest ideas and innovations to continuously improve the way your team and Natural England operates
Building Partnerships – Practitioner
• Apply and communicate knowledge of our landscape statutory role, together with the landscape and ecosystem approaches, to support partnership working to deliver benefits for people and the natural environment
• Collaborate, negotiate and influence in a well-informed way to achieve pragmatic outcomes
Technical/ specialist knowledge/qualifications
• Knowledge of the principles of raised bog management
• Experience (and certification where appropriate) of the operation of chainsaws, brush-cutters, tractors, ATVs, 4×4 vehicles and herbicide applicators
• Basic budget management
• Ability to work with procurement processes and controls
• Basic knowledge of livestock management
• Skills in engaging and motivating visitors, volunteers and communities
• Experience of staff and volunteer management
• Good contract and project management skills
• An understanding of SSSIs, the requirements of land managers of SSSIs and the legislation that applies is desirable; an understanding of Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and the Habitat Regulations for SACs is desirable.
• Good communication skills & willingness to pro-actively engage with wide range of stakeholders
• Knowledge of appropriate health and safety regulations and practices. Holds First Aid at Work certificate (training can be provided) and has experience of delivering First Aid.
Understand the duty of care owed to all visitors, contractors or others on our NNRs, and adhere to appropriate legislation and Natural England policies and procedures
• Basic knowledge of legal obligations on land managers, including Weeds Act, Rights of Way, livestock.
• Experience of IT systems including Outlook, Excel, Word and PowerPoint and if possible CMSi