Programme Manager (Landscape Recovery)

Full Time: 35 Hours Per Week

Permanent

Closing Date for Applications: 29th January 2023

1st interview: 7 February 2023

2 nd interview: 14 February 2023

Are you looking for a new challenge and the chance to work for one of the UK’s best-loved nature charities? Then we have an exciting opportunity for you.

We are looking for someone who understands the political, economic and social context that the British nature conservation sector operates within. Nature’s recovery has to be financed. Investment is needed to acquire land, work with partners – farmers, land managers, local authorities, businesses and local communities – to bring about ecological restoration, monitor impact and maintain progress. The funding gap to bring about nature’s recovery is enormous.

You will look to access new and traditional investment opportunities, this post will support local Wildlife Trusts to develop business models for nature’s recovery, share insight, knowledge and experience. It will help Wildlife Trusts to fundraise for nature recovery programmes, particularly in relation to land acquisition, ecological restoration and keystone species reintroduction.

Who we are

The Wildlife Trusts are a grassroots movement of people from a wide range of backgrounds and all walks of life, who share a set of common beliefs. It has more than of 900,000 members, including 200,000 junior members, 38,000 volunteers and 2,800 staff across 46 locally independent Wildlife Trusts and the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT). We work in every part of the UK and also on Alderney and the Isle of Man. The movement’s central charity RSWT leads the development of the movement and represents the interests of the movement whenever a strong united voice is required. Together, the 46 Trusts and the central charity are known as The Wildlife Trusts.

About the Role

The twin crises of the nature and climate emergencies have forced the Wildlife Trusts to rethink their role. Collectively, we have set out the new and ambitious Strategy 2030. Goal 1 of that strategy is to get nature into recovery with the Wildlife Trusts providing the leadership required to achieve 30 by 30: 30% of seas and land in nature’s recovery by 2030. It will require a transformation in the level of funding for nature’s recovery. It is this ambition that lies at the heart of this role.

Nature’s recovery rests on five critical interventions: (1) the development of a nature recovery network; (2) creating landscape recovery areas at a scale where natural processes can operate to drive up species abundance; (3) regenerative agriculture; (4) green infrastructure threading through our towns, cities and countryside and, (5) at sea, an effective network of highly protected marine areas. This post will support the Wildlife Trusts to achieve these ambitions by supporting new land acquisitions and ecological restoration. It will work alongside Wildlife Trusts to facilitate new sources of finance.

About you

You will need to understand the political, economic and social context that the British nature conservation sector operates within. With that understanding, you will be able to use your direct experience of funding and investment as well as business planning to help the Wildlife Trusts transform investment into nature’s recovery. You will be highly organised – prioritising time and workload effectively. You will be able to utilise ICT efficiently and effectively. Your personable approach will enable you to work with all, building collaborations and partnerships across Wildlife Trusts and with many different investors and private financing.

The Wildlife Trusts value passion, respect, trust, integrity, pragmatic activism and strength in diversity. Whilst we are passionate in promoting our aims, we are not judgemental and are inclusive. We want our people to be as diverse as nature, so we particularly encourage applications from people who are underrepresented within our sector, including people from minority backgrounds and people with disabilities. We are committed to creating a movement that recognises and truly values individual differences and identities.

As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to offering an interview to anyone with a disability that meets all the essential criteria for the post. Please let us know if you require any adjustments to make our recruitment process more accessible.

This role maybe subject to a DBS check